September 5, 2014 Coats Museum News
Some of the Coats merchants who advertised for business in 1949 were Coats Mercantile, L. Marvin Johnson Grocery, Joel Ennis Grocery, Triangle Service Station, and F. A. Turlington of Turlington Crossroads. Wonder if the farmers who visited these businesses talked about the upcoming vote on cotton quotas. The paper wrote that the farmers were being encouraged to vote against the quotas on cotton. Farmers could lose up to 50 percent of their acreage if it passed on December 15. Wonder who was encouraging the “no” vote.
Mrs. W. Carson Honeycutt visited her mother in Coats and took her home to Black Mountains for Christmas holidays. Mrs. Mary Eleanor “Molly” Grimes, 76, died at her home. Services were at Coats Baptist Church and burial was in the Coats Cemetery. One daughter, Mrs. P.B. Wood, Jr., survived her. She had three stepsons-D.T. Grimes, A.F. Grimes, and A.C. Grimes. Mary Grimes and Mrs. Floyd Godwin were stepdaughters (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 12, 1949).
Guess how the farmers voted on the cotton quota. Farmers voted “yes” for cotton quotas. The largest turnout was in Grove where 222 for quotas versus 97 against them. Defeat of quotas would have been disastrous according to state and federal agriculture leaders.
Carson Gregory was elected as vice president of the Harnett County Farm Bureau. Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Nichols were hosts to a dinner to honor Miss Dorothy Grimes, bride-elect. A silver tureen filled with Christmas berries decorated the table flanked by red tapers in silver holders. Guests who enjoyed the dinner were Misses Evangeline Stewart, Sue Turlington, Sylvia Ingold, Betsy Stewart and Patsy Grimes. Miss Vergie Stewart visited her mother, Mrs. Lillian Stewart, in Coats. Other visitors to the Coats area were Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Phillips of Mississippi who were in town to spend the holidays with the M.O. Phillips family.
The completed community building was serving its purpose well. Thirty-three folks associated with the Junior Woman’s Club saw the building beautifully decorated with a sparkling tree, candle lights, and a real Santa Claus. John Chicone entertained with his accordion. The Moores also sang some numbers accompanied by Chicone. Those attending the Christmas party were Mrs. Lib Beasley and Curtis Guy, the W.M. Keenes, Woodrow Langdons, M.O. Phillipses, J.D. Lamms, Eugene Stewarts, Miss Toby Surles, Miss Eleanor Godwin, Herbert Johnsons, Bobby Honeycutts, Mrs. Jean Denton, Johnnie Williamses, Ray Langdon, Thomas Williams, Leroy Stewarts, Haywood Robertses, Mr. Carroll Hall, Donald Moores, Mrs. W. E. Nichols, and Mrs. McArthan. Refreshments were cookies shaped like Christmas trees and ice cream molded like poinsettias bearing a miniature candle (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 16, 1949).
Mrs. Esther Partin Stewart, 76, had suffered a stroke on Thursday and had died on Sunday. Her husband, Thomas H. Stewart, had died earlier on May 24th. Marjorie Stanley of Coats was a patient at Dunn Hospital (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 19, 1949).
The spirit of Christmas was very much alive. The Pleasant Memory Home Demonstration Club met at the home of Mrs. Florine Penny for a Christmas party for the members and their families. Those present were Talmon and Mavor Penny and children –Ted and Kenneth, Mrs. Kress Williams, Mrs. Grace Carroll, Mrs. Joe Penny, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Penny and daughter Cathy, Mrs. Alice Wester, Miss Lorraine Vail, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Upchurch, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny and son Howard, Jr. (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 21, 1949).
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Westbrook were married on Wednesday evening on December 21. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delma T. Grimes and he was the son of Mrs. Almon Westbrook of Dunn. Readers were reminded that Christmas was more expensive today because gone were the days when Grandma used to take the leg out of Grandpa’s overalls, a hank of yarn and make a rag doll for Christmas. Grandma popped some corn, strung it on a fir tree that had come from the back 40. A few hickory nuts and an apple were put into a stocking. I also have heard that oranges and hard candy were put in stocking or a shoe box.
Mrs. J.J. Barnes won first place in the best decorated house at Christmas for the interior lighting motif carried out in her home. Mrs. Gaither Stewart won second place with her display of Santa Claus and his reindeer before a background of gaily-colored lights. Honorable mention was given to Mrs. Gid Johnson although she lived outside of the contest area. Who was sponsoring this contest? Where did these ladies live? Was it Angier?
Mrs. E.L. Parrish was given a gift for nine years of perfect attendance at the Goodwill HD Club. The club had met at the home of Mrs. D.A. Langdon where each person had carried a small gift for Mrs. Silas Hayes who had been ill for several months.
The Turlington HD Club had their Christmas party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hardee. The house was beautifully decorated in silver, red, and green. Mrs. Paul Turlington greeted each lady guest with a Christmas corsage. Mrs. John Wolf led in games and contests. Mrs. Paul Murray and Mrs. C.D. Turner read Christmas poems. Christmas carols were sung and comical gifts were given to the men. Santa Claus came and yes, it was Woodrow Langdon.
What did the party people have for supper? How do boiled ham, potato salad, pimento and cream cheese sandwiches, pickles, and cranberry sauce sound?
Who were the members of the awarding winning club? The following attended with their husbands: Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hardee, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Turlington, Mr. and Mrs. Milliard Whittington, Mr. and Mrs. James Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. Garland Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Langdon, Mrs. M.E. Ennis, Mrs. Clyde Ennis, Mrs. Zula Huntley, Mrs. James Honeycutt, Mrs. Paul Murray, Mrs. C. D. Turner and Mrs. H.A. Turlington (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 28, 1949).
Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Harmon of Coats announced the birth of Ruddy Clifton Harmon on Christmas Day. The mother was the former Betty Jean Betts. Jeanine Ennis of East Carolina Teachers College spent Christmas with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Ennis. The Coats Theater was showing “Indian Agent” and “Rose of Yukon” (Dec. 30, 1949).
Another year has passed on our long journey into our yesteryears. During this journey, many of the readers who had lived those days have died. Younger readers are now identifying with the news being written. Are you one of them? This I do know. The year was 1950-the year the United States was drawn into the war with Korea. President Harry Truman announced that he had ordered the development of the hydrogen bomb. Mass movement to suburbia was in full swing. Shopping malls, drive-in movies, and chain supermarkets were the trends. Antihistamines were the new medical miracle. The television trend was to watch quiz and panel shows, such as “Beat the Clock”, “What’s My Line”, and “You Bet Your Life.”Diner’s Club marketed the first credit card, a brainchild of Alfred Bloomingdale. Hopalong Cassidy was the first great cowboy of the television era. The U. S. population was 150, 697, 361 according to the 1950 census. There were 10,000,000 televisions. Sixty percent of all medical patients were being prescribed penicillin. Sixty-four percent of all Americans lived in the city. The average farmer raised food for 15.5 people, double the production at the turn of the century (Dickson, Paul: From Elvis to E-mail, Springfield, Massachusetts: Federal Press, 1999).
In August we had signed in visitors from 16 NC towns and five states for a total of 134. Doris Cooke Thompson, thank you for your donation and to H.L. for honoring the memory of Madeline W. Parnell, widow of William Parnell, who was KIA in Vietnam, and the memory of Linda B. Johnson who never failed to make customers feel special when they entered the Belk Store in Dunn.
Some of the Coats merchants who advertised for business in 1949 were Coats Mercantile, L. Marvin Johnson Grocery, Joel Ennis Grocery, Triangle Service Station, and F. A. Turlington of Turlington Crossroads. Wonder if the farmers who visited these businesses talked about the upcoming vote on cotton quotas. The paper wrote that the farmers were being encouraged to vote against the quotas on cotton. Farmers could lose up to 50 percent of their acreage if it passed on December 15. Wonder who was encouraging the “no” vote.
Mrs. W. Carson Honeycutt visited her mother in Coats and took her home to Black Mountains for Christmas holidays. Mrs. Mary Eleanor “Molly” Grimes, 76, died at her home. Services were at Coats Baptist Church and burial was in the Coats Cemetery. One daughter, Mrs. P.B. Wood, Jr., survived her. She had three stepsons-D.T. Grimes, A.F. Grimes, and A.C. Grimes. Mary Grimes and Mrs. Floyd Godwin were stepdaughters (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 12, 1949).
Guess how the farmers voted on the cotton quota. Farmers voted “yes” for cotton quotas. The largest turnout was in Grove where 222 for quotas versus 97 against them. Defeat of quotas would have been disastrous according to state and federal agriculture leaders.
Carson Gregory was elected as vice president of the Harnett County Farm Bureau. Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Nichols were hosts to a dinner to honor Miss Dorothy Grimes, bride-elect. A silver tureen filled with Christmas berries decorated the table flanked by red tapers in silver holders. Guests who enjoyed the dinner were Misses Evangeline Stewart, Sue Turlington, Sylvia Ingold, Betsy Stewart and Patsy Grimes. Miss Vergie Stewart visited her mother, Mrs. Lillian Stewart, in Coats. Other visitors to the Coats area were Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Phillips of Mississippi who were in town to spend the holidays with the M.O. Phillips family.
The completed community building was serving its purpose well. Thirty-three folks associated with the Junior Woman’s Club saw the building beautifully decorated with a sparkling tree, candle lights, and a real Santa Claus. John Chicone entertained with his accordion. The Moores also sang some numbers accompanied by Chicone. Those attending the Christmas party were Mrs. Lib Beasley and Curtis Guy, the W.M. Keenes, Woodrow Langdons, M.O. Phillipses, J.D. Lamms, Eugene Stewarts, Miss Toby Surles, Miss Eleanor Godwin, Herbert Johnsons, Bobby Honeycutts, Mrs. Jean Denton, Johnnie Williamses, Ray Langdon, Thomas Williams, Leroy Stewarts, Haywood Robertses, Mr. Carroll Hall, Donald Moores, Mrs. W. E. Nichols, and Mrs. McArthan. Refreshments were cookies shaped like Christmas trees and ice cream molded like poinsettias bearing a miniature candle (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 16, 1949).
Mrs. Esther Partin Stewart, 76, had suffered a stroke on Thursday and had died on Sunday. Her husband, Thomas H. Stewart, had died earlier on May 24th. Marjorie Stanley of Coats was a patient at Dunn Hospital (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 19, 1949).
The spirit of Christmas was very much alive. The Pleasant Memory Home Demonstration Club met at the home of Mrs. Florine Penny for a Christmas party for the members and their families. Those present were Talmon and Mavor Penny and children –Ted and Kenneth, Mrs. Kress Williams, Mrs. Grace Carroll, Mrs. Joe Penny, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Penny and daughter Cathy, Mrs. Alice Wester, Miss Lorraine Vail, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Upchurch, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny and son Howard, Jr. (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 21, 1949).
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Westbrook were married on Wednesday evening on December 21. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delma T. Grimes and he was the son of Mrs. Almon Westbrook of Dunn. Readers were reminded that Christmas was more expensive today because gone were the days when Grandma used to take the leg out of Grandpa’s overalls, a hank of yarn and make a rag doll for Christmas. Grandma popped some corn, strung it on a fir tree that had come from the back 40. A few hickory nuts and an apple were put into a stocking. I also have heard that oranges and hard candy were put in stocking or a shoe box.
Mrs. J.J. Barnes won first place in the best decorated house at Christmas for the interior lighting motif carried out in her home. Mrs. Gaither Stewart won second place with her display of Santa Claus and his reindeer before a background of gaily-colored lights. Honorable mention was given to Mrs. Gid Johnson although she lived outside of the contest area. Who was sponsoring this contest? Where did these ladies live? Was it Angier?
Mrs. E.L. Parrish was given a gift for nine years of perfect attendance at the Goodwill HD Club. The club had met at the home of Mrs. D.A. Langdon where each person had carried a small gift for Mrs. Silas Hayes who had been ill for several months.
The Turlington HD Club had their Christmas party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hardee. The house was beautifully decorated in silver, red, and green. Mrs. Paul Turlington greeted each lady guest with a Christmas corsage. Mrs. John Wolf led in games and contests. Mrs. Paul Murray and Mrs. C.D. Turner read Christmas poems. Christmas carols were sung and comical gifts were given to the men. Santa Claus came and yes, it was Woodrow Langdon.
What did the party people have for supper? How do boiled ham, potato salad, pimento and cream cheese sandwiches, pickles, and cranberry sauce sound?
Who were the members of the awarding winning club? The following attended with their husbands: Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hardee, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Turlington, Mr. and Mrs. Milliard Whittington, Mr. and Mrs. James Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. Garland Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Langdon, Mrs. M.E. Ennis, Mrs. Clyde Ennis, Mrs. Zula Huntley, Mrs. James Honeycutt, Mrs. Paul Murray, Mrs. C. D. Turner and Mrs. H.A. Turlington (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 28, 1949).
Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Harmon of Coats announced the birth of Ruddy Clifton Harmon on Christmas Day. The mother was the former Betty Jean Betts. Jeanine Ennis of East Carolina Teachers College spent Christmas with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Ennis. The Coats Theater was showing “Indian Agent” and “Rose of Yukon” (Dec. 30, 1949).
Another year has passed on our long journey into our yesteryears. During this journey, many of the readers who had lived those days have died. Younger readers are now identifying with the news being written. Are you one of them? This I do know. The year was 1950-the year the United States was drawn into the war with Korea. President Harry Truman announced that he had ordered the development of the hydrogen bomb. Mass movement to suburbia was in full swing. Shopping malls, drive-in movies, and chain supermarkets were the trends. Antihistamines were the new medical miracle. The television trend was to watch quiz and panel shows, such as “Beat the Clock”, “What’s My Line”, and “You Bet Your Life.”Diner’s Club marketed the first credit card, a brainchild of Alfred Bloomingdale. Hopalong Cassidy was the first great cowboy of the television era. The U. S. population was 150, 697, 361 according to the 1950 census. There were 10,000,000 televisions. Sixty percent of all medical patients were being prescribed penicillin. Sixty-four percent of all Americans lived in the city. The average farmer raised food for 15.5 people, double the production at the turn of the century (Dickson, Paul: From Elvis to E-mail, Springfield, Massachusetts: Federal Press, 1999).
In August we had signed in visitors from 16 NC towns and five states for a total of 134. Doris Cooke Thompson, thank you for your donation and to H.L. for honoring the memory of Madeline W. Parnell, widow of William Parnell, who was KIA in Vietnam, and the memory of Linda B. Johnson who never failed to make customers feel special when they entered the Belk Store in Dunn.