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                                                                                     September 25, 2020 Coats Museum News
Let’s revisit the past to 1870 (150 years ago). In Grove Township, there were only 180 households containing 1093 persons of whom 915 were white and 178 were black. In the entirety of Harnett County there were 8,895 persons of whom 5,857 were white and 3,038 were black. Agricultural improved land was recorded on the 1870 US Census as being valued at $509,679 for 29,114 acres. Farms produced 125,410 bushels of corn; 8,717 bushels of oats; 334 bales of cotton; 6,225 lbs. of tobacco and 64,290 bushels of sweet potatoes. (coatsmuseum.com-1870 US Census transcribed by Mark Valsame and dedicated to his mom-Dorothy J. Barnes Valsame; his Aunt Aiie M. Barnes Herring; his grandparents-Howard Benjamin Barnes and Iris Langdon Barnes-2010).
Can you believe those numbers? How many farmers would it take to produce that in 2020? I know most of the readers will recognize the name Douglas Johnson from the Barclaysville area. His farm was selected as the Harnett site for tobacco research by an Agricultural Extension Specialist (Daily Record July 23, 1985).
Another popular family name shows up in the July 25, 1985 edition of the Daily Record. Over 300 people attended the annual Ennis Reunion, which had begun 63 years earlier and was held at the Zion Baptist Church on Route 3, Dunn, NC. until 1971. The 1985 reunion was planned by Tommy Ennis and John A. Ennis.
Mr. Clarence J. Stewart, 84, of Route 1, Benson, had died. He was survived by his wife, Pauline Byrd Stewart; daughter, Mrs. Doris Stewart Stephenson; and sisters-Mrs. Nell Paschal and Mrs. Robert N. McCall (Daily Record July 26, 1985).
A point of interest about this family is Mr. Clarence Stewart was a son of Calvin Luther Stewart who was son of Daniel Stewart who served in the NC Legislature from 1883-87. His wife, Pauline Byrd Stewart, was the daughter of John McKay Byrd who also served in the NC Legislature in 1929 (“Mark’s Space” –Vol. 2 Heritage of Coats, North Carolina-2005).
Tech. Sgt. Davis L. Coats, son of Lorene Poole and stepson of Walter E. Poole of Coats, had been decorated with the fourth award of the Air Force Commendation Medal at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Dennis and Becky Adams with children, Michelle and Greg, enjoyed the annual picnic and celebration held for Virginia Parker Realty Co. in Dunn.
The Dunn Tobacco Market was filling up with cured tobacco for the first day of sales at Tew’s Warehouse. Tommy Ennis and Roy Tew of the warehouse were on hand to help Route 3, Dunn farmer Clester Johnson with his sheets of tobacco (Daily Record July 30, 1985).
The Coats Pharmacy Tigers finished second in the Coats Little League baseball tournament. Those on the team were Jason Williams, Michael Jones, Brian Barefoot, Hunter Hall, Billy Ryan, Ashley Jones, Michael Turner, Allen Williams, Chris Mangum and Ryan Ryals. They were coached by Clarence Ryals and Tommy Turner (Daily Record July 31, 1985).
The August 5th edition of the Daily Record shared that James G. Matthews had won one of the JCTC Trustee Scholarships. He was entering the Tool and Die program. The paper recorded that Mrs. Herbert L. Johnson (Margaret) had celebrated her father’s 93rd birthday in Johnston County. John H. Massengill of Route 4, Four Oaks could continue to drive his car, work in his garden and be active member of the his  church.
Coy Onsworth Johnson, 72, of Route 1, Coats had died. His wife, Cornelia Creech Johnson, and two children survived him. Also in that edition of the Daily Record was the notice of death of Mrs. Vada Langdon Hardee, 79, of Route She was survived by daughters-Mrs. Etholea Dupree, Mrs. Bennie Whittenton, and Mrs. Penny Dixon. Larry Hardee was her surviving son. Mrs. Gladys Lassiter was her sister.
Question-did she have a son who was killed in a construction accident?
I do know that another prominent citizen of the Oakdale area had died. Mr. W. Kirk Ennis, 68, a retired farmer of Route 1, Benson, was survived by his wife, Mrs. Laura Johnson Ennis, and two daughters-Mrs. Patricia e. Sanderford and Mrs. Sarah Ellen Flowers; his siblings-Bronnie, Oliver (Chic”)and Mrs. Christine Creech (Daily Record Aug. 2, 1985). Many will remember that he was the son of J.B. Ennis who served as a very popular and dedicated Chairman of the Harnett County Board of Commissioners. He had died while serving in office and had over 1,000 people attend his funeral according to the paper’s account at that time.
We reopened the museum on the 10th for limited visitors and masks and enjoyed a visitor from Lillington-Pat Sutton-who came looking for a picture of Rufus Beasley who was an ancestor of his family. We shared a copy with him and talked much about local folks.
With the same sincerity of appreciation to those who have remembered Joe Tart with memorials to the Coats Museum, the museum folks  wish to truly thank Harold and Janice Tyner, Stacy and Judy Williams, Cecil and Beverly Stephenson, and Larry and Pat Godwin for your memorials. Through you-Joe even in death continues to make a difference at our museum.
Also I wish to thank Lynda and Robie Butler and H.L Sorrell for remembering my beloved brother, Stacey  Johnson, Sr. with memorials to the Coats Museum.