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During the mid-1960s, membership in the Tidewater Virginia Development Council (TVDC) was a real “hot potato” with the Franklin City Council, prompting many revealing discussions about the City’s industry-seeking efforts – or “non-efforts”.

TVDC was an industry-hunting organization whose membership included the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Franklin, as well as the Counties of Isle of Wight, Nansemond, and Southampton.

Back then, some people believed that Franklin was competing with all the other TVDC member municipalities when it should have been investing its time and resources to individualized and concerted efforts that would bring additional industry to the Franklin area.

At a meeting of the Franklin City Council on July 31, 1964, Franklin Chamber of Commerce Executive Director George Washington was present. Councilman Floyd Briggs turned to Washington and asked for his input: “What is your opinion on TVDC membership and its industrial development initiatives?”  

Washington responded: “What Franklin has to do before they start worrying about TVDC is to decide that they really want or need additional industry.  For many years, some Franklin people have been talking about new industries.  Some Franklin people are looking for a General Electric or Westinghouse.  We’re not going to get big companies like those.”

In contrast to Washington’s statements, many community leaders pointed to the fact that Franklin and the Franklin area, at that time – in the mid-1960s, already had substantial industry.  At that time, across the river in Isle of Wight County, the Union Bag-Camp Paper Corp. complex employed over 2,500 people and was continually employing as the company continued to expand.  In 1965, a new paper machine was under construction, which would require about 150 new jobs.  And, through attrition, jobs were continuously coming open for new people.

Franklin Equipment Co., founded by Roger W. Drake in 1962, was certainly a new industry—and home-grown. The company was manufacturing logging tractors at its facility on East Second Avenue in Franklin and developing new markets with national distribution. It was growing and providing new jobs. In 1964, the company had fifty workers in downtown Franklin; in 1966, the company averaged 150 full-time employees; by 1969, at its Isle of Wight County facility, 250 people were working there.

Both Union Bag-Camp Paper Corp. and Franklin Equipment Co., for the most part, were looking for skilled workers.  

And, then, there was St. Regis Paper Co., on the south side of Franklin, employing approximately 250 people, many of whom were women.  Back in 1954, St. Regis was planning to leave Franklin but due to strong efforts and persuasions by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, Sol Rawls Jr., James L. Camp Jr., Camp Manufacturing Co., and several other community leaders, St. Regis reversed itself and decided to stay.  That is when they relocated from behind the Union Bag-Camp paper machines to a new site on part of the old Paul D. Camp farm.  This was industrial development – an existing industry was not only RETAINED but also expanded.  Back then, a major catastrophe was averted in the Franklin area.     

Pretlow Peanut Co., in Franklin, employed an average of one hundred workers.  

And, then, there was Hercules, employing approximately one hundred workers. 

Looking out in Southampton County, there was Hancock Peanut Co., with over one hundred employees; in Courtland, and over in Boykins, there was the new Boykins Narrow Fabrics Co., which employed over 150 people. Incidentally, Boykins Narrow Fabrics was placed in Boykins largely through the efforts of TVDC. 

Back in Franklin, Southampton Memorial Hospital was a major employer, with over 150 workers and growing.  The City of Franklin employed over 150 people.  

And then, there was agriculture – definitely a major component in the economic structure of Southampton County, Isle of Wight County, and Franklin.  

Overall, at that time, the prevailing thought was that the community needed to have concerted efforts, initiatives, and incentives aimed at retaining existing businesses and jobs. Some believed retention was just as important as new industry—if not more important. The best industrial development program a community could have combines the two elements.

Looking back, Camp Manufacturing Co., Chesapeake-Camp Corp. (both predecessors of Union Bag-Camp Paper Corp.), along with Albemarle Steam Navigation Co., Knight Buggy Co., Virginia Buggy Co., Hancock Peanut Co., Pretlow Peanut Co., S. W. Rawls, Inc., Franklin Concrete Products Corp., Southampton Memorial Hospital, and Franklin Equipment Co. – and agriculture – were all “home-grown” businesses.  They did not come from somewhere else.  They came from here.

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.