Lanter Lumberman Legacy
Picture caption: L.A. Lanter, 1957, Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Company, Max Meadows, Virginia.
Lemuel Austin Lanter, my grandfather was the last of ten children born to Austin and Phillis Perry Lanter. He was born in Speedwell, Virginia on May 16, 1892 and married Rosa Lee Phillippi on June 23, 1917. Lemuel was a lumber inspector and during his lifetime worked for a number of lumber companies. I wanted to document his career in the lumber business in the form of a story to include in a genealogy book about the Lanter’s. In 1998 with the help of my father, Ford Lanter, and my uncle Herb Lanter, I was able to do so. A lot of business acquaintances referred to Lemuel as L.A. and family and friends often called him Lemmie.
The story begins in Speedwell, Virginia , where Lemmie worked for Ford Gipson, owner of Gipson Lumber Company. In 1924 Lemmie, Rosa and their two children Lemuel Ford, age two, and Mary Lee, age one, left Speedwell for what I think was a better employment opportunity for Lemmie. Butler, Tennessee must have been the destination as Virginia Lee was born there in 1924. Elizabeth Inez was born in Roanoke, Virginia in 1926 and Herbert Conley was born in Chase City, Virginia in 1930. The family made many moves from 1924 to 1947. Some of the companies Lemmie worked for were: Conley Lumber- Chase City, Virginia; Harris Hardwood- Roanoke, Virginia; Smith Lumber- Christiansburg, Virginia; Syler Lumber- Bluefield, Virginia; Belcher Lumber- Bluefield, West Virginia and the National Hardwood Lumber Association. During the war Lemmie inspected lumber for ships. Both of the Lanter sons and two grandsons inherited lumber company owner middle names. Lemuel Ford and Lemuel Jr. from Ford Gipson, and Herbert Conley and Herbert Jr., from Conley Lumber.
In 1947 Lemuel and Rosa returned to Wythe County where both were born, and Lemmie began his career at the Virginia Iron coal and Coke Company in Max Meadows, Virginia. He managed the company till 1961 at which time the business ceased operation. It is interesting to note that in 1923 Lemmie purchased a parcel of land at Speedwell, Virginia, on the waters of Dry Run that contained .60 of an acre for $500.00 from Virginia Iron Coal and Coke company. Lemmie taught lumber inspection at Dixon Lumber in Galax, Virginia, and Harman Lumber in Hillsville, Virginia. He also taught my dad, Ford, the lumber business. Lemmie passed away in 1982. My parents Ford and Elma Lanter, moved from Bluefield, West Virginia to Wytheville, Virginia in 1947. My dad remarked the reason was because he wanted to learn the lumber business from his dad, Lemuel. The move meant a substantial reduction in pay, but in time was worth the sacrifice. Ford worked under Lemmie till 1951 at which time he took a job with Brunswick in Marion, Virginia. In the mid sixties Brunswick moved their lumber operation and Ford went to work for the National Hardwood Lumber Association. He retired in 1984, thus ending sixty years and two generations of Lanter Lumbermen
Submitted by: Brenda Lanter Roahrig
Picture caption: L.A. Lanter, 1957, Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Company, Max Meadows, Virginia.
Lemuel Austin Lanter, my grandfather was the last of ten children born to Austin and Phillis Perry Lanter. He was born in Speedwell, Virginia on May 16, 1892 and married Rosa Lee Phillippi on June 23, 1917. Lemuel was a lumber inspector and during his lifetime worked for a number of lumber companies. I wanted to document his career in the lumber business in the form of a story to include in a genealogy book about the Lanter’s. In 1998 with the help of my father, Ford Lanter, and my uncle Herb Lanter, I was able to do so. A lot of business acquaintances referred to Lemuel as L.A. and family and friends often called him Lemmie.
The story begins in Speedwell, Virginia , where Lemmie worked for Ford Gipson, owner of Gipson Lumber Company. In 1924 Lemmie, Rosa and their two children Lemuel Ford, age two, and Mary Lee, age one, left Speedwell for what I think was a better employment opportunity for Lemmie. Butler, Tennessee must have been the destination as Virginia Lee was born there in 1924. Elizabeth Inez was born in Roanoke, Virginia in 1926 and Herbert Conley was born in Chase City, Virginia in 1930. The family made many moves from 1924 to 1947. Some of the companies Lemmie worked for were: Conley Lumber- Chase City, Virginia; Harris Hardwood- Roanoke, Virginia; Smith Lumber- Christiansburg, Virginia; Syler Lumber- Bluefield, Virginia; Belcher Lumber- Bluefield, West Virginia and the National Hardwood Lumber Association. During the war Lemmie inspected lumber for ships. Both of the Lanter sons and two grandsons inherited lumber company owner middle names. Lemuel Ford and Lemuel Jr. from Ford Gipson, and Herbert Conley and Herbert Jr., from Conley Lumber.
In 1947 Lemuel and Rosa returned to Wythe County where both were born, and Lemmie began his career at the Virginia Iron coal and Coke Company in Max Meadows, Virginia. He managed the company till 1961 at which time the business ceased operation. It is interesting to note that in 1923 Lemmie purchased a parcel of land at Speedwell, Virginia, on the waters of Dry Run that contained .60 of an acre for $500.00 from Virginia Iron Coal and Coke company. Lemmie taught lumber inspection at Dixon Lumber in Galax, Virginia, and Harman Lumber in Hillsville, Virginia. He also taught my dad, Ford, the lumber business. Lemmie passed away in 1982. My parents Ford and Elma Lanter, moved from Bluefield, West Virginia to Wytheville, Virginia in 1947. My dad remarked the reason was because he wanted to learn the lumber business from his dad, Lemuel. The move meant a substantial reduction in pay, but in time was worth the sacrifice. Ford worked under Lemmie till 1951 at which time he took a job with Brunswick in Marion, Virginia. In the mid sixties Brunswick moved their lumber operation and Ford went to work for the National Hardwood Lumber Association. He retired in 1984, thus ending sixty years and two generations of Lanter Lumbermen
Submitted by: Brenda Lanter Roahrig
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