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| Notes for Lyman KISER | ||||||||||||
| LYMAN KISER AND DESCENDANTS78 It was the fall of 1914 when young Lyman Kiser, a medium built boy with brown eyes and brown hair, came to Raleigh to enter the "old A. and M." He was born December 18, 1896 and was a son of Laura Beatrice Stroupe [sic] and William Caswell Kiser, M.D. He lived on a farm at Reepsville and his father was a country doctor in Lincoln County. The name, "A. and M." was changed to N.C. State College of Agriculture and Engineering before Lyman's graduation. Lyman graduated in 1918 with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. Some of the college offices he held were Senior Class Historian; vice-president of the YMCA Cabinet; treasurer, vice-president, and president of Pullen Literary Society; secretary of Agriculture Club; and officer in Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He also worked in the horticulture department, poultry department, and in the N.C. Experimental Station Creamery which was in the basement of Patterson Hall. The following quotation from the 1918 Agromeck, college annual, summarizes Lyman Kiser's college years and his later years. "When we look at this record, we are bound to conclude that 'Kiser' is the prodigy of the class. It is doubtful if a man ever went thru [sic] our class with a better Academic Record or done his class work with a precision and thoroughness second to none. To make a wager that 'Kiser' will make a success in life would be sheer dishonesty. Watch this man in the creamery , or as he goes forth on work for the 'department,' and you will be convinced that his theoretical knowledge is exceeded only by his practical ability. 'Kiser' is assured a brilliant future, even tho [sic] his modesty may tempt him to try to evade it." Before his college graduation ceremony, he left for OCS in Plattsburg, N.Y. and served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army for a year in Illinois. Lyman Kiser's first employment was with the Cooperative Creamery in Shelby, Tennessee after which he was a butter maker for Lincoln County Creamery in Lincolnton, N.C. It was there that Dr. B.W. Kilgore, Director of the N.C. Agriculture Experiment Station and Extension Service, contacted him to come to Pine State Creamery. On January 1, 1922, Lyman Kiser began his long and productive career at Pine State as General Manager and later Vice-president. From June 1919 until 1928, the Creamery was located on S. Salisbury St. next door to the First Presbyterian Church, where he became a member and elder. In 1928 Pine State was moved to the present location on Glenwood Avenue. Lyman Kiser did the hiring, buying, and as one of Pine State's old timers put it, "he worked." In the early days of Pine State, a man from another company was working on the refrigeration machinery and Mr. Kiser was helping him. When it was time for lunch the other man suggested that Mr. Kiser get him some ice cream as there was plenty of it around. After Mr. Kiser had brought him the ice cream, the man remarked that he did hope it wouldn't get him (Kiser) in trouble with the boss! Mr. Kiser chuckled as he told the story, and said, "He never knew he was working with the Boss." Until his retirement from Pine State in 1967, Lyman Kiser was influential in organizing and supporting various Dairy Councils and the N.C. Dairy Products Association. Lyman Kiser was also active in the civic and religious life of Raleigh. He was a member of the Raleigh Rotary Club from 1929 until his death in 1974, and had served as vice-president and director. He was a charter member and elder of White Memorial Presbyterian Church, and was active in the YMCA. He was a member of Carolina Country Club. On November 1, 1922 in the First Presbyterian Church of Lincolnton, N.C., Lyman Kiser married Martha Elizabeth Cochrane, daughter of Emma Laura McCoy and John Elam Cochrane. Elizabeth was born in Charlotte but soon after her birth, the family moved to Lincolnton to found the Cochrane Furniture Co. On July 29, 1927 a daughter, Laura Elizabeth, was born to Lyman and Elizabeth Kiser and on February 20, 1932, a son, John Lyman was born. Both of these children went to Hayes-Barton School and both graduated from Needham Broughton High School. Elizabeth (Lib) graduated from St. Marys in 1947 and Meredith College in 1949 with a B.A. in Primary Education and married Leon Holland of Iredell County in 1951 and they now live in Raleigh. Lib and Leon have two daughters, Libby and Laura, and they also live in Raleigh. J. Lyman Kiser graduated from Davidson College in 1954, is a resident of Raleigh, and has four children, Allison, Loy, Judi-Lynn, and John Lyman Kiser, Jr. Lyman Kiser grew beautiful African violets in his home, and clematis and azaleas surrounding his home on Beaufort St. He was one of Raleigh's first hybrid rhododendron gardeners. Now Elizabeth C. Kiser, with the help of long time family friend Joe Stocks, continues the gardening started by husband Lyman. At Thanksgiving and Christmas the descendants and friends of Lyman Kiser's gather at his home for dinner to carry out a tradition of good food and fellowship. Everyone holds hands and asks "God's blessing." Then son-in-law, Leon, carves the turkey with a well-sharpened, non electric knife - a tradition begun by Lyman many years ago. Elizabeth C. Kiser serves hot homemade rolls, green string beans, pound cake and delicious Japanese fruit cake. Then everyone gets quiet and begins to enjoy another holiday gathering of Lyman Kiser's descendants. Sources: Family traditions, personal knowledge, 1918 Agromeck. - Elizabeth Kiser Holland | ||||||||||||
| Last Modified 27 Oct 2001 | Created 30 May 2007 by E. Bryan Crenshaw III |