Page 78 - MOST RECENT

In recent years H. E. Crawford Co. has restored the Kerner
and Greenfield tobacco factory, built in 1884. Mr. J. M. Green-
field later converted the factory to a hosiery mill.
J!. E. Cra"'!ford Co.,. 401 S. Cherry Street, engaging in the manu-
facturmg of hosiery machmery, started business in Greensboro, N. C. in
~935. It. was ID:oved to. Kernersville in 1940, locating in the present build-
senger and express agent and telegrapher for more than mg. Their machmes are m operation all over the world.
forty years. He taught the occupation to a dozen or
more young men. These included his own three sons
'
Ora, Frank, and John, and also P. J. Nash, Leibert Ker-
ner, Arch Stockton, Carl Kerner, Hugh Lindsay and
Roberts Store was a two story 26xll2 feet brick build-
others. Carl R. Kerner succeeded Richard P. Kerner as
station agent and served many years until his retirement. ing across from Mr. Beard's house. It was built in 1879
and stands today in good repair and is used as a bakery.
Following the completion of the railroad a significant
It was stocked with general merchandise. The store
change in the business life of the community took place.
A number of young men, with ambition and energy, handled country produce and specialized in buying and
established businesses at Kernersville. The farms of shipping dried fruits and berries. Mr. Calvin Roberts
the Piedmont area were the prime producers of fine had his home on the west side of Main Street. It is now
tobacco, so it was natural that the manufacture and sale the J. T. Justice home.
of tobacco products should have foremost attention. Fol- The Beard & Roberts tobacco business was started
lowing is a brief mention of various firms and individuals in 1880 and the factory was erected in 1884. The factory
was of brick, 52xl36 and had five floors. The Beard &
as listed in the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce
bulletin in 1888. Roberts brand names for their plug tobacco were Beard's
Favorite, Sweet Relief and Piedmont Beauty.
Beard & Roberts Mr. Roberts was a notable church and educational
Tobacco Manufacturers and General Store leader. He was very liberal toward High Point College

in the early years of that institution.
This firm consisted of James W. Beard and J. Calvin
Roberts. Mr. Beard's home was the two story brick In later years the Beard & Roberts factory was ac-
building which stood on the present site of Dr. Whit- quired by Kerner Brothers, the sons of Richard P. Kerner,
aker's office. His home was built in 1873. The Beard & Ora, John and Frank. They operated it as a tobacco
factory and later as a knitting mill until it burned about
1910.
The brick building to the left in the picture was the W. H. Leak &
Co. tobacco. factor_Y built in 1884 by Brown, Sapp & Co. Mr. Leak later
converted his b_usmess to a knitting mill. The building is now used by
Hooker of Carolina as a manufacturing plant for furniture.

Hooker of Carolina, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hooker Furni-
ture Corp. of Martinsville, Va., presently employing 70 people. An expan-
sion program is now in process and is expected to be completed by July
of this year.
In December 1968 Wesley F.
Phillips came to Kernersville to
continue the practice of Family
Medicine that his brother-in-law,
Dr. S. Leo Record, left when he
was drafted into the U.S. Army.
They are now in practice together
as Kernersville Family Practice,
P.A. He was graduated at the
Bowman Gray School of Medicine
(Wake Forest) in 1962, spending
four years in the U. S. Army
and two years at Walkertown,
N. C. prior to coming to Ker-
nersville.

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