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PRIDE IN PROPERTIES
Satpul
has taken pride in the properties and fixed it up by cleaning
out the bleachery, recycling as much as possible. He has
repaired and painted Startex Post Office. These changes
certainly improve the appearance of the old mill.
STARTEX/TUCAPAU COMMUNITY
ACTION ASSOCIATION.
The
citizens formed the Startex/Tucapau Community Action
Association. Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of each
month at 7 pm at the
Tucapau
Baptist
Church. There will be a different speaker
each month and refreshments will be severed. These meetings are
informative and keep us up to date on what is happening in
Startex. There are usually 50 to75 people in attendance. You can join
the Association for $5.00 a year per household. This money is
used to buy cleaning supplies for clean-up day. Clean-up days
are held 2 times a year in the spring and fall.
NEW WATER LINES AND WORKING FIRE HYDRANTS
Spartanburg
County Community & Development Department has been
working with the Startex/Tucapau Community Action Association
for the past two years to get grants for the new water lines
into Startex. These water lines are definitely needed. Starting
in August 2007, new 12-inch water lines will be installed. The
work will start on the
South Main Street
side of Startex. This will be an asset to the homeowners, as it
will assist in lowering your Homeowner’s Insurance.
SEWER SERVICE
Lyman
,
SC
received a grant to serve Startex with sewer needs. This will
result in better sewer service.
CHRISTMAS IN ACTION
Christmas
inn Action was in Startex in April 2007 to work 30 homes. The
smiles on the faces of the recipients of the work left our
hearts overflowing.
IMPROVEMENTS
This is
a beginning of improvements for our Community. These
improvements will take place over the next 5 to 6 years.
See what’s happening.
There is much love left in this little mill village. Come and
see what is happening. You just may be surprised!
Written by Carolyn Downing
Edited
by Deb Thomason
Memory
of Jesse E. West, Sr.
"Big
Jess"
My
Grand Daddy
By
Jesse
E. West III
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Jesse E. West Sr. came to Tucapau
in the early 1900s to help build the mill. I don’t
know much about where he lived before coming to Tucapau
or how it came about that he was hired for the job.
Jesse was married to his first wife, Jessie
Norman and had two children Marion and Allen. Jessie
died during the Flu epidemic of 1919 leaving him with
two small children to care for.
As it happened, a young school teacher, Miss
Mollie Sams, moved to Tucapau to teach first grade in
the elementary school after graduating from
Winthrop
College
. Miss Sams lived in the Tucapau Hotel as all single
teachers were required to do when coming to Tucapau in
the early years. Later
she moved from the hotel to live with a family that
lived on
Main St
across from the West.
She became close friends with Jessie and her
family. After
the death of Jessie, Miss Sams helped care for the
children while Big Jess was at work.
Love blossomed and they were soon married and had
two more children, Jesse E. West Jr. and Margaret
Elizabeth West.
My grandfather was a big man. His size was very
intimidating, but he was very loving. I have heard
stories of how he would play with me on the floor of
their home. I
remember once when I was about three years old we were
playing and he was chasing me around the kitchen table. I
slipped on a rug my grandmother had at the kitchen sink
and busted my lip. Granddaddy
scolded my “ MamaWest” for having the rug on the
floor even though it was his fault that we were running
in the house.
They had the only phone on
Main Street
in their house and when any of the neighbors would
receive a call, it was my job to run to their house to
tell them.
Granddaddy West was working inside of the boiler
one day and came home for lunch and wasn’t feeling
well, so he stayed home and went to bed. No
one knew that he had a heart attack. I was sitting on
his bed that night playing as usual when he died.
I wished my sisters and brother could have known
him. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. He was
not known only in the community of Tucapau, but all over
the county. Jess, along with AB Willingham and a couple
of other Friends drove an A model Ford one year to
New York
over dirt roads, which was prevalent in the early years,
to watch the Yankees in the World Series.
He had many theories about things. These were
passed along to my father and down to me. I remember one
that stuck with me is “if a car doesn’t use oil,
then it’s not doing it’s job of lubricating the
engine” and “Drive a screw into the wood with a
hammer, the purpose of the slot on a wood screw was to
take it out.”
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In The
News |
THEY HAVE STARTED WORKING ON PUTTING SOME
BRICKS DOWN ON THE STAR. WE HAVE ABOUT 30 OF
THEM DOWN NOW. IF YOU DRIVE BY AND YOU CARE
TO TAKE A LOOK PLEASE DO SO. AS SOON AS IT
GETS WARM AGAIN WE PLAN TO PUT DOWN THE REST OF
THEM. IF YOU PLAN TO BUY A BRICK PLEASE
LET US KNOW. GET IN TOUCH WITH ED THOMASON
AT 864-439-2835. WE HAVE SOLD ABOUT 120 SO
FAR. THEY ARE BEING PUT DOWN BY
FAMILY'S SO THAT WHEN YOU TRY TO FIND YOUR FAMILY
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOOK EVERYWHERE TO FIND THEM.
For more
information click here.
Book
Available at Amazon.com
Here
is the cover of a book that Mr. John Wilson wrote
titled "Carolina Linthead."
Mr. Wilson was reared in Startex and wrote
for the Spartanburg Herald Journal before his
retirement. The book is available at
Amazon.com.
(click
image to enlarge)
WE HAVE A NEW SIGN
Startex has a new sign! As you come into Startex
from Highway 29, is the WELCOME STARTEX/TUCAPAU est.
1895 sign. The
sign is located at the end of
Spartanburg Road
in the area known as the STARTEX STAR.
This area is known as the STARTEX STAR
because there is a concrete star in that area. No
one seems to know the date when the star was built.
(click
to enlarge)
This is a beautiful area at Christmas as we
decorate a tree in the middle of the star. A
community tree lighting ceremony is held around the
first week of December. The area churches are
invited to lead in singing Christmas carols. This is
a special time for the community as it brings us
together to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas
season. Refreshments are served.
Friends and neighbors come out to bond and
enjoy a time of fellowship. The lights on the tree
will remain on until the end of December.
MORE GOOD NEWS!
STARTEX/TUCAPAU COMMUNITY CENTER
The Startex/Tucapau Community Center is now
located in the old
Startex
Elementary School
. Our
monthly meetings are held there on the third
Thursday of each month.
On the second Wednesday of every month, the Startex
retiree’s meet in the community center.
The retiree’s enjoy lunch and a time of
fellowship. Occasionally a guest speaker will be
invited for a presentation. Everyone is welcome to
come and join us.
(click
to enlarge)
STARTEX/TUCAPAU LIBRARY
The Startex/Tucapau Library is also located in the
Startex/Tucapau Community Center. All types of books
are available to check out. It will be open two days
a week. You can check out the dates on the bulletin
board at the Startex Post Office or the sign in
front of the school.
Come check us out!
NEW SIDEWALKS
We now have new sidewalks on the right side of
Main Street
. SJWD is still working on the rest of the water
lines in the village. What a welcome addition!
2009 STARTEX
REUNION
We are already making plans to have our 2009 Startex
Reunion
. The time and date will be announced after the
first of the year. If you have anything that we can
use, please let us know. Old pictures, articles or
just something that you would like to display. You
are welcome to do so.
Mr. John Wilson of Martinsville, VA is writing a
book about Startex. This book will be filled with
his memories of growing up in Startex.
It will be filled with photos of Startex.
Mr. Wilson was a writer for the
Spartanburg
Herald before his retirement.
The book will be available at the 2009
reunion. Orders
may be placed starting the first of the year. At
this time, the price is unknown.
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Originally Published in The
Spartanburg Herald-Journal Weekly. Reprinted
with permission.
Putting The
Star Back In Startex
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By
Glenn D. Bridges
Longtime
residents of Startex can recall the days when a
thriving textile mill had the community bustling
with prominent textile-league ball teams, stores, a
barbershop, grand hotel, attractive lakeside homes
and much more.
Today,
it’s a mere shell of its former self, but thanks
to a relatively new organization – the Startex/Tucapau
Community Action Association – the town is
undergoing a major metamorphosis. continued....
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Originally Published in The Spartanburg
Herald-Journal Weekly. Reprinted with
permission.
Startex
"Star" Becoming Centerpiece For Village Residents
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By Glenn D. Bridges
Startex residents will celebrate a Christmas tree
lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 8, at the “Village
Star” located at the corner of Spartanburg and Tucapau roads.
While a local organization hopes to make the ceremony an
annual event, there’s a lot more in store for the aging star,
which dates back to the days when textile magnate Walter
Montgomery purchased the town’s mill and changed the name from
Tucapau to Startex Mills to reflect the product’s brand name.
continued...
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