May 3. 2013 Coats Museum News
Were you ever told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? I do know it was recorded in October of 1939 that in a ceremony marked by beauty and simplicity, Miss Thelma Turlington and Carl Leslie Wilson, Jr. were united in marriage in Raleigh. The bride and groom entered together. She wore an airway blue woolen suit with golden threads interwoven. With this, she wore a short red fox fur jacket and a hat of matching blue French felt. Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of Stuart Turlington and the late Mrs. Imogene Turlington. The bride was educated at Flora McDonald College, North Carolina College for Women and Hardbarger’s Secretarial College. She had been employed as secretary for T.H. Briggs and Sons. Mr. Wilson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Wilson of Dunn, and he worked with the Unemployment Compensation Commission (Harnett County News October 12, 1939).
Does anyone know whom this lady was connected to in the area? Mrs. Thelma Turlington lived to be over 100 years old and died while living at Windsor Point in Fuquay. She was able to maneuver around in high heels up until her death and always was a picture of fashion. This writer and Becky Adams had the opportunity to interview her and learn about her life while growing up in the Turlington Crossroads area. Her beautiful red hair and manicured nails and southern charm are etched into my memory as she recalled life on the big farm south of Coats.
Death visited Coats and claimed one of Coats’ oldest citizens. Mrs. W.H. (Dollie) Wiggins, 80, died at her home on Sunday morning. She was one of the town’s best- known residents and had been in failing health for the past two years. Funeral services were held at the Coats Baptist Church and burial was in the Denning Cemetery near Coats. Mrs. Wiggins, a daughter of the late Joel Denning and Mary Gregory Denning, was a member of a prominent family. Her husband was killed in an accident at his cotton gin on the current site of the Coats Heritage Square. She had one son, W.W. Wiggins, a Raleigh pharmacist, who was a former mayor of Coats in the early 1920’s. Her two daughters were Mrs. T. Owen Beasley and Mrs. Lucy Kelly (Harnett County News October 26, 1939).
Mrs. W. E. Nichols, president of the Ninth District of Federated Clubs, entertained the members of her local Page Book Club. Miss Mattie Patterson of Chapel Hill, a charter member of the club, was the honored guest (Harnett County News November 23, 1939).
A tragic accident near Coats claimed the life of one and spoiled another Christmas holiday. This accident was no exception to the usual occurrence each year of death around Christmas. Everett Howard Ryals died at Good Hope Hospital after being struck by a lumber truck that smashed into the wagon he was on. The accident took place about 2 miles east of Coats. The victim’s home was within sight of the accident. There was a bit of controversy to actually what happened involving the accident (Harnett County News December 28, 1939).
Our travels into the decade of the 1930’s have concluded. It was a decade that was shrouded in an atmosphere of darkness caused by the great depression and uneasiness overseas; nevertheless, the people of Grove endured as life gave them pleasures and heartaches.
The year was now 1940 and there were 48 stars on the flag when John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, was shown on the big screen. In 1790, only 4 million people lived in America but in 1940, there were 131 million. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of Britain. Holland and Belgium had surrendered to the Nazis. The German troops paraded through Paris. FDR was reelected U.S. president. First draft numbers were drawn in America. The Nazis hit British cities.
Just as most people in Coats were bidding farewell to 1939, life was snuffed out of Monroe Surles. An auto killed him as he walked to his home near Coats near Coats School. He was the 16th victim of an automobile accident in Harnett in 1939. Mr. Surles was the son of Joshua and Martha Manning Surles of Johnston County. His wife was Mrs. Ina Poole Surles and his daughters were Misses Zenobia and Lottie Surles. Mr. Surles was a farmer and decorated veteran of the first world war (Harnett County News January 4, 1940). Most of remember with fond memories Mrs. “Lottie Surles” Lamm of the Coats Pharmacy.
Another death in the area touched another outstanding citizen of the area. William Davis Turlington died at 78 years of age. Mr. Turlington had been ill for a while. He was a member of the Erwin Junior Order. Martin Turlington of Coats and Ben and Allie Turlington of Erwin survived him. Mrs. L.L. Glover, Mrs. Hilda Holland, and Mrs. Ed Parker were his daughters. Mrs. Will Ennis, Mrs. Joe Pollard of Coats and Mrs. Mallie Kennedy were his sisters. William Davis Turlington was the son of Alex and Martha Avery Turlington (Harnett County News January 8, 1940).
Several local men were called to spend part of February serving jury duty. A.F. Turlington, Herman B. Pope, Frank Johnson, and Ralph Johnson were on the list to report.
The Coats Town Council planned to secure WPA funds and install improvements to the water system without an increase in the tax rate in Coats. A proposal to provide the town sewer and water had been considered for some time. The cost of the up-to-date system was to be $89,000 and at a cost of $36,000 for the citizens. The WPA would pay the difference. Mayor J.B. Williams had prepared the application for the funds. There were estimated to be 125 customers. Fred Byrd had harnessed five springs and many people tapped lines leading from that private reservoir including Coats School (Harnett County Schools January 11, 1940).
Who knows how that story ended? I do know that the people in the area are remarkable in trying to make the Coats Museum a destination. Susie Turlington Mewborn dropped by to share many papers of her late husband, J.M. Mewborn. Myrtle Bridges has two copies of “Marriages and Death Notices Abstracted from the Fayetteville Observer- 1857-1861” for sale at the museum. Awesome research! How many NASA astronauts have been from N.C.? Can you believe that Myrtle’s cousin, Curtis L. Brown, Jr. (Colonel USAF Ret.), was an astronaut. Colonel Brown was born in 1956 and graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1978. His information is in our museum. Rhonda Denning Stephenson shared some artifacts from the Lamas Denning estate. Keith Finch has delivered his military records for our military books. Dovie Beasley has honored her Aunt Chris from Alabama with a generous memorial contribution to the museum and H.L. Sorrell has honored the memory of his Aunt Edna Sorrell with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment. Thanks to all of these friends of the museum. Come by to visit the museum on Wednesdays from 10:00 till 3:00 on Sundays from 2:00 till 5:00 or by special appointment.
PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT THIS NEWS APPEARED IN THE DAILY RECORD ON MAY 3, 2013.
Were you ever told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? I do know it was recorded in October of 1939 that in a ceremony marked by beauty and simplicity, Miss Thelma Turlington and Carl Leslie Wilson, Jr. were united in marriage in Raleigh. The bride and groom entered together. She wore an airway blue woolen suit with golden threads interwoven. With this, she wore a short red fox fur jacket and a hat of matching blue French felt. Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of Stuart Turlington and the late Mrs. Imogene Turlington. The bride was educated at Flora McDonald College, North Carolina College for Women and Hardbarger’s Secretarial College. She had been employed as secretary for T.H. Briggs and Sons. Mr. Wilson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Wilson of Dunn, and he worked with the Unemployment Compensation Commission (Harnett County News October 12, 1939).
Does anyone know whom this lady was connected to in the area? Mrs. Thelma Turlington lived to be over 100 years old and died while living at Windsor Point in Fuquay. She was able to maneuver around in high heels up until her death and always was a picture of fashion. This writer and Becky Adams had the opportunity to interview her and learn about her life while growing up in the Turlington Crossroads area. Her beautiful red hair and manicured nails and southern charm are etched into my memory as she recalled life on the big farm south of Coats.
Death visited Coats and claimed one of Coats’ oldest citizens. Mrs. W.H. (Dollie) Wiggins, 80, died at her home on Sunday morning. She was one of the town’s best- known residents and had been in failing health for the past two years. Funeral services were held at the Coats Baptist Church and burial was in the Denning Cemetery near Coats. Mrs. Wiggins, a daughter of the late Joel Denning and Mary Gregory Denning, was a member of a prominent family. Her husband was killed in an accident at his cotton gin on the current site of the Coats Heritage Square. She had one son, W.W. Wiggins, a Raleigh pharmacist, who was a former mayor of Coats in the early 1920’s. Her two daughters were Mrs. T. Owen Beasley and Mrs. Lucy Kelly (Harnett County News October 26, 1939).
Mrs. W. E. Nichols, president of the Ninth District of Federated Clubs, entertained the members of her local Page Book Club. Miss Mattie Patterson of Chapel Hill, a charter member of the club, was the honored guest (Harnett County News November 23, 1939).
A tragic accident near Coats claimed the life of one and spoiled another Christmas holiday. This accident was no exception to the usual occurrence each year of death around Christmas. Everett Howard Ryals died at Good Hope Hospital after being struck by a lumber truck that smashed into the wagon he was on. The accident took place about 2 miles east of Coats. The victim’s home was within sight of the accident. There was a bit of controversy to actually what happened involving the accident (Harnett County News December 28, 1939).
Our travels into the decade of the 1930’s have concluded. It was a decade that was shrouded in an atmosphere of darkness caused by the great depression and uneasiness overseas; nevertheless, the people of Grove endured as life gave them pleasures and heartaches.
The year was now 1940 and there were 48 stars on the flag when John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, was shown on the big screen. In 1790, only 4 million people lived in America but in 1940, there were 131 million. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of Britain. Holland and Belgium had surrendered to the Nazis. The German troops paraded through Paris. FDR was reelected U.S. president. First draft numbers were drawn in America. The Nazis hit British cities.
Just as most people in Coats were bidding farewell to 1939, life was snuffed out of Monroe Surles. An auto killed him as he walked to his home near Coats near Coats School. He was the 16th victim of an automobile accident in Harnett in 1939. Mr. Surles was the son of Joshua and Martha Manning Surles of Johnston County. His wife was Mrs. Ina Poole Surles and his daughters were Misses Zenobia and Lottie Surles. Mr. Surles was a farmer and decorated veteran of the first world war (Harnett County News January 4, 1940). Most of remember with fond memories Mrs. “Lottie Surles” Lamm of the Coats Pharmacy.
Another death in the area touched another outstanding citizen of the area. William Davis Turlington died at 78 years of age. Mr. Turlington had been ill for a while. He was a member of the Erwin Junior Order. Martin Turlington of Coats and Ben and Allie Turlington of Erwin survived him. Mrs. L.L. Glover, Mrs. Hilda Holland, and Mrs. Ed Parker were his daughters. Mrs. Will Ennis, Mrs. Joe Pollard of Coats and Mrs. Mallie Kennedy were his sisters. William Davis Turlington was the son of Alex and Martha Avery Turlington (Harnett County News January 8, 1940).
Several local men were called to spend part of February serving jury duty. A.F. Turlington, Herman B. Pope, Frank Johnson, and Ralph Johnson were on the list to report.
The Coats Town Council planned to secure WPA funds and install improvements to the water system without an increase in the tax rate in Coats. A proposal to provide the town sewer and water had been considered for some time. The cost of the up-to-date system was to be $89,000 and at a cost of $36,000 for the citizens. The WPA would pay the difference. Mayor J.B. Williams had prepared the application for the funds. There were estimated to be 125 customers. Fred Byrd had harnessed five springs and many people tapped lines leading from that private reservoir including Coats School (Harnett County Schools January 11, 1940).
Who knows how that story ended? I do know that the people in the area are remarkable in trying to make the Coats Museum a destination. Susie Turlington Mewborn dropped by to share many papers of her late husband, J.M. Mewborn. Myrtle Bridges has two copies of “Marriages and Death Notices Abstracted from the Fayetteville Observer- 1857-1861” for sale at the museum. Awesome research! How many NASA astronauts have been from N.C.? Can you believe that Myrtle’s cousin, Curtis L. Brown, Jr. (Colonel USAF Ret.), was an astronaut. Colonel Brown was born in 1956 and graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1978. His information is in our museum. Rhonda Denning Stephenson shared some artifacts from the Lamas Denning estate. Keith Finch has delivered his military records for our military books. Dovie Beasley has honored her Aunt Chris from Alabama with a generous memorial contribution to the museum and H.L. Sorrell has honored the memory of his Aunt Edna Sorrell with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment. Thanks to all of these friends of the museum. Come by to visit the museum on Wednesdays from 10:00 till 3:00 on Sundays from 2:00 till 5:00 or by special appointment.
PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT THIS NEWS APPEARED IN THE DAILY RECORD ON MAY 3, 2013.