1949 - 1950: Profiles of Prominent Citizens

THOMAS W. WRENCH
Retired Editor and Publisher

Written December 2, 1948

Born in Huntsville, Alabama on December 28, 1871, Thomas W. Wrench went to Dalton, Georgia with his parents when three years old and grew to manhood in that north Georgia city where his father, the late Henry A. Wrench, published a weekly newspaper. In the year 1892 his family moved to Brunswick where Mr. Wrench’s father published a daily newspaper and was engaged in the printing business over a period of several years. Being associated with his father in business, Mr. Wrench literally grew up in the newspaper and printing business, having been actively engaged in this work from early youth.

Shortly after going to Brunswick, Mr. Wrench enlisted in the Brunswick Riflemen, a unit of the Georgia National Guard. During this period he also held a commission as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserves. On the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, he resigned his naval commission and enlisted in the Third Georgia Volunteer Regiment, in which he served throughout the war. Commenting on his army service Mr. Wrench recalls that his regiment boarded an Army Transport in Savannah and landed on the coast of Cuba, marching into the interior of the island. He quickly won promotion to the rank of First Sergeant, having had service in the National Guard in Dalton and Brunswick. His unit met the Spanish army enemy in several lively skirmishes and in one major engagement. The enemy was soon defeated, he recalls, quickly retreating in confusion. General Joe Wheeler, noted Confederate leader, was in command of the army in Cuba in which he served. While the war was of short duration, Mr. Wrench recalls the volunteers of the U.S. Army suffered many hardships in their short stay in Cuba and in the army camps in this country. The nation entered the war totally unprepared for war and there were many casualties from sickness, unsanitary conditions and other needless causes. Returning from Cuba, Mr. Wrench’s regiment disembarked at the port of Savannah, from which they had sailed. He recalled there was widespread fear from possible Yellow Fever contagion and soldiers were not permitted to enter the city and were required to be thoroughly fumigated before being sent to Augusta where he was mustered out after nine months service in the armed forces.

During his service in the army, Mr. Wrench’s father had moved from Brunswick to Madison, Ga. where he published the Morgan County Advertiser. He joined his father there and was associated with him in publishing the paper for two or three years. He went from Madison to Temple, Texas and from that city to Waco, Texas where he remained for a year or two with a brother who had located there. Returning from Texas he again located in Brunswick where he was connected with a wholesale grocery concern for a short period. At that time the new colony town of St. George in Charlton County was just beginning to be developed and in 1905 Mr. Wrench decided to cast his fortunes with the new and growing little city. Upon locating there he entered the real estate business and soon built up a thriving real estate agency, handling numerous transactions of both city lots and acreage deals. While in St. George Mr. Wrench served as the Notary Public and ex-officio Justice of the Peace of the Gaineyville District as it was then known. This grew to be quite an active office in the busy colony days and several marriage licenses executed by Mr. Wrench are on record in the Ordinary’s office here. He recalled many interesting incidents of the early days in St. George, especially the numerous fist-fights occurring during that period.

In 1914 when the St. George colony development had begun to decline, he came to Folkston to take over the Charlton County Herald. After operating the paper under lease for a short time he purchased the plant from the deGraffenreid Estate. In 1918 he sold the newspaper to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Robinson and for several years was engaged in the produce business here, building up an extensive business in the buying and selling of sweet potatoes and other products.

In 1927 he re-purchased the Herald and continued to be its editor and publisher until it was acquired by the present owner in 1935. During his active newspaper years Mr. Wrench became widely known in newspaper circles throughout the state for his forthright, fearless editorials, having been awarded a trophy for his work in this respect.

After disposing of the Herald he published the Brantley Enterprise for some time before his final time in the newspaper field after more than fifty years as an active newspaper man.

A citizen of Folkston since 1914 and of the county since 1905 he has contributed greatly to its progress and betterment. He served for several times as chairman of the county Board of Education and for one term as Charlton’s Representative in the General Assembly. He has long been a member of the Methodist Church and has been active in church work until his retirement due to illness.

Mr. Wrench was first married in 1905 to Miss Mary Lou Wheeler of middle Georgia, who died seven days after the birth of their son James. In 1909 he was married to Miss Florence Wheeler, a sister of his first wife and who is the present Mrs. Wrench. They had three sons, Howard, Thomas and Ralph and three daughters, Miss Agnes Wrench, Mrs. Jeannette Wade and Mrs. Billye Browning.

Three years ago in November Mr. Wrench was stricken with a severe attack of arthritis, since which time he has been confined to bed the greater part of the time at his home in Homeland. While there has been some improvement in his condition in recent months he still a invalid but he is able to read the papers, talk with his friends and to enjoy their visits. He retains a lively interest in community activities and affairs in general and a cheerful outlook on life.

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