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Brantley County — Land of Forest Products, Naval Stores, Tobacco, Livestock, Honey, Hunting, Fishing —* and Progressive People.
VOLUME 46 NUMBER 19 Th* Brantley Enterprise, Nahunta, Ga., Thursday, May 9, 1963 OFFICIAL ORGAN BRANTLKY COUNTY AND CITY OF NAHUNTA
K. S. Varn Has Been Tireless Leader
In Forestry Development in the South
By LAURIE LEE SPARROW
In The Journal-Herald
The East had its Johnny-Ap
ple-Seed who planted apple trees
wherever he went and South
Georgia has its Mr. Varn who
p ants pine trees wherever he
goes.
Today thousands upon thou
sands of pine trees lift their
branches to the sky because of
Kennard Seforth Varn.
Varn is a veteran in forest fire
protection and he is one of the
tree fanners honored at the Ware
Forestry Festival April 30-May
1.
He began protection of his own
timber in 1928 by hiring a com
pany from Florida to plow with
tractors 1,100 miles of firebreak
ers at $3 a mile, also he employ
ed two men to ride horseback
over the land to spot fires.
In 1932 Varn was instrumental
in beginning the Timber Protec
tion Organization in Brantley
County for protection in that
area. This he said was the first
organization to fight fires.
Varn was a veteran in the use
of acid stimulation to increase
flow of gum. The first demonstra
tion was held on his land in
Brantley County.
The tree farmer said that the
use of acid brought about a revo
lution in tree farming. He said
the method is the cheapest. And
he pointed out that this leaves
the tree in better condition for
timber and poles in that you can
utilize the face.
Always alert for newer me
thods in the age-old process of
gum harvesting Varn invented
a gadget called the Varn Apron
which allows for cleaner flow
and directs the gum to the gum
cup.
From 1905, as a youth Varn
has been in the tree business and
in ranching enterprizes. He had
turpentine plants in Hazlehurst
and Florida.
His gum processing plant, K.
S. Varn and Co. at Hoboken is
now one of the largest in Geor
gia.
Some of his experiences when
a young man ranching in Mexi
co and Texas were hir-raising.
The Yarns owned a ranch at
Clint, Mexico and during the
Mexican Revolution some of Pan
cho Villas’ revolutionists and
bandits raided the ranch and
nearly killed Mr. and Mrs. Yarn.
Mrs. Varn relates that but for
the expert marksmanship of her
husband, and his two brothers,
W. Wallace Varn and Grover
Varn, they would have lost their
lives.
One of the brothers escaped
from the house and brought the
Mexican Rurales (similar to Tex
as rangers). They saved the day.
Varn returned to Georgia in
1913 and went into business with
his brothers Jacob E. Varn and
George W. Varn, and his brother
in-law, I. W. Odum.
From then until the present he
has remained a leading figure in
the state in forestry. He was a
director of the Georgia Forestry
Commission for seven years. A
director of the Slash Pine For
est Festival he was also its first
Rushin Roulette by Chon Day
RUSHIN’
ROULETTE
i
I
Own
7W Tiwwfen Stvki
40,500 person* killed in highway accident* in 1962.
BRANTLEY ENTERPRISE
president.
He is now vice president and
director of the Commercial Bank.
He is also director of Varn Tur
oentine and Cattle Company with
holdings in Georgia and Florida,
nd director Altamaha Land Co.
md Southern Land, Timber and
Pulp Corp. He is president of K.
S. Varn and Co., K. S. Varn, Inc.,
and Varn, Inc.
Varn was chairman of the Ware
County Board of Education for
25 years and on the board for 32
years. He served a two year term
on the Board of Regents of the
University of Georgia.
He is a member of the First
Methodist Church, a former mem
ber of its Board of Stewards, the
Dovers Bluff Club, the Crooked
River Fishing Club, the Okefe
nokee Golf Club, and is a Ma
son and Shriner.
Varn was born in Appling
County, Georgia, April 16, 1889,
the youngest son of Jacob Elijah
and Nancy Elizabeth Tuten Varn,
of Appling formerly of Barnwell
County, South Carolina.
He was educated in the Old
Field Schools of Appling, and in
1905 received a diploma from
Jones Business School, Valdos
ta, Georgia.
He is married to Penelope Em
ma Evans, daughter of Benjamin
F. and Ellen Lurene Mobley
Evans, of Tattnall County. They
have six children; Kennard,
Mrs. Wayne Seaman; Margaret,
Mrs. Thomas Shave, Fernandina,
Fla.; Carolyn, Mrs. Warren Here
ford; Jacob, K. S. and William F.,
13 grandchildren, and 2 great
grandchildren, all of whom live
in this county, except one daugh
ter, and 2 grandchildren, and he’s
given all of his children pine
trees.
Garden Club
Met Tuesday
The Nahunta Garden Club met
at the home of Mrs. Dorothy
Brooker Tuesday afternoon, May
7, with Mrs. Elroy Strickland as
co-hostess. Mrs. Emmie Newton,
vice-president, presided.
Mrs. Bill Johns of Atlanta,
spoke on hemerocalis and ama
ryllis. Mrs. J. B. Lewis gave a
talk on birds and a slide on
birds was presented.
A report on the flower show
on Saturday, May 4, was given.
Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson won an
award of merit on arrangements;
Mrs. Wanell Brooker the tri-color
award; Mrs. Jesse Lee, sweep
stakes on horticulture and Mrs.
A. S. Mizell, award of merit in
horticulture. There were many
beautiful flowers in specimens
and the various class arrange
ments winning blue ribbons.
Present at the meeting Tuesday
were Miss Mary Knox, Mrs. J. B.
Lewis, Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson,
Mrs. Jesse Lee, Mrs. Dorothy
Graham, Mrs. Bill Johns of At
lanta, and Mrs. Keith Lewis of
Washington, D. C.
I Refreshments were served du
ring the social hour.
K. S. VARN
Leader in Forest Conservation
Palmetto Church
Revival Services
Started Tuesday
The Palmetto Church of God
started a series of revival services
Tuesday night, May 7, with Rev.
Mildred Griffin of Alamo, doing
the preaching, it is announced
by Rev. Sabord Woods, pastor.
The church is located on High
way 110 between Atkinson and
Waverly. Services are being held
each night at 7:30 o’clock.
Everyone is cordially invited
to attend the services.
Morgan Couple
To Celebrate
Golden Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Morgan of
Nahunta, Route 2, will celebrate
their 50th wedding anniversary
Sunday, May 12.
Their children will honor them
with a dinner at noon and they
will be at home to their friends
during the afternoon.
That Million Dollar Mansion,
The House YOUR Jack May Build
If plans go through to build a new Governor’s mansion
up in Atlanta this will truly be the house that jack
built ... the TAXPAYERS JACK!
Estimated to cost a cool million dollars, and many more
thousands in furnishings, it should rank, considering the
era of time and the cost of its construction, such estab
lishments as Solomon’s Temple, the Taj Mahal, the Hang
ing Gardens, or Buckingham Palace.
We note that the Governor has publicly stated that he
does not personally request an official abode that cost
as much, and that he would be willing to settle for any
modest structure within the realm of reason. We com
mend him for this and hope that this statement from him
will in some measure moderate the cost estimates of some
who advocate the lavish spending of over one million dol
lars to get a turn key job where that Governor can hang
his hat.
Every school child recalls that Abe Lincoln was born
and raised in a log cabin, the total value of which prob
ably wasn’t worth as much in cash as what the welcome
place mat would cost in the proposed new mansion.
The political stature of a man is not heightened by the
number of floors in his dwelling place, or the distance
from the bottom doorstep to the top gable. The ornate
and sumptious furnishings of any house that runs in cost
over a million bucks does not add one bit to the charac
ter or ability of the occupant. The same electricity and
the same spigot water serves the man in the mansion just
the same as the poor man in some decrepit shanty on the
fringes of town.
We believe in respect for our Governor’s, no matter
who they be, and we certainly wish them all modern
conveniences and comforts. But, sometimes when we put
a person on too high a pedestal, that man loses touch with
the common man on the ground below. Sometimes, impor
tance of personal stature breeds envy and final contempt,
and we would not like to see that happen in this case.
It’s our opinion that many Georgia citizens, including
some old folk who are having trouble keeping up with
the taxes on the old home place, or on to the newly mar
ried young couples who are struggling with monthly pay
ments on their small home would sleep better of
nights if the proponents of this million-plus mansion trim-
med down their cost estimates to a sensible figure.
Frank Wilson
Died Tuesday
At Atkinson
Frank Monroe Wilson, 80, died
Tuesday morning, at his residence
m Rt. 1, Waynesville, in the At
kinson community of Brantley
'ounty, following an extended ill
ness.
A native of Camden county, he
had made his home in Brantley
county most of his life. He was a
Hfelong farmer. He was a mem
ber of the Pilgrim Rest Primitive
Baptist Church.
Survivors are two daughters,
Mrs. Dola Meyers of Waynesville,
and Mrs. Homer Griffin of Hobo
ken; three sons, E. T. Wilson of
Augusta, E. J. Wilson of Way
nesville and H. F. Wilson of Way
cross; a sister, Mrs. Mary Quar
tennan of Charleston, S. C.; a
brother, Dan B. Wilson of Wav
erly; 25 grandchildren, and sev
eral nieces and nephews.
GJenn Thomas Jr.
!s President of
Regional Jaycees
Glenn Thomas Jr. of the Jesup
Jaycees was elected president of
the newly created 14th Region
of the Georgia Junior Chamber
of Commerce in Waycross Satur
day evening at 8:00 P. M. by
acclamation.
The Jesup Jaycees campaigned
vigorously with Western-Pana
ma styled hats and walking
canes to insure their candidate’s
victory.
Other 14th Region officers
elected were: Paul Foster of
Blackshear, internal vice-presi
dent, and Walt Vollenweider, ex
ternal vice-president, of Way
cross.
Approximately 150 Jaycees at
tended the Regional meeting
which was hosted by the Way
cross Jaycees.
Four candidates for state pres
ident made campaign appeals
for support at the Jekyll Island
state convention scheduled for
May 30 through June 1 of this
year. They were T. Malone
Sharpe of Lyons, Bill Raines of
Augusta, Bob Sloan of Milledge
ville and Dub Currie of Forest
Park.
The newly created 14th Region
includes the following counties:
Jeff Davis, Bacon, Appling,
Wayne, Brantley, Pierce, Ware,
Camden, Glynn and Mclntosh.
(From The Alma Times)
Jesse W. Kuhns
Funeral to Be
Held Friday
Mr. Jesse William (Jack)
Kuhns, 65. died suddenly Wed
nesday morning, May 8, at his
residence on Route 1, Hortense.
Mr. Kuhns was born in Lan
caster, Penn. He received his ed
ucation in the schools of that city
and from early manhood had
been engaged as an electrician.
During World War 11, he was
employed at the shipbuilding
yards in Brunswick and for a
number of years thereafter own
ed and operated an electrical
business there. For the past eight
years, he had resided in Brant
ley county and at the time of his
death was employed by the Gold
House Motor Lodge in Nahunta.
Survivors include two step
daughters, Mrs. J. Glenn Day of
Brunswick and Mrs. Eccles Wall
of Kinston, N. C.
Funeral services will be held
Friday afternoon, May 10, at 3:30
o’clock from the Hortense Con
gregational Methodist church
with the Rev. C. C. Whatley of
ficiating. Interment will follow
in the Hortense cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers will be
Messrs. Farley O’Berry, George
Carr, Osbyrn Pearson, Ernest
Campbell, Bryant Davison and
Oland Lanier.
The body will remain at the
Chambless Funeral Home in Na
hunta until one hour prior to ser
vices.
The family has the sympathy
of their many friends in their
bereavement.
The Chambless Funeral Home
is in charge of arrangements.
Lynn Herrin
Chosen Miss
Nahunta High
Lynn Herrin, a junibr at Na
hunta High School, was selected
from 54 contestants to reign as
Miss Nahunta High School.
Lynn was escorted b y her
brother, Wendell Herrin. Lynn
was crowned by Miss Mary Lou
Ellis, Miss Nahunta High of last
year.
Mary Lou is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ellis of Nahun
ta. Lynn is the daughter of the
late Herschel W. Herrin and Mrs.
Herrin of Nahunta. Lynn was also
selected as Miss Nahunta Junior
Hich when she was in the Bth
grade.
A photograph of the new beau
ty queen of Nahunta High School
will be run in next week’s paper.
Baptist WMU Met
Monday Night
The W. M. U. of the Nahunta Bap
tist Church observed the 75th anni
versary of W. M U. in the program
in the social hall of the church on
Monday night, May 6, with Mrs.
Bill Harris in charge of the pro
gram.
Taking part on the program were
Mrs. Lila Crews, Mrs. Cecil Thom
as, Mrs. Lula Brown, Mrs. Edward
Chancey, Mrs. Verona Crews and
Mrs. Malva Alice Brown Rev Ce
cil Thomas led the devotional.
The group honored Mrs. Mollie
Highsmith for her long service in
W. M. U. The president, Mrs. Lila
Crews presented her a potted plant
of African violets.
The cake was appropriately deco
rated for 75th anniversary of W M.
U. and the 50th anniversary of Girls
Auxiliary. Punch was served with
the cake
Raybon-Lulaton
Road May Be
Federal Project
The State Highway Depart
ment has under consideration
making the Raybon-Lulaton road
part of the Federal Aid Second
ary System, according to a let
ter received by the Brantley
County Commissioners from Jim
L .Gillis.
Brantley County commissioners
passed a resolution at its April
session requesting the State High
way Board to put the road in
the Federal Aid System. If the
request is granted, it would mean
that the road from Raybon to
Lulaton would receive federal
aid for paving and would ex
pedite the paving of this impor
tant county highway.
Traffic Deaths and Injuries
Increase in Brantley County
High School
PTA Installed
Officers Monday
The Nahunta High School PTA
met Monday night, May 6, at
the high school cafeteria.
A devotional was presented by
Rev. Ceci! Thomas. A. program
was presented by Mrs. Lee Herrin
on "High Pressure Areas in a
School System.” Skits were acted
out by Beth Calhoun, Martha
Thomas, Hymerick Thomas and
George Brown, on these differ
ent occasions.
The installation of officers was
then held by Mrs. John Calhoun.
Officers for the following year
are as follows: president, Emory
Middleton; vice-president, Dr. J.
L. Walker; secretary and treasu
rer, Mrs. Betty Hendrix.
Refreshments were served by
Mrs. Woodrow Hendrix, Mrs.
Bill Johns, Mrs. L. C. Batten,
Mrs. Margie O’Neal and Mrs. Ed
ward Brand.
PEACH TREES DAMAGED
Many peach trees have been
seriously injured in many cases
killed by the severe weather this
past winter. Dr. E. F. Savage,
horticulturist at the Georgia Ex
periment Station, made that re
port this week after examining
trees in the Fort Valley area. Dr.
Savage feels that the condition
will be more prevalent as the
crop progresses.
Brantley County Per Capita Income
Is 51 Percent of National Average
ATHENS, Ga. — A study of Geor
gia’s income by counties shows that
in 19G0 Brantley County was in 85th
place in per capita income among
counties in the state.
That year residents of the coun
ty had an income of $1,134 each, or
about 51 per cent of the national
average.
Union County was in last place
with 29 percent of national a
verage. Fannin was 158th with 32
percent. Long 157th with 33 per
cent. The current study shows
that in 1960 per capita income
in Georgia ranged frcm a low of
29 per cent of the national a
verage to a high of 150 tier cent. z .
There is a heavy concentration of
personal income in the metropolitan
and other urban areas of the state,
but this does not necessarily mean
that “the poor are getting poorer,”
the study points out.
On the contrary, the number of
counties in Georgia where per capi
ta income is less than half the state
average has dropped from 38 in
1947 to only six in 1930.
The study indicates that Georgia
is more dependent than the average
state on federal spending, on trade
wages and salaries, and on proprie
tors’ income, and is relatively less
dependent on manufacturing wages
| THE WORLD OF |
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Subscription Price
and Tax
Inside county 12.58
Outside county, in state .... 83.09
Outside state 83.08
Brantley County Commissioners
have received from the State
Highway Department, traffic toll
figures for the past three years
concerning deaths and injuries in
traffic in the county.
The figures show traffic deaths
as follows: in 1960, two death;;
in 1961, seven deaths; and in 1962
ten deaths. Injuries for the three
years were 22, 43 and 35. The
ten deaths in 1962 showed 500
percent increase over 1960.
The highway department offers
the following suggestions on how
to reduce deaths and injuries and
property damage from traffic
accidents:
1. A safety assembly, or prog
ram for every school child in
your county at least once each
year.
2. A safety program in each
service club, PTA, civic associa
tion, etc. in your county at least
once each year.
3. A collection of safety books
and pamphlets in each school
library.
4. Safe-driving demonstrations
at fairs, shopping centers.
5. Bicycle safety inspections.
6. Use of driver-testing clinic
trailer sponsored by the Georgia
Department of Public Safety and
the Georgia Motor Trucking As
sociation.
7. Series of newspaper articles
or radio broadcasts on traffic
safety.
8. Use of billboards with safety
messages at main highways en
tering your county.
9. Planning of police activity so
that, hazardous locations receive
greater attention.
10. Adequate training for your
police officers.
and salaries and on property in
come.
The state as a whole has not in
creased its share of the national in
come since 1955, when it stood at
1.6 per cent. The per capita income
for Georgians is slightly higher now
than it was in 1955 only because the
percentage of the nation’s popula
tion which Jives in Georgia has drop
ped slightly. In 1955, Georgia claim
ed 2.23 per cent of the nation’s popu
lation. In 1960 the figures 1 Stood at
2 19 per cent. The study of income
by counties is published in the cur
rent issue of Georgia Business, a
publication of the University’s Bu
reau of Business Research.
CARD OF THANKS
We wfch to thank all our friends
and relatives for their many kind
nesses to us during the illness and
death of our loved one, J. L. Rig
"in~. We deeply anoreciate every
word and act of kindness and the
many expressions of sympathy. We
especially appreciate the covered
dishes and the floral tributes. We
will always remember you with
heartfelt gratitude. May the Lord
bless and keep you all.
Mrs. J. L. Riggins
and Family
