Grief Cardwell Giles

GRIEF CARDWELL GILES. During the past decade or so it has been the aim of the postoffice department to secure for the position of postmaster a man who has made a success of his life work, special preference being shown for prosperous business men. The reason for that is understandable and logical. Unless a man has proven his ability to direct the details of his own affairs, it is not likely that he will be capable of attending to the mass of details which must be given attention by a postmaster. Then, too, as he will have employees under his jurisdiction, he ought to have previously received some, training as an executive. When the appointment of Grief Cardwell Giles as postmaster of Chatham became known in 1922, the action of the Harding administration met with almost universal approval, even from those belonging to the opposition party, for the suitability of the man for the office was recognized, and since he assumed the responsibilities pertaining to it he has justified the confidence expressed in him, and is giving the people of his city a well-balanced and businesslike administration.

Grief Cardwell Giles was born in Pittsylvania County, May 8, 1875, a son of George and Donie (Collie) Giles, natives of Pittsylvania County. The father was a farmer who came to Chatham in 1869 and embarked in a mercantile business, which he conducted the remainder of his life. The mother has also passed away.

After attending the country schools, Grief C. Giles began to be self-supporting, and his first connection with the business world was as an employe of a fertilizer company. Later be was interested in a lumber, wood and blacksmithing business in which he continued for twenty-five years, and then, in 1918, he became secretary of the Olds, Essex & Hudson Auto Agency, to which he devoted all of his time until his appointment as postmaster in March, 1922, and in which he is still financially interested. He is a master mason. The Methodist Episcopal Church has in him an earnest member.

In 1895 Mr. Giles married Miss Janie Gammon, a daughter of S. J. Gammon, county superintendent of the almshouse of Chatham County. Mr. and Mrs. Giles became the parents of the following children: Mamie, who is the widow of R. C. Kent, is a clerk in the Chatham postoffice; Ophelia, who is the wife of J. G. Carter, a farmer at Rice Depot, Virginia; Douglas D., who is deceased; Levy Archer, who is stockroom manager at the Oldsmobile factory, Detroit, Michigan; Catherine, who is principal of the Oak Grove School; an unnamed child who died in infancy; Douglas Cardwell;. and William Parish, who is ten years old and the youngest. Having spent practically his entire life at Chatham, Mr. Giles’ interests have always been centered here, and he has had the privilege and pleasure of assisting in the development of his community, and naturally is proud of its progress, and of the fact that it makes an excellent showing among its sister cities in the Old Dominion and elsewhere.