September 11, 2015
Coats Museum News
How excited the farmers must have been when it was announced that the Roanoke-Holiday Tobacco Harvester would be ready for the 1955 tobacco season. Who recalls what the harvester looked like and what it could do? It was advertised that three primers and two loopers could harvest one hundred sticks per hour. Add another primer and looper, an additional 50 sticks of tobacco could be harvested an hour.
So if a tobacco barn held 500 sticks of looped tobacco, how many hours would it take to harvest a barn of tobacco with three primers and two loopers? How long would it take with three loopers and four primers?
How did this machine work? Did the primers sit on seats and prime tobacco leaves? Did they hand the tobacco to the looper or did they put it into a clip on a chain that carried it up to a second level where loopers stood and retrieved the leaves from the chain and then looped them? Did they use the same horse that was used on the ground to loop tobacco? After the tobacco was looped, where were the sticks of tobacco placed? How big and tall was this machine and how did it keep from destroying the tobacco stalks?
You must be thinking that all I do is ask questions. Do you know the answers? I do know that Robert Rowland was a man that I often heard my in-laws speak of with such respect. In November of 1954, he was very sick in the Dunn Hospital. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Dixon and her mother, Mrs. Caro S. Bennett, had left for Jacksonville, Florida where they visited Mrs. Bennett’s son, J.C. Sorrell and family.
Mr. Haywood Roberts, a new member of the Harnett County Board of Education, took a tour of the county schools with Supt. G.T. Proffit who said that it took 165 miles to visit all schools (Daily Record Nov. 3, 1954). I just wonder how many of those miles were on dirt roads and how many miles would there be in 2015.
Charles Larry Dupree and Billy Jean Stephenson and Morris Stroud Wedding and Merlee Godwin had been issued marriage licenses (Daily Record Nov. 8, 1954).
Sherrill Willis of Coats had been named reporter of the Cadet Officers Club of the Air Force ROTC at ECC in Greenville, NC (Daily Record Nov. 10, 1954).
Ray Stewart of Coats must have been anxious as he opened his letter asking him to report to the draft. Robert Graham and Clarice Jean Norris announced the birth of Robert Graham Norris, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Drexel A. Langdon had a daughter, Shelia Ann. The Sauls and Stewart families were surely proud of a new arrival, Ronald Blake Stewart. Vellie Devon and Faye Page were also receiving attention for the birth of a new baby boy. The former Edna Eleanor Hannon and Troy Joseph Stewart had a new daughter (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1954).
Once again it seemed that death came to the Coats area and decided to stay around for a while. Mrs. Alene Miller Ennis, 35, of Benson Route 1, had died at her home on Friday. Funeral services and burial were at the Hodges Chapel Church. Her husband, Bronnie Ennis, and her young daughters- Betty Sue, Ann and Jone Ennis survived her. Her parents-Mr. and Mrs. Ed Miller and her siblings-Mrs. Otis Whittington, Mrs. Lloyd Byrd, Mrs. Peter George Keymas, Mrs. Maynard Barnes, Prentis Miller and Pvt. Bernice Miller also survived her.
Just up the road in the Bailey’s Crossroads area, near where Mrs. Ennis had lived, Mr. J.D. Nordan had died at his home at the age of seventy-three. Services were held at Bethel Church where he had been a member for 35 years. He was buried in the church cemetery and Elder B.L. Godwin and Rev. J.D. Capps officiated.
Mr. Nordan was survived by his wife, Mrs. Bessie Ennis Nordan; one daughter, Mrs. Otis Coats; three brothers-Elder Frank Nordan, Albert Nordan, and Alex Nordan. Mrs. J.F. Ennis was his sister (Daily Record Nov. 15, 1954).
It has been a while since you have read about jury duty of Coats citizens. John A. Holmes, E.B. Stewart, and G.W. Partin had received their summons (Daily Record Nov. 17, 1954).
Surely you must be thinking that this column is nothing more than obituaries and you are about right. This time death has taken Grover Cleveland Godwin, 69, of Coats who died in the Good Hope Hospital on Tuesday night. His wife, the former Kittty Barnes of Coats, survived him. He also had two daughters-Mrs. Excell Flowers and Mrs. Lottie Pollard. Wiley, Wiburn, Layton and Halford Godwin were sons.
Services were held at Little Flock PBC near Coats. Elders J.T. Lewis, B.L. Godwin and Shepherd Stephenson officiated. He was buried in the Godwin Cemetery near Hardee’s Crossroads in Johnston County.
Another member of the rural community had died at his home on Monday afternoon at 4:50. J. Dallas Mitchell, 75, had his services at his home with burial in the Coats City Cemetery. Elder J.T. Lewis officiated. His wife, Mrs. Rena Mitchell, and his two sons-Ira and Delma and one daughter, Mrs. Walter Weaver, survived him (Daily Record Nov. 18, 1954).
Yet another death was recorded for the area. L. Shepherd Penny of Route 1, Benson had died. He was a retired farmer of the Banner Township. Death had come at his daughter’s home in Smithfield on Monday afternoon at 3:30. Elder Lester Lee conducted the funeral services at Rose Funeral Home with interment at Hannah’s Creek.
Mr. Penny was well known for his “fiddling” talent, having taken many top prizes. He had used the same violin since 1880. He was the son of the late Henry H. and Unity Coats Penny of Coats. His widow was Liffie Creech. Mrs. Irene Herring, Mrs. A.M. Lyon, Aaron Penny, Jeptha Penny, Eptha Penny also survived him. His siblings were Mrs. W.H. “Lizzie” Turlington, Mrs. Eli Turlington, Mrs. Roger Coats, Joe, Archie, Jeff, and Victor Penny (Daily Record Nov. 18, 1954). Was he a member of the Penny Band?
Was there nothing to do other than attend funerals? At least we know that this had been a bumper year with farmers paying off debts and having money left over according to bank officials. Hazel had come and gone and wasn’t hurricane season over? I do know that the yo-yo craze was popular for both genders-young and old. Did you ever have a yo-yo? Was it wood or plastic? Could you do lots of tricks with yours? Could you yo-yo with two at one time?
A horrible accident had claimed the life of young man who lived near the Johnston-Harnett County line. Lawrence Hardee a thirty year-old carpenter had died at Rex Hospital after he had fallen while working in Raleigh on Friday. His services were at Bethel and burial was in Roselawn. Elders J.T. Lewis and Frank Nordan officiated. His widow was Virgie Clifton Hardee. He left several young children-Brenda, Joyce, Bernice, Marie, Shirley and Francis Hardee. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Floyd G. Hardee. Larry Hardee, Mrs. Wilburn Dupree, Mrs. Thomas Whittington, Mrs. Wilson Stephenson and Penny H. Dixon were his siblings.
In 1954, the average age at which a girl married was 21 years. The average amount a church member gave was $41.94. Each man, woman and child’s share of the national debt was $1,666.11 each. In 1954, there were about one million more woman than men and about 3 times more widows in the US. The US Government was in debt 270 billion dollars. In 1953, 61 percent of the US families owned automobiles and 61 percent of that 61 percent bought them on the installment plan (Daily Record Nov. 22, 1954).
Darlene Penny shared that she remembered seeing the “Goatman” one night back in the 1950’s. She said her family went to a site near the current South Johnston School campus where he was camped out. Thanks-Darlene. Does anyone remember the “Human Fly,” Johnnie J. Woods, who was going to climb the Cotton Dale Hotel in Dunn in 1954?
Just a reminder to our Grove Township military men and women, the Coats Musum folks plan to recognize each of you at an event on the Heritage Square. Save the date –November 14, 2015. More thorough information about the event can be acquired from the museum on Sunday afternoons and on Thursdays from 9-3:00.
How excited the farmers must have been when it was announced that the Roanoke-Holiday Tobacco Harvester would be ready for the 1955 tobacco season. Who recalls what the harvester looked like and what it could do? It was advertised that three primers and two loopers could harvest one hundred sticks per hour. Add another primer and looper, an additional 50 sticks of tobacco could be harvested an hour.
So if a tobacco barn held 500 sticks of looped tobacco, how many hours would it take to harvest a barn of tobacco with three primers and two loopers? How long would it take with three loopers and four primers?
How did this machine work? Did the primers sit on seats and prime tobacco leaves? Did they hand the tobacco to the looper or did they put it into a clip on a chain that carried it up to a second level where loopers stood and retrieved the leaves from the chain and then looped them? Did they use the same horse that was used on the ground to loop tobacco? After the tobacco was looped, where were the sticks of tobacco placed? How big and tall was this machine and how did it keep from destroying the tobacco stalks?
You must be thinking that all I do is ask questions. Do you know the answers? I do know that Robert Rowland was a man that I often heard my in-laws speak of with such respect. In November of 1954, he was very sick in the Dunn Hospital. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Dixon and her mother, Mrs. Caro S. Bennett, had left for Jacksonville, Florida where they visited Mrs. Bennett’s son, J.C. Sorrell and family.
Mr. Haywood Roberts, a new member of the Harnett County Board of Education, took a tour of the county schools with Supt. G.T. Proffit who said that it took 165 miles to visit all schools (Daily Record Nov. 3, 1954). I just wonder how many of those miles were on dirt roads and how many miles would there be in 2015.
Charles Larry Dupree and Billy Jean Stephenson and Morris Stroud Wedding and Merlee Godwin had been issued marriage licenses (Daily Record Nov. 8, 1954).
Sherrill Willis of Coats had been named reporter of the Cadet Officers Club of the Air Force ROTC at ECC in Greenville, NC (Daily Record Nov. 10, 1954).
Ray Stewart of Coats must have been anxious as he opened his letter asking him to report to the draft. Robert Graham and Clarice Jean Norris announced the birth of Robert Graham Norris, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Drexel A. Langdon had a daughter, Shelia Ann. The Sauls and Stewart families were surely proud of a new arrival, Ronald Blake Stewart. Vellie Devon and Faye Page were also receiving attention for the birth of a new baby boy. The former Edna Eleanor Hannon and Troy Joseph Stewart had a new daughter (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1954).
Once again it seemed that death came to the Coats area and decided to stay around for a while. Mrs. Alene Miller Ennis, 35, of Benson Route 1, had died at her home on Friday. Funeral services and burial were at the Hodges Chapel Church. Her husband, Bronnie Ennis, and her young daughters- Betty Sue, Ann and Jone Ennis survived her. Her parents-Mr. and Mrs. Ed Miller and her siblings-Mrs. Otis Whittington, Mrs. Lloyd Byrd, Mrs. Peter George Keymas, Mrs. Maynard Barnes, Prentis Miller and Pvt. Bernice Miller also survived her.
Just up the road in the Bailey’s Crossroads area, near where Mrs. Ennis had lived, Mr. J.D. Nordan had died at his home at the age of seventy-three. Services were held at Bethel Church where he had been a member for 35 years. He was buried in the church cemetery and Elder B.L. Godwin and Rev. J.D. Capps officiated.
Mr. Nordan was survived by his wife, Mrs. Bessie Ennis Nordan; one daughter, Mrs. Otis Coats; three brothers-Elder Frank Nordan, Albert Nordan, and Alex Nordan. Mrs. J.F. Ennis was his sister (Daily Record Nov. 15, 1954).
It has been a while since you have read about jury duty of Coats citizens. John A. Holmes, E.B. Stewart, and G.W. Partin had received their summons (Daily Record Nov. 17, 1954).
Surely you must be thinking that this column is nothing more than obituaries and you are about right. This time death has taken Grover Cleveland Godwin, 69, of Coats who died in the Good Hope Hospital on Tuesday night. His wife, the former Kittty Barnes of Coats, survived him. He also had two daughters-Mrs. Excell Flowers and Mrs. Lottie Pollard. Wiley, Wiburn, Layton and Halford Godwin were sons.
Services were held at Little Flock PBC near Coats. Elders J.T. Lewis, B.L. Godwin and Shepherd Stephenson officiated. He was buried in the Godwin Cemetery near Hardee’s Crossroads in Johnston County.
Another member of the rural community had died at his home on Monday afternoon at 4:50. J. Dallas Mitchell, 75, had his services at his home with burial in the Coats City Cemetery. Elder J.T. Lewis officiated. His wife, Mrs. Rena Mitchell, and his two sons-Ira and Delma and one daughter, Mrs. Walter Weaver, survived him (Daily Record Nov. 18, 1954).
Yet another death was recorded for the area. L. Shepherd Penny of Route 1, Benson had died. He was a retired farmer of the Banner Township. Death had come at his daughter’s home in Smithfield on Monday afternoon at 3:30. Elder Lester Lee conducted the funeral services at Rose Funeral Home with interment at Hannah’s Creek.
Mr. Penny was well known for his “fiddling” talent, having taken many top prizes. He had used the same violin since 1880. He was the son of the late Henry H. and Unity Coats Penny of Coats. His widow was Liffie Creech. Mrs. Irene Herring, Mrs. A.M. Lyon, Aaron Penny, Jeptha Penny, Eptha Penny also survived him. His siblings were Mrs. W.H. “Lizzie” Turlington, Mrs. Eli Turlington, Mrs. Roger Coats, Joe, Archie, Jeff, and Victor Penny (Daily Record Nov. 18, 1954). Was he a member of the Penny Band?
Was there nothing to do other than attend funerals? At least we know that this had been a bumper year with farmers paying off debts and having money left over according to bank officials. Hazel had come and gone and wasn’t hurricane season over? I do know that the yo-yo craze was popular for both genders-young and old. Did you ever have a yo-yo? Was it wood or plastic? Could you do lots of tricks with yours? Could you yo-yo with two at one time?
A horrible accident had claimed the life of young man who lived near the Johnston-Harnett County line. Lawrence Hardee a thirty year-old carpenter had died at Rex Hospital after he had fallen while working in Raleigh on Friday. His services were at Bethel and burial was in Roselawn. Elders J.T. Lewis and Frank Nordan officiated. His widow was Virgie Clifton Hardee. He left several young children-Brenda, Joyce, Bernice, Marie, Shirley and Francis Hardee. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Floyd G. Hardee. Larry Hardee, Mrs. Wilburn Dupree, Mrs. Thomas Whittington, Mrs. Wilson Stephenson and Penny H. Dixon were his siblings.
In 1954, the average age at which a girl married was 21 years. The average amount a church member gave was $41.94. Each man, woman and child’s share of the national debt was $1,666.11 each. In 1954, there were about one million more woman than men and about 3 times more widows in the US. The US Government was in debt 270 billion dollars. In 1953, 61 percent of the US families owned automobiles and 61 percent of that 61 percent bought them on the installment plan (Daily Record Nov. 22, 1954).
Darlene Penny shared that she remembered seeing the “Goatman” one night back in the 1950’s. She said her family went to a site near the current South Johnston School campus where he was camped out. Thanks-Darlene. Does anyone remember the “Human Fly,” Johnnie J. Woods, who was going to climb the Cotton Dale Hotel in Dunn in 1954?
Just a reminder to our Grove Township military men and women, the Coats Musum folks plan to recognize each of you at an event on the Heritage Square. Save the date –November 14, 2015. More thorough information about the event can be acquired from the museum on Sunday afternoons and on Thursdays from 9-3:00.