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Tim Smith recently celebrated his 48th year work anniversary at Moss Sawmills, a sister company to Honest Abe Log Homes, GF Hardwoods and Barky Beaver Mulch and Soil Mix.

Tim was honored by his fellow workers with a catered lunch, gifts and time to tell stories. 

“Tim said that when he started working with my dad, Doug Smith, 48 years ago, one of his first jobs was to pour concrete in the floor of one of the buildings Dad had purchased to begin his businesses in Moss,” said April Smith Patterson, who owns the Smith Family Companies along with her mother, Janie, and brother Shane.

April said that Tim recalled making the company’s first products, broom handles, and how at that time the lumber was actually worth more before they turned them into broom handles, hence the saw milling business was born or started soon after. 

Shane Smith calculated about how much lumber Tim had sawn during his 48 years.

“Since 1970, Tim has sawn roughly more than 200 million board feet, which totals to be 235,000 trailer loads of lumber,” Shane said, adding that, “Tim would have been the first true employee our dad hired since he started the establishment in 1968.”

The Smith family holds Tim in high regard as did Honest Abe’s founder, the late Doug Smith.

“Tim was and is recognized as one of the best overall employees we’ve ever had,” April said. “Dad and Tim were actually first cousins.”

One extra special gift given to Tim during his anniversary celebration was a Bible from Shane Smith and his family. In presenting the Bible, Shane shared a story of a young boy, age 12, who wanted a .22 Henry rifle for his upcoming birthday. He was so excited and made sure to tell his Dad along with cutting out a picture in the Sears Roebuck catalog so he’d get just the right one. When his birthday had arrived his Dad handed him a gift. It was a Bible. The little boy was upset and threw the Bible in the closet resenting that his Dad didn’t get him the gun he had asked for. Time passed and the boy’s father passed away. Once that happened the little boy was cleaning out the home place and found the Bible in the closet he had thrown in so long ago. He opened the Bible and – low and behold – there was the picture of the Henry .22 rifle with the $200 in it. There was a surprise for Tim inside the Bible he was given in appreciation for all Tim’s years of service, dedication and loyalty.

“The answer to all problems in life can be found in the Bible, and I can’t think of a better gift to give someone,” Shane told the team.

The Smith family then handed out Bibles to the rest of the staff who wanted one. 

“We are so thankful and blessed to have Tim as an essential piece to our success from the beginning and look forward to as many more years as he wants to work in the future,” Janie added, expressing the entire family’s sentiments, “Congratulations Tim! We love you!”

A Clay County family business is celebrating 50 years of entrepreneurship in 2018 with a special public event on Oct. 27.

“It has been 50 years since my dad started manufacturing mop and broom handles in 1968,” said April Smith Patterson, daughter of the late Doug Smith, who along with her mother, Janie, and brother, Shane, own several Moss-based businesses. “Last year, Honest Abe Log Homes introduced a new 10” round log style, so we’re calling our 50^th anniversary “Coming Back Around.”

In addition to Honest Abe, the Smith companies include Barky Beaver Mulch and Soil Mix, GF Hardwoods, Happy Trucking, Green Forest Products and Southern Timbercraft and Moss Sawmills. Moss Sawmills is a consolidation of six sawmills that the Smith family operated throughout the region. Last year the family sold three other businesses, Swan Ridge Lake Resort, Rockcastle Farms and Mitchell Creek Marina

“We are and have been for many years the largest employer in our local community, allowing people who love and want to live here be able to work and provide for their families,” Patterson said. “This is something my family takes very seriously, and are continuously working to create jobs in this area.”

The spirit of entrepreneurship is strong in the Smith family. Shane owns McFarland Creek Outdoors, a turkey and whitetail deer hunting ranch, and while April and husband, Nick, have founded three new businesses – Acres of Grace Farms, The Mill Storehouse and A Southern Marketplace Barn Sale – since Doug Smith’s 2011 death.

“The businesses have changed and evolved, adapted to the times,” April observed, noting, “Business was great before the economic downturn hit and most businesses like ours went out of business. It was through the Lord’s good graces and our amazing team members that helped us work hard, get lean and survive those times.”

The Smith family is inviting the public to Moss in Oct. 27 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. for food, door prizes, tours and live music. The first 100 visitors will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

“I believe folks would love to see how someone from a rural community starting out making broom handles managed to build the businesses we see and operate today,” April said. “We’ll also be having informative speakers about forestry and how we work to preserve and cut sustainably while being good stewards of the land. The tours will demonstrate how we recycle and use every part of the logs.”

In addition to providing jobs the Smith family believes in giving back. Over time the Smith Family companies have supported numerous projects and events that benefit veterans, schools, the fire department and the community. For example, many years ago Janie and Doug donated the log structure that houses the Clay County Museum. Beginning in fall 2018, Honest Abe Log Homes will sponsor the Dave Ramsey financial curriculum for Clay County High School Students. Through Barky Beaver they donate soil and seeds as well as volunteering to help plant community gardens.

“We also have had a lot of impact bringing in tax dollars for the local county that has helped it grow too!” April said. “The economy is getting better, and we are now able to do and offer more to our county and community. We have employees that love this place and want to see the companies continue on another 50 years from now. Our plan is to continue to build upon the great foundation laid before us.”

April said that the Oct. 27 event is a free and open to the public with no reservations required.

“50 years in business is a huge milestone for our family, and we simply want to share it with everyone,” she said. “We are looking forward to a great day sharing our history, heritage and passion for what we do.”