By Ernie Smothers
smothers@mckenziebanner.com |
It has been said that effort constitutes the defining line
between those who dream and those who achieve. Gleason’s Roy
Travillian is an achiever. He has not only dreamed great
dreams, but through hard work and diligence, nurtured those
dreams into reality. A spiritual and earnest man, he has
lived a life that casts shadows on most. Laborer, farmer,
salesman, business owner, college graduate at 68,
author—-it’s easier to state what he hasn’t done rather than
list all that he has accomplished. Quick to smile and even
quicker to wit, Roy Travillian is a man with a story to
tell.
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Roy and his grandson, Jamie Roney,
who lives next door. |
Parents
Roy’s mother and father, Elbert and Daisy Dean Hughes
Travillian were wed on December 3, 1902 in the town of
Piggott, Arkansas.
Elbert, a hard working and resourceful man, purchased 80
acres of land that joined his grandfather’s homestead.
Clearing the land of large red and white oak and poplar
trees, He planted successful crops of corn and cotton.
A good financial manager, Mr. Travillian saved money earned
by his labor and reinvested to build a new home and stock
barn.
Tragedy struck on a spring night in 1912 when the barn,
livestock, hay and corn were totally consumed by fire.
Sadly, no barn insurance was available at the time. Not
inclined to give up, “Ebb” Travillian pooled his limited
savings and purchased two mules. Motivated, he soldiered on,
selling timber from the property and planting crops, until
he recouped his loss and regained prosperity.
New Baby
Born on March 24, 1914, Roy was the fifth child born to the
couple.
He said, “The day that I was born, Mama had three boys and
one girl at the time, and every one of them had the
measles.”
In June of 1914, tragedy struck the Travillian family again
when a fierce storm destroyed their entire crop. “I was only
a couple of months old at the time, but I remember hearing
my family talking about it when I was older. The storm
didn’t take down the house, but it took the crop,” he said.
After the storm, the family decided to leave Piggott. Mr.
Travillian made hoops to cover his wagon, packed up his
family and worldly belongings, and began the journey toward
Tennessee.
Ferry Ride.
Arriving in Caruthersville, Missouri, on the second day of
travel, the family camped that evening on the banks of the
Mississippi River.
Early the next morning, aboard their heavily loaded two mule
drawn wagon, they boarded a ferry to cross the river to
Tennessee. Half way across, the ferry’s motor quit, causing
the vessel to float downstream for nearly 12 miles. That
evening, a small tug boat assisted in pushing the ferry to
the shore, where the captain secured the vessel to a tree.
Unable to safely leave the barge, the family and livestock
spent a cold September night on the Missouri bank of the
Mississippi river. With no way to build a fire aboard the
ferry, Mrs. Travillian opened canned fruit to feed her
family.
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Roy and his beloved wife, Elizabeth.
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The next morning, a large tow boat hooked to the ferry and
transported it back to the original starting point.
After repairs were made, the vessel transported the family
to Tennessee.
After seven days travel, the family arrived in Dresden and
camped overnight in Mr. Travillian’s uncle and aunt’s yard.
The next day, he purchased a home for $400 with a crop still
in field. Enlisting his sons, he harvested the crop.
Utilizing the proceeds derived from the sale of the crop, he
was able to not only purchase the home and land in full, but
hay and corn to feed his stock until the next year’s
harvest.
Tornado of 1917
Though only two and a half years old, Roy remembered the
tornado that descended on Dresden in May of 1917. He
recalled, “It was hot that day and my father stood at the
back door and watched the clouds. He had mother on alert.
All at once he told her to bring all the children and go
down to the big gully. He and my brothers stayed at the
house. He said he saw trees up in the air to the south of
us. He told mother to take us to the house because it was
going to hail. It sure did—-as large as golf balls. It beat
our garden all to pieces.”
Shortly after the storm had passed, a neighbor ran up the
road to their home and informed the family that the storm
had hit a neighbor’s home and they were in need of help. Mr.
Travillian and his sons immediately lent their assistance in
freeing the family from the rubble of their house.
Roy recalled, “The tornado tore our corn stalks right out of
the ground and removed the loose dirt. All the brush in the
gully was spread out in the field.”
That fall, Mr. Travillian sold the farm at the behest of his
homesick wife, who had just given birth to the family’s
sixth child, a boy. Roy recalled that his mother, sister,
baby brother and he rode the train back to Arkansas while
his older brothers and father made the trip in two wagons.
The farm, purchased for $400, sold for $5,000.
One year later, Mr. Travillian took a train trip to
Tennessee to scout for a new farm and home. In short order,
he purchased an 80 acre farm near Gleason, half of which was
filled with expensive white oak timber. Summoning his
family, the Travillians made their final move to Tennessee.
Roots in Tater Town
The Travillian's yard shows the
fruits of Roy's labors.
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Roy began his third grade school year at Gleason School, and
attended there until graduating high school in 1933.
After graduation, he found work on a farm belonging to Mr.
Calvin Terrell, making one dollar a day with board. The
hours were long, from sunrise to sunset, six days a week. “I
was young and healthy back then, so I didn’t mind.”
The wallet
One day, while working for Mr. Terrell, one of Roy’s fellow
workers was severely injured. He said, “Mr. Terrell hired a
man to help work the hay. I was driving a wagon what had two
fiery mules and they were getting out of control. The new
man was sitting on the side of the wagon with his feet
hanging down, and a wheel ran over a stick, causing it to
fly up and knock a hole through his leg.” He continued, “We
stopped and carried the man to the house because he couldn’t
walk. Mr. Terrell handed me his billfold and told me to take
the man to the doctor and stay with him as long as I needed
to and take the man home as he would not be able to work.”
Roy said that he only looked into the billfold when he was
paying the doctor. It was full of ten, 20, and 50 dollar
bills. “He could have sent one of those bills with me and it
would have been enough. He knew how much money was in that
wallet, and was trying me.”
Upon arriving back at the Terrell farm several hours later,
he immediately returned the wallet and went back to work
hauling hay. The next day, Roy was given the best job on the
wagon in the field. After hay season ended, he went to
McKenzie and began work as a salesman for Ward Coffee
Company. He fondly remembered that Mr. Terrell came to visit
him many times before his death a year or so later.
Road
Salesman
Beginning July 4, 1935, Roy began running a sales route for
Ward Coffee, earning an impressive salary of $12 a week. “I
worked six days a week from daylight to dark. I was good at
selling on the road.”
Saving his money, Roy purchased a brand new 1938 Chevrolet.
He laughed, “It was no-frills—-no extras, no heater.”
It was during that time that Roy met Mary Elizabeth Owen.
“She played basketball for Gleason, and when I bought my
car, I looked her up. By 1940, we were going real steady.”
Draft Board
On December 8, 1941, one day after the Japanese had launched
a deadly surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Roy received a
letter from the military informing him that he had been
drafted. “The draft board classified me as 1-A, and ordered
me to report to a doctor for a physical. I’d never been to a
doctor before.”
The examination revealed that Roy’s heart was beating at 120
beats per minute, twice the normal pace. Two days later, the
draft board sent me a card classifying me as 4-F.
Learning that Wolf Creek Arsenal in Milan was hiring, Roy
immediately applied for a job and was hired on the spot.
He recalled, “You were actually classified as a military
employee if you worked there, so the next thing I knew, I
received another letter from the draft board informing me
that I was re-classified as 1-A.”
Ordered by the military to undergo a second physical,
Travillian traveled to Jackson to Dr. Fitts’ Clinic in
Jackson. The initial exam by Dr. Fitts also revealed a
super-fast heart rate. “The doctor told me to relax for a
while and he would re-check my heartbeat. I guess I got too
relaxed and went to sleep.” While Roy was dozing, the doctor
again checked his pulse. “It was still 120 beats per minute.
Three days later, the draft board sent me another letter
telling me that they had changed my classification back to
4-F.
A member of the draft board told me to go back to work at
the arsenal. I never heard from them again.”
The Marrying Kind
Following a three year courtship, Roy and Mary Elizabeth
were wed on January 13, 1942.
At the time, Roy, employed as a guard at Wolf Creek, was
working seven days a week on swing-shift. Mary Elizabeth was
employed as a teacher at Liberty Four in Henry County.
March third, 1944, serves as a day of remembrance regarding
two major events in Roy’s life: the birth of his first child
and the huge plant explosion at the Milan Arsenal.
He recalled, “I wasn’t at work that day. I took the day off
to be with my wife who was giving birth to our first child,
Lynda.”
In time, the Travillian’s also welcomed children Carolyn
(February 15, 1946), Beverly (August 22, 1946), and Bobby
(March 13, 1951) to their family.
Switching Gears
At the conclusion of World War II, Roy was laid off from the
Wolf Creek arsenal. “I was glad of it,” he reflected.
Seeking employment, Roy was hired by McKenzian Red Summers
as a wholesale candy salesperson. “I was making good money
at that job, $100 a week. I worked there for five years.”
In 1956, Roy was hired by good friend L. D. Folks, owner of
Grapette Company, and given the opportunity to manage one of
the company’s bottling plants located in Bardstown,
Kentucky.
Roy was informed that the plant had been poorly managed in
the past and that Mr. Folks wanted to revive the plant in
order to sell it. If successful, Roy was to receive 25
percent of the sale. After much thought, he accepted the
proposal. Working tirelessly, Travillian was able to restore
the company’s sales and reputation. The plant was sold in
December, 1956. Ready to move, the Travillians returned to
Gleason in January 1957.
Company Man
Immediately upon moving back to Gleason, Roy acted upon his
desire to start his own business. Purchasing a panel van to
serve as the operation’s delivery vehicle, and seasoned by
years of sales and management, Travillian traveled to Martin
to speak with Fuller Brothers candy suppliers regarding
acquisition of supplies. While there, he also secured a
direct shipment deal with Planter’s Peanuts. A deal with
Bradley Manufacturing was also secured in short order.
Enlisting the help of Bank of Gleason banker and
brother-in-law Bob Owen, Roy sent letters to 14 distribution
companies requesting they provide him with direct shipment
of their products. Many of the companies agreed, solidifying
his company’s supply requisition line. Owen also provided
Travillian with a rating on Dunn and Bradstreet.
Remembering the business’ early days, Roy said, “I started
out by placing small, minimum orders and borrowed a small
amount from the bank to pay for the supplies. During that
time, my wife got a job at the bank which kept the house
going while I built up the business.”
Working diligently, Travillian expanded his operation
rapidly. “I developed a large sales route and even hired
others to help me sell, but none of them could sell like me.
I did well.”
Later, Mary Elizabeth taught fifth grade at Gleason while
Roy traveled and sold his wares. Amazingly, the couple
helped four of their children and two sons-in-law attain
college degrees, all at the same time.
Roy said that the next twenty years of his life passed by
rapidly. “We worked all the time, and it was a family
effort. Outside of the business, the only thing we had time
for was church.”
Higher Education
Selling his business and retiring in 1976, Roy decided that
it was time for his continue his education.
“I started taking Bible courses at Bethel College. One of my
teachers encouraged me to get my degree, and I did.” He
graduated in June of 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree
in Social Studies.
While there, another teacher encouraged Roy to write stories
regarding some of the events that had occurred during his
life. The result was Roy’s Tales, a truly fascinating book
that was copywritten and published, and distributed in
December, 1994. As a result of his endeavor, Bethel bestowed
upon him an honorary doctorate degree.
Gardening Grandfather
Grandson Jamie Roney, who is employed as an admission
counselor at Bethel, lives with wife Jennifer in a home
adjoining Roy’s property. Jamie said, “My wife and I often
hear Granddaddy start up his tiller early in the morning.”
Smiling, he continued, “He’s 92 years old and still does his
own tilling and gardening, and always has a great crop of
tomatoes.” An avid flower gardener, Roy’s yard fence line is
home to a beautiful array of healthy, colorful plants.
Watching grandfather and grandson interact, their fondness
for each other is unmistakable.
Smiling, Roy reflected, “When Jamie was little, he lived in
Alabama. Every time he would come to visit, I’d take a whisk
broom and pretend to sweep all that bad Alabama dirt off of
him.” He added, “Before he would leave to go home, we would
blow up paper bags so he could have some “Tennessee air” to
take home with him.”
Known for purchasing the first Bethel basketball season
ticket every year, Roy shows only subtle signs of slowing
down. Despite the loss of beloved wife, Mary E., on June 29,
2004, Roy continues to live each day with faith and purpose.
Inspiration for All
One could learn a great deal by examining the life of Roy
Travillian. In an age where complacency at work and home is
swiftly becoming the accepted norm, he stands as a reminder
of different days; when persistence, hard work, dedication
to family and God, sacrifice for others, and an unbridled
spirit of self reliance defined the American working man.
Let us hope that he is not the last of his kind, for the
world would be far less without the likes of him.
