Wake County, NC - Zebulon Inspired Devotion & Service ~~~~~~~~~~ ZEBULON INSPIRED DEVOTION AND SERVICE "The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact that the town of Zebulon, in the County of Wake, be and the same is hereby incorporated...." Residents of the new town swelled with pride as these stirring words echoed through the chambers of the venerable Capitol that February day in 1907. Soaring exuberance, however, quickly returned to the earthly reality of making a town live, for a town on paper was a helpless creature without even a voice to cry for help. Survival, growth, and development depended upon its people, and Zebulon was endowed with some outstanding individuals. Some were, in the words of Moses Amis, "natives here and to the manor born." Others traveled many miles before settling in the infant town. Business opportunities abounded as Zebulon embarked on its road to maturity. But to label the newcomers opportunists denies the very spirit that has since the beginning been the essence of the community. Men originally seeking economic advantages soon came to share a sense of belonging and the unexplainable awareness that destiny had decreed more for Zebulon than just a whistle stop on the railroad. Opportunism turned to respect, and respect blossomed into a love of the community that inspired dedication and service. Among the men on whose strong shoulders rested the fate of Zebulon were Thomas Jackson Horton, John Bunn, Early Hampton Moser, Falconer Elmo Bunn, Elbert Clifton Daniel, John Mike Whitley, Dr. Z. M. Caviness, and Ransom Right Creech. There were many others whose roles failed to capture the limelight but were no less important. Most are gone now and time and space does not permit a sketch of each individual. There is among us today, however, one who lived and worked with Zebulon's founding fathers because he too was active in those formative years. Dr. Jesse Franklin Coltrane first walked down Arendell Avenue sixty-seven years ago. His life and career epitomize community service and devotion and stand as a living symbol of the spirit that built our town. J. F. Coltrane was not a native son of the county called Wake, and came to his adopted home by a most circuitous route. Born in Randolph County, educated in Roxboro and Durham, he weaved his way to Zebulon through Lydia (South Carolina), Fayetteville, and Richmond, earning his D. D. S. degree from the Medical College of Virginia along the way. Encouraged by local acquaintances to establish a practice in the new town east of Raleigh, the young and ambitious Dr. Coltrane could not resist the challenge and opportunities open to the community's first dentist. In August of 1909 a new advertisement for service in Zebulon read "J. F. Coltrane D. D. S." Prices for dental work in 1909 were hardly the sort on which fortunes were built. For patrons of modern dentistry, having a cavity filled for $2.00 and a wisdom tooth extracted for $1.50 would restore one's faith in miracles. Although a nine hour day was standard, Dr. Coltrane was there whenever patients needed his immediate attention. At first his laboratory work was done at night, but Dr. Coltrane soon discontinued that practice. Today he attributes his long life in part to the decision not to work round the clock. The success of Dr. Coltrane's practice testified to his exceptional ability, but the conditions under which he labored in those early years would strike fear into a modern dentist and send today's patients into a state of shock. No friendly voice of a receptionist greeted the apprehensive patron and there was no dental hygienist to prepare one for the ordeal, for Dr. Coltrane had no assistants. On dark, wintry days heat came from an open Franklin stove where live coals glowed from a dimly lighted corner of the room. Upon entering the office, one took a seat in the red plush chair (the only one for many years) and braced himself as much as possible. The only anesthetic available was cocaine, and that in limited quantities. No electric power existed; consequently, no high speed machinery. Drills were powered by a foot engine operated much like the old sewing machines. Successfully filling a cavity with a minimum of pain depended upon the perfect coordination of hand and foot. When a set of dental plates was required, Dr. Coltrane connected dry cell batteries to generate enough current to run a steam compressor in which the plates were vulcanized. Only a dentist of superior ability and dedication could have built a successful practice in those early years. Dr. Coltrane was a bachelor until age 31 when he entered a courtship with Miss Etha Kemp. They were married on June 4, 1913 and for the past 63 years, Etha Coltrane has been the charming and ever gracious hostess of the family home on Arendell Avenue. Long before the organized boy scout movement came to Zebulon, Dr. J. F. Coltrane helped to mold the character of the town's young men. To many Zebulon boys he became a father figure who rarely allowed a Sunday to pass without a planned activity. Hikes to Middlesex, Wendell, and Clifton's Pond generated almost as much excitement as the anticipated train ride home. When the adventurous group occasionally camped out in the wilds of Wake County, Mrs. Coltrane would drive the family car to a special rendezvous point. During the return trip enthusiastic youngsters put Mr. Ford's latest model to a supreme test of endurance. Perhaps Dr. Coltrane's long life and good health are largely due to his continuing devotion to physical exercise. An avid swimmer, he participated in the special sport year round as he took regular dips in his special spot in Little River. But walking was his favorite exercise, and therein lies a classic story begging to be told. Early in life Dr. Coltrane developed the habit of taking a morning stroll, one he still follows today. For many years his constant companion was a part Collie named Snooks who became a town celebrity. Every afternoon, at precisely the same time Snooks could be seen sauntering along Arendell Avenue and placing himself beside the downstairs entrance to Dr. Coltrane's office. Old timers say that one could set his watch by Snook's punctuality. On his morning outings Dr. Coltrane enjoyed the boyish pleasure of balancing on the railroad ties as he walked towards Panther Branch with faithful Snooks trotting along side. One day as he was heading west on the tracks a locomotive appeared before them. Suddenly Snooks raced ahead, stood squarely between the rails, and began barking until the engine screeched to a halt. Dr. Coltrane literally dragged Snooks from the tracks so that the train could pass. To this day Dr. Coltrane has never understood why his companion acted so strangely on that one occasion, for the train on its regular run from Raleigh had passed them many times, with the engineer occasionally stopping for a brief chat. Whatever the cause, Snooks must have been the only dog in history to challenge a locomotive and win. In the early 1940's Dr, Coltrane's faithful companion passed away, leaving an emptiness in the family filled only with affectionate memories. Dr. Coltrane retired in 1950 after half a century of service to the people of Zebulon. The philosophy that has guided his life and career is characteristic of the men who built Zebulon into a progressive town: success in any endeavor can be achieved through determination of purpose, sustained and concentrated effort, honesty, truthfulness, and morality. Source: North Carolina Archives & History, Wake County History, Vertical Files-Mezzanine - author's name not given ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Guy Potts - gpotts1@nc.rr.com ______________________________________________________________________