Benjamin Franklin Huntley was born on this day in 1862, in Union County, to John and Emily Chears Huntley.
He grew up during the years of Reconstruction, and attended the local schools.
He came to Winston-Salem as a young man and worked as a traveling salesman for the High Point Furniture Company. He organized the furniture store in Winston-Salem, and in 1900 he organized the Huntley-Hill-Stockton Furniture Company. In 1904, he expanded into Greensboro with another furniture store.
He formed the Oakland Furniture Manufacturing Company in 1906, which purchased the Winston Furniture Company. A new company was formed, called the B. F. Huntley Furniture Company.
Huntley was active in civic organizations. He was the first president of the Kiwanis Club and he was head of the Community Chest. He was also involved in building the Robert E. Lee Hotel. In fact, a motion was made that the hotel be named after Huntley, but he declined the honor.
He served on the Board of Aldermen and was chairman of the building committee of First Baptist Church. He was able to attend the first services in the new church on Fifth Street shortly before he passed away in 1925.
He was married first to Eliza Huntley, and second to Josie L. Myers Huntley.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
Happy Birthday Mr Huntley, your great Grand Son William Adolfus Monroe Lanier Spencer