Page 38 - MOST RECENT

GOVERNMENT
A politician thinks of the next election,-
a statesman, of the next generation.
MAYORS
The venerable Joseph Armfield, born May 6, 1800
was the first mayor of Kernersville, elected in May 1871.
Armfield Street was named for him. The first Board of
Aldermen was composed of J. C. Roberts (one of the
founding fathers of Cherry Street Methodist Church),
William Asbury Griffith (a trustee of the Kernersville
Academy, staunch member of the Main Street Method-
ist Church, and great grandfather of two of Kerners-
ville' s present citizens, George and Paul Fulp), and Jos-
eph J. Korner (who was the town' first treasurer - the
revenue was $15; there was no indebtedness).
Mr. Armfield was succeeded by Dr. A. D. Lindsay
who practiced medicine in this vicinity. He was post
surgeon during the Civil War. After serving as mayor
for thr~e terms, he retired in favor of Professor J. S. Ray.
Prof. Ray, who came to teach and have charge of
the Kernersville Academy in 1870, served as mayor for
several years. He was followed by Augustus H. S. Beard
("Gus" Beard was a tinner, an important person in those
days), Dr. Elias Kerner (physician, founding father of
Kernersville Moravian Church, trusteee of Kernersville
Academy), J. Calvin Roberts (who built the James T.
Justice home), J. M. Guyer (cashier of Forsyth Bank
and Trust Company in Kernersville, Justice of the Peace,
and insurance man), and Lewis Ervin Griffith (promi-
nent merchant and businessman, the father of Mrs. Fan-
nie Sue Griffith and Mrs. Rosa Fulp, and co-owner of
Stafford and Griffith store.)
In 1888 Dr. D. P. Robbins of Winston-Salem wrote
a Descriptive Sketch of Winston-Salem, It's Advantages
and Surroundings, Kernersville, Etc., completed under
the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce. At the time
L. Frank Davis-Mayor
Dr. Elias Kerner, Fifth Mayor 1888-1908
34
CLARKE
Dr. Robbins wrote his sketches L. Frank Davis, a native
of the Sandy Ridge Community in Guilford County,
was mayor. He mov d to Kernersville in 1880 and oper-
ated a mercantile store under the name of L. F. Davis
and Son. He built, owned, and operated the first hosiery
mill in Kernersville. It was located on Bodenhamer
Street. In his later years he sold the mill to Adams-Millis,
Inc. So far as we have been able to determine, he served
as mayor until W. S. Linville was elected in 1908. When
he came to Kernersville he built a home on Cherry Street
where he and his family resided until his death in 1909.
The home is now occupied by his granddaughter and
great granddaughter.
Our town records begin with the term of Walter S.
Linville in 1908. Among the business transacted during
his term of office was a motion to discontinue the use of
street lamps for six months trial during the summer. If
"any business man or church or individual would keep it
up, the town would furnish the lamps." Elected as
Graded School Trustees were: J. M. Greenfield, E. H.
Gibson, J. P. Linville, George V. Fulp, and Cid F. Ker-
ner. The Chief of Police, vV. H. Perdew, was re-elected
monthly. His salary was fixed at $30 per month. An
Act of the Legislature of 1909 allowed the town to vote
on bonds for street improvements. Mr. Linville was one
of the founding fathers of Cherry Street United Methodist
Church. He was in the mercantile business in the firm
of Fulp and Linville.
C. L. Linville served during 1909-10. He was the
son of R. S. Linville, one of Forsyth County's Commis-
sioners in 1897. Following graduation from Oak Ridge
Lewis E. Griffith and wife Fannie, Eighth Mayor