September 6, 2024 Coats Museum News
This week we shall continue the journey of our ancestral immigrants to early North Carolina. Do you recall we traveled with some ancestors down the Green’s Path from Virginia and the northern coastline of NC to eventually come to the Johnston and Harnett Counties? Then we read that the lower Cape Fear Valley saw a huge increase in population growth, and by 1734, the increase in population had grown so much that it had resulted in the formation of three new counties-Onslow, Edgecombe and Bladen.
Ten years later in 1774, Royal Gov. Gabriel Johnston boasted of the character of the group of immigrants coming to the Cape Fear Valley region. Between 1729 and the American Revolution, NC saw the earliest and most numerous settlements of Scottish Highlanders in America. They liked what they found here-climate, fertile soil, and liberal government. Several early names such as Alexander Clark of Jura, in the Hebrides Isles, and Highlander Neil McNeill are given credit for bringing shiploads of Scots to the colony.
Tradition has recorded that they left Wilmington because the earlier inhabitants made fun of their peculiar costumes and unusual language, so they moved northward and settled in the area of current Fayetteville. Being much impressed with the area, they petitioned the Assembly in 1740, saying “If proper encouragement be given them, they’ll invite the rest of their friends and acquaintances over” (Lefler and Newsome p.72). You do recall from your study of history that the men wore kilts of varied colors and resembled female skirts.
Keep that 1740 date in your mind. The petitioners had two things in their favor. First, the Assembly was very interested in promoting immigration and second, the Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston was a High Scot himself. The assembly voted to exempt the new settlers from all taxation for ten years. Public and county taxes were also exempt for ten years. The only condition extended was that they must come in groups of forty or more to NC (Lefler and Newsome, 73).
Next week we shall continue the journey on why some of our early ancestors settled in the area of current Harnett County, but now let’s see what was happening in the current area that is known as Coats in Grove Township.
In the Oct. 13, 1994 edition of the Daily Record, it was printed that the Ombudsman Community Advisory Committee was made up of appointees by the Harnett County board of Commissioners. They served as advocates for the residents of long-term care facilities. Elizabeth Nordan of Bailey’s Crossroads was a member of that group. A number of residents were entertained by the Coats Playmakers.
Do you know where your high school or college diploma is located? Is there any special wording on it? I do know that congratulations were due to Elsa Sears who had graduated from Campbell University with a degree in Social Work. She had graduated magna cum laude. That took long hours with the books.
Belle shared that many folks in Coats were sad to hear that Homer Williams had suffered a stroke (Daily Record Oct. 13, 1994).
We all have many significant dates in our lives but two of the most important ones are our birth date and death date. My late husband H.L. always said that the dates are not so important as the dash that connects those two dates because that is the life we live. For some the dash is short while for others it is long.
For Harold Brent Bowden, 31, of Route 2, Angier, the dash was cut short when he died as the result of injuries he received in an automobile accident. He was the son of Harold and Linda Combs Bowden of Angier, Route 2. Rev. Mike Tart held services at Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel. He was survived by his wife Anita Allen Bowden and one brother Anthony Bowden (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1994).
I never understand why that dash seems to be so smooth for many, but for others it has rough spots and edges. I recall the first time I ever saw Anita Allen, whose mother sometimes subbed at our Coats School. Anita did not attend our school but she was at a Coats basketball game where I was pulling my duty to work in the concession stand. Anita was absolutely the most beautiful teenager so-put together. Today Anita is my neighbor up the road and her second young husband died from a heart attack. Both had short dashes between their two dates-but for both they did make an impact in their short lives.
Another man who died young was Tim McKinnie. I can’t think of Tim without thinking of his buddy Keith McLeod and both graduated from CHS in 1969, members of my first English class. However, in 1994, Tim was a forty-three year man who resigned as mayor of Coats to move to Raleigh to pursue advancement in his career. He had served as mayor for nine years and was replaced by Frances Avery as mayor (Daily Record Oct. 18, 1994). Don’t ever doubt that highly successful people have their roots in small towns such as Coats which can be verified with the success stories of Frances and these two men.
The museum volunteers are so sad for the Patsy Avery family. Patsy was one of most faithful supporters at the museum. We will really miss seeing her face and hearing her voice. Thank you, Stacy, for designating the Coats Museum as a nonprofit to which a memorial for Patsy can be given at Coats Museum, PO Box 1294, Coats, NC.
This week we shall continue the journey of our ancestral immigrants to early North Carolina. Do you recall we traveled with some ancestors down the Green’s Path from Virginia and the northern coastline of NC to eventually come to the Johnston and Harnett Counties? Then we read that the lower Cape Fear Valley saw a huge increase in population growth, and by 1734, the increase in population had grown so much that it had resulted in the formation of three new counties-Onslow, Edgecombe and Bladen.
Ten years later in 1774, Royal Gov. Gabriel Johnston boasted of the character of the group of immigrants coming to the Cape Fear Valley region. Between 1729 and the American Revolution, NC saw the earliest and most numerous settlements of Scottish Highlanders in America. They liked what they found here-climate, fertile soil, and liberal government. Several early names such as Alexander Clark of Jura, in the Hebrides Isles, and Highlander Neil McNeill are given credit for bringing shiploads of Scots to the colony.
Tradition has recorded that they left Wilmington because the earlier inhabitants made fun of their peculiar costumes and unusual language, so they moved northward and settled in the area of current Fayetteville. Being much impressed with the area, they petitioned the Assembly in 1740, saying “If proper encouragement be given them, they’ll invite the rest of their friends and acquaintances over” (Lefler and Newsome p.72). You do recall from your study of history that the men wore kilts of varied colors and resembled female skirts.
Keep that 1740 date in your mind. The petitioners had two things in their favor. First, the Assembly was very interested in promoting immigration and second, the Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston was a High Scot himself. The assembly voted to exempt the new settlers from all taxation for ten years. Public and county taxes were also exempt for ten years. The only condition extended was that they must come in groups of forty or more to NC (Lefler and Newsome, 73).
Next week we shall continue the journey on why some of our early ancestors settled in the area of current Harnett County, but now let’s see what was happening in the current area that is known as Coats in Grove Township.
In the Oct. 13, 1994 edition of the Daily Record, it was printed that the Ombudsman Community Advisory Committee was made up of appointees by the Harnett County board of Commissioners. They served as advocates for the residents of long-term care facilities. Elizabeth Nordan of Bailey’s Crossroads was a member of that group. A number of residents were entertained by the Coats Playmakers.
Do you know where your high school or college diploma is located? Is there any special wording on it? I do know that congratulations were due to Elsa Sears who had graduated from Campbell University with a degree in Social Work. She had graduated magna cum laude. That took long hours with the books.
Belle shared that many folks in Coats were sad to hear that Homer Williams had suffered a stroke (Daily Record Oct. 13, 1994).
We all have many significant dates in our lives but two of the most important ones are our birth date and death date. My late husband H.L. always said that the dates are not so important as the dash that connects those two dates because that is the life we live. For some the dash is short while for others it is long.
For Harold Brent Bowden, 31, of Route 2, Angier, the dash was cut short when he died as the result of injuries he received in an automobile accident. He was the son of Harold and Linda Combs Bowden of Angier, Route 2. Rev. Mike Tart held services at Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel. He was survived by his wife Anita Allen Bowden and one brother Anthony Bowden (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1994).
I never understand why that dash seems to be so smooth for many, but for others it has rough spots and edges. I recall the first time I ever saw Anita Allen, whose mother sometimes subbed at our Coats School. Anita did not attend our school but she was at a Coats basketball game where I was pulling my duty to work in the concession stand. Anita was absolutely the most beautiful teenager so-put together. Today Anita is my neighbor up the road and her second young husband died from a heart attack. Both had short dashes between their two dates-but for both they did make an impact in their short lives.
Another man who died young was Tim McKinnie. I can’t think of Tim without thinking of his buddy Keith McLeod and both graduated from CHS in 1969, members of my first English class. However, in 1994, Tim was a forty-three year man who resigned as mayor of Coats to move to Raleigh to pursue advancement in his career. He had served as mayor for nine years and was replaced by Frances Avery as mayor (Daily Record Oct. 18, 1994). Don’t ever doubt that highly successful people have their roots in small towns such as Coats which can be verified with the success stories of Frances and these two men.
The museum volunteers are so sad for the Patsy Avery family. Patsy was one of most faithful supporters at the museum. We will really miss seeing her face and hearing her voice. Thank you, Stacy, for designating the Coats Museum as a nonprofit to which a memorial for Patsy can be given at Coats Museum, PO Box 1294, Coats, NC.