Ray Belcher - Greer: From Cotton Town to Industrial Center

The authors express appreciation to those excellent interviewees who suffered many questions and often times repeated visits. Many of those who contributed so much information toward this project have since become a portion of history themselves. The following were gracious enough to give interviews and remember the stories of Greer: Geneva Ashmore, Carl Belcher, Carrabell C. Belcher, David L. Belcher, Ernest Belcher, Grady L. Belcher, John V. Belcher, Susie Belcher, Bob Blackwell, Harley Bonds, Frank Carman, Alliene Cates, Atlee Chastain, Henry Clark, Mrs. Oscar Collins, R. Broughton Colvin, Talmadge Crisson, John C. Curry, Wilma Curtis, Constance Dillard, Palmer Dillard, Clyde Dobson, Leonard Dobson, Lawrence Earle, Oda Fowler, B.L. Frick, Faris Green, Frank Green, James D. Grubbs, Minnie Grubbs, Harper Hawkins, Vernon Hawkins, G. Hayes, Richard Hemphill, Luther Hester, Nell Hinkle, Minnie K. Hollingsworth, O.T. Holloway, Press Holtzclaw, Alton Howard, James C. Howard, Rometta Howard, Rob Hughes, Katie Johnson, J.L. Jones, Clarence Kimbrel, Mrs. T.A. Long, Quillan Lewellen, Lib Mayfield, Thomas McAbee, Ruth McAlister, Troy McAlister, John L. McMurray, Connie Miller, Jim Miller, Edmund Mosteller, Hendrix Mosteller, L.C. Pearson, William J. Pennington, Lewis Phillips, Grady Powell, D.C. Price, Henry and Francis Sammons, Russell Sheriff, Virginia Smith, Dan Stepp, David Bunyon Stone, Croel Suddeth, Florence Tucker, Mrs. R.B. Vaughn, Bertha Wentz, and Sybil West.

Alton Howard, Judith McDowell, Gayle White, Jerry Bryant, Bob Howard, Constance Dillard, and Norman Dukes provided certain research data that was extremely helpful in writing this account of Greer. Thomas A. McAbee provided extensive photographic services for this project. Carra and Pete Selent provided computer services and technical assistance.

For assistance in locating materials, the authors express gratitude to the staff of the South Carolina Room and Reference Department of the Greenville County Library, the Greenville County Law Library, Furman University Library Special Collections, Strom Thurmond Institute of Clemson University, the South Carolina State Library, and the South Caroliniana Library of the University of South Carolina.

The authors are also indebted to those individuals and organizations that provided pictures and other illustrations portraying Greers history, including Thomas and Doris McAbee, James Paget, Lucie Williams Robinson, William Robinson, Hampton-Lee Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (Chapter 1281), Francis Farmer Jones, Myra Mack Mason, Meda Land, Herbert Taylor, Greer First Bapist Church, Jean Smith Library of Greer, Shirley Beacham, Abbie Frick McWilliams, Evelyn Mason, Beatrice Whitman, Henry and Francis Sammons, Preston Johnson, Senator Verne Smith, Susan H. Young, Richard and Karolyn Taylor, Clyde and Anne Dobson, Mary Lee Landford, Homer Turner, Bobby Howard, Julia Martin, James and Linda Suber, Brenda Jolley, L.B. Rogers, Ruth Bishop, Sylvia Pitts, Nancy Simmons, Washington Baptist Church, and Patricia Chambers.

LLOYD HUNT AWARDS DOBSON FAMILY. Lloyd Hunt presents an award to the Dobson family during Peach Festival activities. Shown are, from left: Leonard Dobson, Roy Dobson, Mrs. R.A. Dobson, Clyde Dobson, Lloyd Hunt, Connie Burnside, Lawrence Dobson.

While likely an incomplete list, these Greer soldiers, sailors, and marines are known to have served their country during the Second World War:

Adams, Edward
Anderson, Fred
Andreas, Fred
Arnold, James
Atkinson, Bob
Bailey, Charles
Bailey, E.C.
Bailey, Julian
Bailey, Monroe
Ballenger, Warren
Ballentine, Carol
Barnett, Jimmy
Barnette, J.B.
Baswell James
Beeks, Brock
Belcher, Arnold
Belcher, Carl
Belcher, David
Belcher, John
Belcher, Ralph
Belcher, Thomas
Berry, Horace
Berry, Harold
Black Robin
Black, Clifton
Black, W.L.
Blackwell, Harold
Brady, Ellis
Brady, Marion
Brannon, Gus
Bright, DeWitt
Brockman, Harold
Brockman, Hiram
Brockman, Oliver Jr.
Brookshire, Paul
Brown, Preston
Bruce, Lee
Bruce, Robert
Bruce, W.L.
Burdrick, Samuel
Burgin, Hollis
Burgin, John
Burnett, Jack
Burnett, James
Burnett, Maud
Burnett, Willis
Cabiness Jack
Cabiness, Belt
Cabiness, Harry
Campbell, Lloyd
Campbell, Robert
Candler, Asa
Cannon, Raymond
Carman, Frank
Carman, Fred
Carman, Olin
Childress, Willie
Clarke, Charles
Clayton, Brooks
Cole, Alfred
Collins, Roy Jr.
Copeland, John
Cox, Haskell
Cox, Leroy
Cox, Roy
Cox, Wayne
Davis, Alvin
Davis, D.V.
Davis, Homer
Davis, Virgil
Dempsey, Marvin
DeYoung, R.B.
DeYoung, Theron
Digby, Mary
Dill, Brooks
Dillard, Thomas
Dixon, Aaron
Dobson, Bill
Dobson, Charles
Dobson, Clyde
Dobson, Dennis
Dobson, Roy
Duncan, Frank
Duncan, James
Duncan, Orvel
Edwards, Ralph
Edwards, Roy
Edwards, Vance
Ensley, Willard W.
Farmer, Alfred
Farmer, Jack
Farmer, Joe
Farmer, Malcolm
Few, Carlton
Finley, Joe
Fletcher, Charles
Forrester, Arthur
Forrester, Jack
Fowler, Ray
Frady, Hugh
Galloway, Charles
Ganett, Gordon
Gant, Roy
Gaul, Billy
Gibson, James
Giles, Theron
Glenn, Allen
Glenn, Robert
Godfrey, Samuel
Godfrey, Walter
Goodson, James
Gowan, Edgar
Green, J.O.
Green, James
Green, Marshall
Green, Olive
Green, Ralph
Green, Wilton
Hanvey, Maurice
Hardin, Melvin
Hardin, Wallace
Harrison, David
Harrison, George
Harrison, Woodrow
Harvey, Grady
Harvey, Louie
Hawkins, Jasper
Heath, Fletcher
Hemphill, Eugene
Hemphill, James
Hemphill, Sam
Henderson, Chester
Henderson, Everett
Henderson, Maurie
Hendrix, Charles
Hendrix, Theron
Hester, Harold
Hester, James
Hodgson, Ralph
Holtzclaw, Aldrige
Holtzclaw, L.S.
Holtzclaw, Stanley
Howard, Allen
Howard, Boyce W.
Howard, E.C.
Howard, Fred C.
Howard, Gurley
Howard, Harold
Howard, Leonard R.
Howard, Moulton C.
Howard, Samuel L.
Howard, William G.
Howell, Carl
Howell, Clement
Hughes, Bob
Hughes, Daniel
Hughes, David
Hughes, James
Ivie, Alonzo
Jackson, Don
Jackson, Paul
James, Laurens
Johnson, Helen
Jones, Albert R.
Jones, Frank
Jones, Harold Edgar
Kennedy, Winfred
Kirby, Melvin
Lancaster, William
Lane, William
Lanford, Marion
Lee, H.R.
Lee, Hubert
Lindsay, Ben H.
Littlefield, Raymond
Lowe, Perry
Lynn, W.T.
Mahaffey, Green
Manes, Milton
Martin, William
Mason, Paul D.
Mayfield, Ison
Mayfield, Louie
Mayfield, Murray
Mayfield, Norman
McAbee, Thomas
McCarter, J.T.
McCarter, Jewell
McCarter, O.R.
McCarter, Robert
Miller, Dan
Miller, Edwin
Moon, Brockman
Moon, William C.
Nabors, Pat
Neill, Eugene
Payne, John
Payne, Thomas Earl
Petit, Jack
Pruitt, Junior
Pruitt, Wilton
Putman, Grover
Reaves, H.D.
Rector, Frank
Rector, Fred
Rector, Grady
Rector, Murray M.
Riggs, D.E.
Robinson, William
Robinson, Don
Robinson, Joel
Rogers, Louis
Rumsey, Broadus
Rushton, Samuel
Sanders, Edward
Satterfield, Wi
Shepherd, David
Simms, Alexander
Sloan, Calvin
Sloan, Sidney
Smith Percy
Smith, Gordon
Smith, Hansel