Continued from last week...
Some original employees of the Clyo plant under manager Paul Howze were: Carolyn B. Morgan, administrative clerk who handled the office and payroll for 20 years; Richard Cunningham Jr., super phosphate foreman; Prince Pinkney and Lawrence Nix, granulation foremen; Willie Mingledorff, shipping foreman; Herbert Young, tractor driver; Earl Brabham, bulk loader and Mary Frances Pinkney, custodian.  

During the rush season, the plant operated 24 hours a day with three super phosphate and three granulation crews, one bagging crew and one bulk crew, a maintenance crew and tractor maintenance crew. In the 1970s, Richard A. Loper of Clyo was named assistant plant manager and manufacturing supervisor. Lawrence Shea replaced maintenance supervisor Cecil Turner when he retired. Sandra Mingledorff took over in the office duties when Carolyn Morgan retired.  

In 1982 the fertilizer manufacturing process was changed from granulation to blending done by formulating the mix by computer. This change allowed custom blending to accommodate farmers who needed different amounts of minerals and nutrients added to their fertilizer based on their individual soil testing. This change required only eight employees, thus causing a big layoff. It was a sad day losing so many employees

Over the years, thousands of tons of fertilizer and materials were shipped by truck and rail to the Gold Kist Stores in Georgia and South Carolina. Some farmers picked up their own fertilizer through orders from the stores in Springfield, Sylvania, Statesboro and Allendale, S.C. Some local farmers also picked up loads at the plant.

In the 1990s the plant was closed due to the decline in farming, brought on by government regulations and subsidies. Howze retired in 1997 and Dell Orr became plant manager. The plant was sold to Southern States Fertilizer Company in Savannah who used it for material storage for some time. The property came later into the present ownership of Howze and son Gregg.  It is has been rented for tank storage.  

Richard Fetzer of Marlow was the engineer who brought the first train of 77 cars to the plant for Seaboard Railroad, leaving many on the side track in Clyo and Gold Kist’s side track.  

Gold Kist offered small scholarships for employees. Elaine and Craig Morgan were two of the recipients from Effingham County.

Although no longer used in fertilizer production, this business was the first big industry in our area and employed many persons during its years of operation. It provided a valuable service to our local farmers and in its day was the most modern fertilizer plant in our nation located in Clyo. Our county now has seen many more diversified industries come into our area. This Clyo fertilizer plant was the cornerstone.

Compiled information from Carolyn Morgan’s plant history, telephone interviews with Paul Howze and Richard Loper and newspaper articles in HES files by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society.  If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact Susan Exley at 754-6681 or email her at: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org