John Taylor Varner, Junior - Glendale Mills Machine
Shop Foreman
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Born November
14,1920 in Spartanburg County, John Taylor was the son
of John Taylor Varner Sr.
and Eugenie McCombs Varner. Born and reared in the
Glendale Mill village, John went to work as a
machinist in the machine shop at Glendale Mills in his
late teens. He was serving as shop foreman at the time
the mill was sold through merger to Indian Head Mills
in 1957, continuing until the mill was closed in 1961.
After leaving Glendale he worked as a machinist at
Beaumont Mills for 25+ years before retiring.
Combined, he had worked as a machinist almost 50
years. John was quite versatile, a good all-round shop
man. Though he served as foreman of the machine shop
for a number of years, his primary job was that of
making shafts and gears on the milling machine. In my
opinion he was the “best” on making spiral gears. He
did electrical, plumbing and carpentry work when
needed. John had a wood work shop at his home and made
some fine cedar chests and other nice pieces of
furniture. Over the years, John helped numerous local
residents with electrical, plumbing and pump problems,
all at no charge.
John was twice married; first to Sara Quinn, the
daughter of John H. and Hattie Byars Quinn of
Woodruff, South Carolina. His mother having already
died, they lived with John Taylor’s father. After his
father’s death, they renovated and continued to live
in the Varner family home which was located about half
a mile from the mill on the Glendale-Clifton Road.
(click Taylor Varner Senior) John and Sara were the
parents of two children; their son, John Taylor III
and their daughter, Linda Lou. Sara was a member of
the Glendale Baptist Church where she had served as
Church clerk/secretary, a Sunday School teacher, a WMU
member and a Choir member for many years. She was the
first President of the P.T.A at the Glendale
Elementary School.
Sara died Friday, September 3, 1982 at the Mary Black
Hospital following a long illness. She was 60 years of
age. Her obituary appearing in the Spartanburg Herald
and Journal on September 4, stated that she was a
native of Woodruff and a lab technician for Milliken
& Co. Her funeral was held in the Glendale Baptist
Church. Interment took place in the Greenlawn Memorial
Gardens in Spartanburg. S.C. Sara was survived by her
husband, John and their two children; a son, John
Taylor III of Sumter, South Carolina and daughter,
Mrs. Linda Lou Purser of Spartanburg, S. C. A Brother,
Rev. Clyde A. Quinn of Ruffin, South Carolina and two
grandchildren.
John’s second marriage was to Ernestine Brown White,
the daughter of Ernest and Bertha Genobles Brown.
Ernestine was first married to the late John Earl
White. She had retired after 54 years of textile work.
She was a member of the Pacolet First Baptist Church.,
Pacolet, South Carolina. They lived in her home
located on the Pacolet-Union highway just about a mile
from the heart of Pacolet.
Born November 4, 1929, Ernestine died Tuesday, June
17, 2008 at her home. She was 78 years of age. Her
obituary published June 19 in the Spartanburg Herald
and Journal stated that she was survived by her
husband, John T. Varner Jr., three daughters; Cathy
White and Carole Morris, of Pacolet and Jean George of
Inman. One step daughter, Linda Varner Pickel and one
step son, John Taylor Varner III, both of Greenville,
South Carolina. Three grandchildren, two step
grandchildren and three step great grandchildren. Also
surviving was one brother, Harold Brown of Inman and
two sisters, Geraldine Spencer and Sherlon Wilkins of
Pacolet. Funeral services were held in the First
Baptist Church at Pacolet with interment following in
the Pacolet Memorial Gardens.
John died December 19, 2009 at the White Oak Estates
of Spartanburg where he had been living due to a long
illness. John’s obituary which appeared in the
Spartanburg Herald & Journal showed that he was
survived by his two children; son, John Taylor III and
his wife Pat Graham Varner; daughter, Linda Lou Varner
Pickel and her husband William Pickel. Both couples of
Greenville, S.C. Three step daughters; Cathy White and
Carole W. Morris and husband Terry of Pacolet, S.C.
and Jean W. George and husband Ronnie of Inman, S.C.
five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. John
was the first cousin of this writer but living close
and growing up together with my four brothers and I,
he felt more like a brother.
John Taylor III was first married to the late Eileen
Thomas Varner and they were the parents of one
daughter, Elizabeth Varner Broadwell. Linda Lou was
first married to Jimmy Trammell and they were the
parents of one son, Michael Trammell.
John had been a member of the Glendale Baptist Church
for a number of years before marrying his second wife
and moving to Pacolet at which time he joined the
First Baptist Church, Pacolet, S.C. His funeral was
held at the Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel with interment
following in the Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.
This web site
has been started as a public service to share the
story of Glendale.
See
more information about Mary and her Glendale
connection at Mary
McKinney Teaster.