Biographies: Samuel J. Carpenter, 1932, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: May 20, 1932 Winnfield News-American (by R. W. Oglesby) Passing in Review This Week We Have Samuel J. Carpenter One of the most Princely citizens Winnfield ever had was Samuel J. Carpenter. He came here from the north about 1907 as president of the Tremont Lumber Company and established a residence in Winnfield as well as the general office of the lumber company and the Tremont & Gulf Railway Company. He purchased the W. F. Cooper home, the present home of Governor O. K. Allen, re-arranged it to suit the tastes of his good wife, who was just as good a woman as he was a man, and lived here for several years. He identified himself with the people of the town and country and did everything he could to promote the growth of both. He was of medium height, rather portly in build, baldheaded, neat in appearance, keen blue eyes and a perfect gentleman. My firm then was composed of Grisham, Oglesby, and Stennis and we all belonged to different churches. Mr. Carpenter gave us fifty dollars each for our respective churches. He was greatly interested in promoting oil explorations in Winn Parish. He and Mr. Hall, of the Hall & Legan Lumber Company of Tannehill, drilled a well near Tannehill at their own expense at a tremendous cost. The drill stem broke off and after months of fishing to save the well, it had to be abandoned. Along with his business abilities he enjoyed an occasional outing. One he took a special train on a bird hunt and another time he went by private conveyance up in the Couley country. At sundown all the party gathered at the camp except for Mr. Carpenter. We decided that he had gotten lost and built up a fire and shot the guns in order to locate him. About eight o'clock that night he came driving up in a school van, but being a good sport, he was the least concerned in the party. He had some fine bird dogs and gave me an English setter that had been trained in Canada at a cost of $250.00. As luck would have it, this dog died before the next season, with that dreaded dog disease, the sore mouth. Mr. Carpenter took special pains with the young men of his organizations and gave them every encouragement. Albert Smith who is now the general manager of the Tremont & Gulf Railway Company, started in as a chain carrier in the engineering department. Pat Tugwell, now the chairman of the Louisiana Highway Commission, started as a clerk in the auditing department, as did John T. DeLoach, the present auditor of the company, and Ovey Trahan, Traffic Manager. In fact, nearly every one now connected with the company started under Mr. Carpenter. He told me once that a man brought him some kind of contraption and asked him to help him get a patent on it. He told the man to put to put the idea into the form of a toy. The man went away and in a few days brought back the delightful toy to every tot, the monkey climbing the poled by pulling the string. Mr. Carpenter furnished the money go get the idea patented for a one half interest and they cleaned up $10,000.00 each. He was never too busy to talk to anyone wanting his help. A short time after leaving Winnfield he passed away very suddenly but those who knew him will always cherish his memory. If we had such a citizen in our midst now, the depression would not be so depressive. The Tremont & Gulf which has meant so much to Winnfield for 28 years is still carrying out his policies in promoting the town and country and thereby perpetuating his good works. He was indeed a prince.