by Clyde Parker

EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back features past articles from The Tidewater News. The series commemorates the 50th anniversary of Franklin becoming an independent city.

June 15, 1961

John E. Ray III, Franklin mill resident manager, announced the resignation of Philip E. Frankfort, general manager of the Lumber and Woodlands Division, effective July 1, 1961.

Frankfort, a Franklin native associated with the company for over 20 years, has accepted the position of executive vice president for Southwest Forest Industries in Phoenix.

As a result of Frankfort’s resignation, major personnel changes at the Franklin Mill were concurrently announced:

n J. B. “Cotton” Johnson will continue as manager, Woodlands Division, but will now report to the resident manager.

n N. T. Barron, presently superintendent of Land Management, will be promoted to assistant manager, Woodlands Division, and will report to Johnson.

n William A. Turner, now assistant superintendent of Land Management, will be promoted to superintendent of Land Management and will report to Barron.

n John M. Camp Jr., assistant treasurer of the corporation, will become manager of the Lumber Division and will assume responsibility for production and sales of this division.

n S. A. Carr, who started with Camp Manufacturing Co. at its Wallace, N.C., location in 1926, will be promoted from assistant superintendent to superintendent of the Lumber Division. He replaces John H. Scott who retired on June 1 following 41 years of service.

n Howard Blythe will become wood yard foreman.

n Sidney T. Nutting, presently serving as chief industrial engineer, will be promoted to manager of general services. This is a newly created position. The managers of the Traffic, Purchasing, Industrial Engineering and Mill Planning departments will report to Nutting.

n C.H. Eitel will move up from supervisor of industrial engineering to chief industrial engineer and will be in charge of all industrial engineering activities at the Franklin Mill.

n E.R.M. “Mac” Coker will transfer from the industrial engineering department to sheet finishing and will become assistant superintendent.

n W.J. Marlowe will transfer from the Industrial Engineering Department to roll finishing and will become assistant superintendent.

RAWLINGS NAMED

TO AGRICULTURE COMMISSION

William V. Rawlings of Capron has been appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the 25-man National Agricultural Advisory Commission.

Rawlings, executive secretary of the Association of Virginia Peanut and Hog Growers, is the first Virginian appointed to the commission, which is made up of 15 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

FREAK TORNADO HITS FARM

A tornado dipped from the skies and ripped a half-mile swath through Statesville Monday afternoon, uprooting trees, loosening shingles and stripping crops.

The storm hit hardest at the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey J. Darden. Tin from a barn roof was hurled 200 yards, three trees around the house were uprooted or snapped, a chicken coop was destroyed and a heavy smokehouse was shoved three feet off its foundation. Ten eggs on nests inside the chicken coop were undamaged.

“It came on all of a sudden” said Mrs. Darden. “It blew a lock off a back door, and it was all my husband and I could do to hold it shut.”

The Tidewater News correspondent Betty Darden, who lives about a half-mile west of the Dardens (her in-laws), said that “it was calm as could be” at her home.

BROTZMAN PITCHES NO-HITTER

Presbyterian pitcher Bud Brotzman last Tuesday pitched the first no-hitter in at least five years in the Franklin YMCA Softball League. He accomplished this in a five-inning, 7-0 game against the Episcopals.

Don Drewry of Burdette, another lad who has played a leading role in making this a good year for pitchers, turned in a two-hitter in Tuesday’s second game as his team stopped Black Creek 9 to 2.

In batting, Brotzman and Asa Johnson each rapped a pair of singles. Jim James and Frank Mountcastle were the only Episcopal players to hit the ball out of the infield.

Earl Parker and Mert Raiford of Burdette each contributed three singles. D. S. Edwards and Grant Brock got the only two Black Creek blows. Brock’s first-inning double drove in both his team’s scores.

CLYDE PARKER is the retired human resource manager from the former Franklin Equipment Co. and a member of Southampton Historical Society. He can be reached at 757-647-8212 or ParkerC@seva-redcross.org.