Francis Henry Fries was born in Salem in 1855, the son of Francis Levin and Lisetta Maria Vogler Fries.
Francis, known as Frank, attended the Salem Boys School and graduated from Davidson College. He had a wide-range of interests and occupations, including textiles, banking, railroads, and politics.
He worked in his father’s textile business, Fries Manufacturing Company, and rose to become superintendent of the plant. He built Arista Mills and Indera Mills, both textile manufacturing operations. Fries also founded Mayo Mills and the town of Mayodan, plus Avalon Mills, and Washington Mills at Fries, Virginia.
He served as president and manager of the Roanoke and Southern Railway, and worked to build a railroad to connect Winston-Salem to Roanoke. Several years later he helped complete the railroad line to Wadesboro. Railroads were favored for a city because they insured that the city would not be cut-off from commercial trade.
He became president of Wachovia Loan and Trust Company, which joined with Wachovia National Bank in 1911 to become Wachovia Bank and Trust Company.
Fries served on the staff of Governor Scales, and held several responsible positions during World War I and with professional organizations.
He is referred to as “Colonel Fries,” and was also very active with the Moravian church. He established the Winston-Salem Foundation, which is still in existance today.
He was married to Latitia Patterson, who died in 1884. Second, he married Anna DeScheintiz and they had one child. Fries died in 1931.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
