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Ten years ago, on March 20, 2015, the legendary Fred Rabil, owner of Fred’s Restaurant in Franklin since 1945, passed away at the age of 97 — A long life, well lived and full of many adventures. 

Fred was born on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1917, in Weldon, North Carolina.  His parents, Frank and Mary Rabil, had emigrated from Lebanon at the turn of the twentieth century and first settled in Massachusetts, but later the family relocated to Weldon, which had become a booming railroad town with many economic opportunities.   Fred had eight brothers and sisters:  Ernie, Helen, Joe, Leo, Lucille, Marguerite, Mitch, and William.  Marguerite is now 100 and Helen is 98.   

When Fred was fourteen years old, during the height of the depression, he hit the road as a hobo (as he referred to himself), traveling the railroads across the United States looking for work.  He traveled the rails from coast to coast, picking up odd jobs along the way.  He spent a lot of time in California.  In Michigan, he got training to become a welder and worked in that trade for a while.

Just prior to the end of World War II, he returned to Weldon but soon came to Franklin to work for his uncle, who had a bakery in a building that was later to become known as “Fred’s.”  In 1945, Fred assumed ownership of the bakery and started operating it as Fred’s Franklin Arcade – a sort of variety store – and sold a lot of hotdogs and many kinds of beverages, beer, novelties, cigars, cigarettes, snuff, and chewing tobacco.  One of his specialties was Sly Fox wine.  One could drink a beer at the bar and enjoy the many condiments available there – pickled pigs’ feet, Penrose sausages, and pickled hard-boiled eggs.  Next door, in the same building, was another store that was operated as a pool hall – for a long time – by Fred’s brother, Mitch.

In later years, Fred transitioned his business into restaurant-type businesses: first, a short-order restaurant, then a cafeteria, and later, a good old-fashioned family restaurant. The former pool hall was incorporated into the restaurant. Over the years, Fred’s experienced two major fires and survived, and he came back from three major floods caused by hurricanes—of special note is the flood that occurred in 1999.   

The two-story building, constructed in 1885 following the great Franklin fire of 1881, was divided into several segments.  In the 1940s – the lower floor on the right was the bakery and then the Franklin Arcade; the lower floor on the left was, for a long period of time, the pool hall.  Dividing those two first-floor sections was a stairway entrance from the street leading to the second floor where there was a six-room apartment which in in its earliest days was used as a boarding house.   When Fred Rabil took over the building, he established this space as his residence, along with his wife the former Pauline Vaughan.  Their three sons, Frank, John, and David, were raised there.   In 1962, the family relocated to Pace’s Court in Franklin.  

Pauline (“Polly”) passed away in 1976.

Fred had a passion for baseball and helped to sponsor many youth baseball teams in Franklin.  His generosity and caring spirit nourished not only bodies but souls with his support of many charitable activities and organizations.  He donated food to many groups of people for various community events.  He was strongly supportive of the Franklin Fire and Rescue Squads and the Franklin Police Department. 

Of special note: Fred Rabil visited all fifty states of the United States of America over his many years of life. 

He was a charter member of the Franklin Kiwanis Club and a member of St. Jude Catholic Church in Franklin. 

Fred Rabil was a gentleman, friendly, and a caring man for all people.  His greatest pleasure was to be around people.  “Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man” (from a poem) were words that he lived by.  

A funeral service was held on March 24, 2015, at Wright Funeral Home. The Franklin Fire and Rescue Department provided special honors. Burial followed in Southampton Memorial Park. Among his survivors at that time were his three sons, Frank (Lynne), John (Beverly), and David (Patti); his second wife, Joyce; and his grandchildren. 

If Franklin had a hall of fame, Fred Rabil would be at the top – or near the top of the list. 

In the present day, Fred’s restaurant still exists, and it is operated by Fred’s son David.  Over many decades, Fred’s has been known far and wide as Franklin’s most iconic landmark.  When significant news occurs in the Franklin area, the news media come to Franklin for coverage and Fred’s Restaurant is their destination.

CLYDE PARKER is a retired human resources manager for the former Franklin Equipment Co. and a member of the Southampton County Historical Society. His email address is magnolia101@charter.net.