Hunt Co., TX - Miss Fannie Tatum Retires After 34 Years
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Miss Fannie Tatum who for thirty-two years has been in the employ of the G. D.
Henslee Company is retiring from the business as manager on November 1, l962.

Miss Tatum will continue in the store, however, for the remainder of the year,
to assist the new manager, Mr. H. E. Rainwater. After the end of the year
invoices, Miss Fannie will do part time work in one of the Henslee buildings,
in order to transact the business necessary for the extensive Henslee
property, consisting of eleven business houses, exclusive of the hardware
store, five residences, and farm lands.

Miss Tatum began work for the Henslee Hardware Company in 1930. The owner and
employer, G. D. Henslee, died in 1938 and the estate became the property of
Mrs. Marleta Todd Chadwick and Mr. Chadwick, of Center, Texas. Since that time
Miss Fannie has cared for the entire holdings, including the buying and sales,
the renting of business houses and homes, and the repair on them. For a number
of years, she had the help of the late Jess Gibson, the late John Byers, E. L.
Cardwell for a time, L. Walker, Jim Swafford, and Harrison Shanks.

The company is "the oldest business establishment still in operation,"
according to "A History of Celeste," a research paper written by Mr. Tom West
for credit work in history at ETSC, Commerce, in 1950.

Miss Fannie stated that in 1891 the late G. D. Henslee took over the business
established by his father, "Uncle George" Henslee.

Thirty years later, Easter Sunday in 1921, a fire destroyed the business. Then
G. D. Henslee built the present full block of cream brick buildings on the
same site. Occupancy began in August of 1922 and has been continuous in the
same location.

A major change in the historic area as when the State Bank occupying the
southwest corner building closed in 1926. Since that time that building has
been occupied by enterprising grocers.

Miss Tatum, before her association with the Henslee Company in January of
1930, had worked for a few years for G. K. Cheatham’s Gulf Oil Agency. She is
a self-trained bookkeeper with habits of accuracy, neatness, and punctuality.

Miss Fannie has been a member of the Methodist Church here most of the years
of her life. She is devoted to the work of the church. She is an associate
member of the WSCS and has been church treasurer for approximately ten years.

She is a native of this area and residence has been continuous. Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Tatum were her parents. She and her mother, the late Mrs. Nannie
Turner, lived together in the neat home, adjacent to the town square, where
Miss Fannie now lives. Schools attended were first, the original Hogeye
School, located just west of the present H. H. Furr place, and the old
Nicholson School farther east. Later Hogeye and Nicholson consolidated
resulting in a new name, Midway School. The location of Midway, described by
Tom West in his thesis was "near the old Sherman and Jefferson Trail."

Miss Fannie has a wonderful memory for people, places, and events. She has
always been active in community life and has a host of friends. She mentioned
that she was retiring from the work at the store only as a health measure.
Miss Fannie plans for more leisure time in conjunction with some business
life.

Mr. H. E. Rainwater comes to the company highly recommended as a good
businessman, homeowner, and local church member and attendant. At the present,
Cain Lumber Company of Leonard employs him.

Miss Fannie quoted Mr. Rainwater in that "he would appreciate the business of
the area, and would welcome visitors to get acquainted." (October 19, 1962,
The Celeste Courier)

The employees of J. R. Love Company here met Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 PM to
close the season with a coke party. Mr. and Mrs. Love were present a gift
certificate from Collins – Hilton Furniture in Greenville by the employees.
Mrs. Ruth Rowell and Mrs. Bernice Green were each presented a radio by co-
workers. Each employee received a nice ham from Mr. Love. (December 21, 1962,
The Celeste Courier)