<p class="rtecenter"><strong><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NAVAL STORES</span></span></strong></p>

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<p class="rtecenter"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Charles B. Elarbee</strong></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Charles Brooks Elarbee (1861-1917) was born February 26, 1861 at Waycross, Georgia.&nbsp; He came to Biloxi in 1903.&nbsp; Elarbee was engaged in the turpentine business in Harrison and Jackson Counties primarily with D.J. Gay.&nbsp; They operated as Gay &amp; Elarbee. In 1906, his Ocean Springs Naval Stores Company consisted of D.J. Gay, C.B. Elarbee, and George Robinson.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">In September and December 1904, C.B. Elarbee and D.J. Gay bought land east of the lighthouse on the front beach at Biloxi for $15,000.(HARCO Deed Bk. 63, p. 227 and Deed Bk. 64, p. 293)</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">After leaving the turpentine business circa 1912, Mr. Elarbee relocated to New Mexico where he bought a ranch.&nbsp; After 1914, he divided his time between the Far West and Biloxi.&nbsp; Circa 1915, C.B. Elarbee suffered a debilitating stroke at Biloxi.&nbsp; He expired on February 6, 1917, in the home of Daniel J. Gay at 1018 West Beach where his corporal needs were attended.&nbsp; C.B. Elarbee was a member of the Biloxi Elks Lodge No. 606.&nbsp; He was a Methodist and Mason.&nbsp; Mr. Elarbee’s corporal remains were interred at Ellabelle, Bryan County, Georgia.&nbsp; He was survived by, Zera Leon Cox, a sister, of Ellabelle, Georgia.<em>(The Daily Herald</em>,&nbsp;<em>February 6, 1917, p. 3)</em></span></p>

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<p class="rtecenter"><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif"><strong>Daniel J. Gay</strong></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Daniel Judson Gay (1870-1949), the son of John W. Gay and Salida Lanier, was born in Emanuel County, Georgia, which is governed from Swainsboro.&nbsp; He came to Biloxi in 1902, from turpentine operations in Florida.&nbsp; Gay married Lee B. Champlin (1884-1964) on December 8, 1903.&nbsp; She was the daughter of Judge Zachary Taylor Champlin (1847-1924) and Virginia White Champlin of Handsboro.&nbsp; Their other children were: William Henry Champlin (1870-1931), Maggie Champlin, Nellie Champlin, and Walter Champlin.&nbsp;</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">The children of D.J. Gay and Lee B. Champlin were: Louise G. Dantzler Duncan (1904-1975+), Daniel J. Gay Jr. (1906-1964+), John C. Gay (1909-1975), Edna G. Jenkins (1910-1975+), and Katherine G. Farrar (1915-1975+).&nbsp; D.J. Gay taught school and was in the naval stores, banking, and realty business.&nbsp; In 1905, Gay organized and was president of the Harrison County Bank of Biloxi.&nbsp; It merged with the Peoples Bank in 1914. &nbsp;D.J. Gay was president of the Peoples Bank for a number of years before the O.G. Swetman began the long reign of that family in banking at Biloxi.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Mr. Gay built the Gay Building on the southeast corner of Lameuse Street and Howard Avenue in 1913-1914. &nbsp;O.E. Thompson of Biloxi was the general contractor for the $20,000, two-story, brick edifice and laid its foundation on November 11, 1913. &nbsp;When completed in March-April 1914, the Harrison County Bank and Picard &amp; Gillen occupied the ground floor. (<em>The Daily Herald, November 11, 1913, p. 4, December 18, 1913, and April 9, 1914, p. 2)</em></span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">The Gay family resided at Biloxi on the Beach east of the Dantzler House.&nbsp; They later lived on the Tchoutacabouffa River and at Ocean Springs, Mississippi.&nbsp;</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">D.J. Gay was locally involved in the naval stores business operating turpentine operations in Harrison and Jackson Counties.&nbsp; His first partner was fellow Georgian, Charles B. Elarbee (1861-1917).&nbsp; Gay later worked with George L. Robinson (1848-1919+) and Robert W. Hamill (1863-1943) of Chicago.&nbsp; His son, J. Champlin Gay, and brother, Edward C. Gay, also were associated with Gay in the turpentine business.&nbsp; It is believed that E.C. Gay residing at San Antonio, Texas ran the family turpentine operation near Durango, Mexico between 1927 and 1932.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; D.J. Gay was a philanthropist.&nbsp; In December 1926, he donated land for the erection of the public high school on Government Street at Ocean Springs.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">The Gay Turpentine Company was incorporated in 1911, and domiciled at Larue, Mississippi.&nbsp; Robert W. Hamill was the president and Daniel J. Gay, the secretary-treasurer.&nbsp; Stockholders were:&nbsp; Lyon Company-60 shares; D.J. Gay-20 shares; R.W. Hamill-15 shares; Frank Matlock-3 shares; and W.G. Beasley of Leesville, Louisiana-2 shares.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>The Daily Herald</em>&nbsp;of August 21, 1920, related in an article, "Daisy and Vestry Thriving", that "the Gay Turpentine is doing a fine business with O.J. Cuevas as manager.&nbsp; The company was dissolved in May 1921.(Ex parte-Gay Turpentine Company, JXCO Chancery Court-Cause No. 4187)</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">In March 1945, Gay also donated ground for the Triumph Church west of Denny.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 88, pp. 495-496).</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">In May 1926, D.J. Gay platted the Forest Hills Subdivision at Ocean Springs.&nbsp; It is located in the NE/4 of Section 30, T7S-R8W, and include the home of Mrs. W.R. Stuart.(Plat Book 1, p. 92).</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Daniel J. Gay like most Americans lost his fortune during the Depression.&nbsp; He never declared bankruptcy and paid his creditors.&nbsp; In 1945, Mr. Gay moved to Tampa, Florida where his daughter, Louise Dantzler, resided.&nbsp; He passed on here in early December 1949.&nbsp; Mrs. Gay expired at Inverness, Mississippi in February 1964.&nbsp; They are both interred in the Southern Memorial Park Cemetery at Biloxi.<em>(The Daily Herald,</em>&nbsp;<em>December 5, 1949 and The Daily Herald,</em>&nbsp;<em>February 11, 1964, p. 2)</em></span></p>

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<p class="rtecenter"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Lee V. Pringle</strong></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Lee Vernon Pringle (1866-1938) was a native of Semmes Chapel, Mobile County, Alabama.&nbsp; He was born February 28, 1866, the son of Frank M. Pringle and Corinia Yonge (1845-1920).&nbsp; L.V. Pringle came to Biloxi in 1908, probably from Latonia, Jackson County, Mississippi where he was associated with the Latonia Turpentine Company and Union Naval Stores of Mobile.&nbsp; These organizations were naval stores manufacturers and dealers in general merchandise.&nbsp; In 1901, Pringle served as postmaster at Latonia, which is about 12 miles northwest of Semmes Chapel, Alabama.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Mr. Pringle invented a turpentine cup, which was manufactured by the Pringle Cup Company in Daisy, Tennessee.&nbsp; In 1902, the Chattanooga Pottery Company of Daisy, Tennessee was formed by the&nbsp;<strong>Consolidated Naval Stores Company</strong>, to manufacture clay cups.&nbsp; Consolidated Naval Stores was formed by the merger of seven Florida and Georgia factorage houses also in 1902.&nbsp; They had offices in Savannah, Jacksonville, and Pensacola.&nbsp; It is very probable that the Pringle Cup Company was a name only and that the clay cups were manufactured by the Chattanooga Pottery Company.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">It is interesting to note that in October 1912,&nbsp;<em>The Daily Herald,&nbsp;</em>reported that D.G. Zeigler, proprietor of the&nbsp;<strong>Petrous Manufacturing Company</strong>, was erecting factory on Lee Street in Biloxi near the L&amp;N Railroad tracks.&nbsp; Zeigler planned to make turpentine cups at his plant.<em>(The Daily Herald, October 16, 1912, p. 8)</em></span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">L.V. Pringle was elected president of the Turpentine and Resin Association of New Orleans in January 1918.<em>(The Daily Herald, January 26, 1918, p. 3)</em></span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">In addition to his naval stores operations in Mississippi, Mr. Pringle had turpentine and rosin at Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana.&nbsp; He was vice-president of the Gillican-Chipley Company of New Orleans for fifteen years and held the same position with the Pringle-Gay Turpentine Company.&nbsp; L.V. Pringle also had his own real estate company and held large personal land holdings.</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">L.V. Pringle married Victoria Voltz (1885-1935).&nbsp; She was born at Perdido, Florida, the daughter of Robert M. Voltz and Elizabeth King of Selma and Montgomery, Alabama respectively.&nbsp; The Pringles had six children: L.V. Pringle Jr. (1902-1974), Robert H. Pringle, Thomas N. Pringle, Victor Pringle, Vivian Pringle Hewes, and Jackson Pringle (1919-1920).<em>(The Daily Herald, may 6, 1935, p. 3)</em></span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Lee V. Pringle expired on October 8, 1938.&nbsp; He and many family members are interred at the Biloxi Cemetery.<em>(The Daily Herald, October 9, 1938, p. 3)</em></span></p>

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<p class="rtecenter"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Frank E. Pringle</strong></span></p>

<p class="rtejustify"><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">Frank Ernest Pringle (1872-1925) was born at Semmes Chapel, Mobile County, Alabama on August 18, 1872.&nbsp; His parents were Frank M. Pringle and Corinia Yonge.&nbsp; He came to Biloxi in 1908.&nbsp; F.E. Pringle was in the turpentine business in Harrison and Jackson Counties.&nbsp; He was president of the Jackson Naval Stores Company.&nbsp; In 1913, they were headquartered in the Bolton Building at Biloxi.&nbsp; George F. Mason served the organization as vice-president while A. Hadley was secretary-treasurer.(Biloxi City Directory 1913-1914, p. 154)&nbsp;</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">F.E. Pringle was highly lauded in May 1916, for the celerity in which he rebuilt the Jackson Naval Stores still at Florala.&nbsp; The fire still, located near the Florala Post Office, had been completely destroyed in a conflagration.&nbsp; Pringle brought in equipment and supplies from other company operations as well as sending damaged machinery to Mobile for repair.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>The Daily Herald</em>&nbsp;of Biloxi said of Mr. Pringle's efforts,&nbsp;<strong><em>"this is the quickest work of its kind ever seen among turpentine producers in this section"</em></strong>&nbsp;(<em>The Daily Herald</em>, May 30, 1916, p. 8).</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">F.E. Pringle developed the Pringle Subdivison at North Biloxi, now D'Iberville, which he acquired in February 1913.&nbsp; In 1922, he sold 2.12 acres at North Biloxi for the Methodist Church on Race Track Road.(HARCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 106, p. 285 and Bk. 130, p. 181).</span></p>

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<p><span style="font-family:times new roman,times,serif">F.E. Pringle married Dellie M. Orso (1881-1927), the daughter of Joseph A. Orso and Mittie Williams of Alabama.&nbsp; Mrs. Pringle was a native of Malcolm, Alabama.&nbsp; The F.E. Pringles had eight children: Esther L. Pringle (1902-1926), Mattie P. Colson (1902-1982), Ernestine P. Drew (1907-1981), Cora P. Chinn, Mittie May Horton, Frank E. Pringle, Jr. (1909-1957), Woodrow W. Pringle (1914-1963), and Roland W. Pringle.&nbsp; F.E. Pringle expired on November 26, 1925.&nbsp; His corporal remains are interred in the Biloxi Cemetery.&nbsp; Dellie Pringle passed on March 19, 1927 at her domicile at 520 Seal Avenue.<em>(The Daily Herald, November 27, 1925, p. 1 and March 19, 1927, p. 1)</em></span></p>

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