Charles Henry Haynes

Born in Ferry, Rutherford County, N. C., April 25, 1878, son of Raleigh Rutherford and Amanda (Carpenter) Haynes. Married S. Catherine Culpepper of Rison, Ark. They have no children. He attended local schools of Rutherford County, the Charlotte Graded Schools, Baird’s Military School of Charlotte, and Guilford College.

During vacations he worked on his father’s farm and in his father’s store at Ferry, N.C., clerked in the Henrietta Mills Store at Caroleen, N.C., and the Florence Mills Store at Forest City, N.C., as well as at Belk Store in Charlotte, N.C.

After finishing school he began as Bookkeeper and Cashier for the Cliffside Mills in 1901, later becoming successively, Secretary and Treasurer, Vice President, and in 1917 President, in which capacity he served until the date of his retirement from active duty, January 31, 1945, when he was elected Chairman of the Board, from which position he retired at the end of 1951. Before his retirement, a consolidation was made with Cone Mills Corporation of Greensboro, of which he became a Director.

He held various offices with Cliffside Railroad Company since it was incorporated in 1905 to 1917, serving as President and Director, 1917 to 1945, since then as Chairman of the Board. Served as Vice President and Director of The Haynes Bank of Cliffside, N. C., since it was incorporated in 1907 to 1917, and as President until January, 1952, when he resigned and was elected Chairman of the Board. He is also Chairman of the Cliffside School Board and a Trustee of Rutherford Hospital.

Mr. Haynes’ father, R. R. Haynes, was perhaps the largest real estate owner in either Rutherford or Cleveland County, having large holdings in both counties. He and his family owned over 50 per cent of the capital stock of Cliffside Mills and he was interested in various other industries at the time of his death.

In the will of R. R. Haynes, he named Charles H. Haynes as executor and trustee of his estate, providing for him to carry on the businesses for ten years, just as had previously been done, before making distribution. At the end of this period the estate had about doubled its original size and worth. He is a member of the Cliffside Baptist Church, a Mason and Shriner, a Past President of the Rutherford County Club, a member of the Cleveland-Rutherford Executives Club.

Mr. Haynes was very closely associated with his father in the construction of Cliffside Mills and Cliffside Railroad. The construction of the Haynes Mills and the Town of Avondale, N. C., was just started when his father died. These were finished by Charles H. Haynes.

He has been a builder of both the industrial and civic life of Rutherford County, keeping many of his activities in the background, but producing benefits for all its citizens to enjoy.

Data furnished by Mrs. Grover C. Haynes, Cliffside, N. C.

Reprinted from the book “Men of Achievement in the Carolinas”.