36 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



February 25. 1922 



"Whos^ho iiiWoodworking 



w. 



A. 'Thomas 



(Left) 



Presiilent 



StatcsTillc Furniture Company 



Stalesville, N. C. 



It was in the year 1898 that W. A. rhomas, presi- 

 dent of the Slatesville Furniture Conipan_v, Statesville, 

 N. C, first identified liiiiiself nitli the great industry in 

 which he has now become one of the outstanding fig- 

 ures. During tliis year he joined with J. G. Shelton 

 in the establishment of the company which he now 

 heads, his motive at that time being a desire to create 

 a means of helping to relieve an unemployment situ- 

 ation in Statesville. At the organization of the com- 

 panv he was elected president, while Mr. Shelton be- 

 came secretary and treasurer. The company began 

 operating in 1900. 



( rnntinin fl nii /niflt 42 I 



C. H. Burt 



(Right) 



President 



Burt Bros., Furniture \Ijrs. 



P/iilaJel/>/iia, Pa. 



The boy of twelve years of age who could plow all 

 day on the raw Illinois prairie behind a yoke of stub- 

 born oxen and at night study by light of a coal oil lamp 

 was almost certain of success in life. By this he had 

 shown that he had the qualities that bring success, 

 namely, strength, courage and a desire to improve his 

 mind. This was Clarence H. Burt of the Burt Bros., 

 furniture manufacturing company of Philadelphia, a 

 few Tears after his father moved from the Valley of 

 the Green Mountains to establish a home on the West- 

 ern Prairie. 



At the age of seventeen his father was operating a 

 iContiniird on page 42l 



