Sticks and Stones

In 1934, 14-year old Henry Roy had already spent a couple years cutting rock at quarries around New England. Two years earlier, he had left Mendon, MA in a hurry, with $.34 in his pocket and the clothes on his back.

His father, once called the “strongest man in Mendon” tyrannically ruled his wife and sons. Annabelle, his wife, 15-years his younger, continually ran interference between her husband and her boys. After her son had thrown his father into another of his blind rages, she gave Henry the $18.54 and told him to leave. While Henry did write to his mother and brothers, he didn’t return to Mendon for almost two years – after his older brother traveled to Connecticut to bring Henry home.

Armed with an entrepreneurial spirit, a photographic memory, a strong work ethic and incredible hand-eye coordination, Henry excelled in cutting lime rock and granite. On payday, in the quarry’s offices, Henry would not only collect his pay envelope; he also would see the prices charged to the cities and towns of New England for paving stones, curbing and more.

Henry’s father, happy at his son’s return and guilty for the hardships Henry encountered, was looking for ways to bridge the divide. Years earlier, while building his farm, Henry’s father had used granite to set foundation of the barn, the house, out buildings and more. Large remnants of granite were strewn around the property years later. When Henry asked for the stones, his father happily gave them to his son.

Henry traveled to Boston soon after and placed a bid on curbing stones. Knowing what large quarries charged, Henry priced his curbstones ten percent lower. He quickly was contacted by Revere and Franklin and Henry began cutting stones.

Henry worked for about a year cutting stones and providing them to the two towns. He helped his parents with household expenses, but still was able to save enough to purchase a saw mill from a man who had recently gone bankrupt. While the building was near collapse, the steel works were in perfect condition; all Henry needed was an engine.

At first, Henry and his brother used their father’s old single-piston engine to power the mill. The engine was unreliable – and after selling his first lot of lumber, Henry used the proceeds to purchase a better high-power engine.

Henry employed three of his friends and a couple of his brothers at the saw mill. His oldest brother was a consummate salesman, and, in later years, found buyers for much of the mill’s output. The saw mill’s biggest sale came from Henry, however, and would be responsible for him, his family and friends staying employed throughout the rest of the Depression.

One day, after a delivery, Henry was driving back to the mill, through Hopedale, MA, home of the Draper Corporation. As Henry approached Draper’s factories and offices, he decided to stop in and try to get a quick order.

Dressed in work clothes or as Henry would say, rags, he approached the receiving dock. He asked around, trying to find out who was responsible for purchasing lumber. “Not here” they said, and Henry headed over to the Draper office building.

Approaching the receptionist, Henry asked where he needed to go to sell some lumber. The woman sent him to a corner office near the back of the building. Henry knocked and asked the secretary who he should speak with. At this moment, the inner office door opened and out walked Mr. Draper.

Having come this far, Henry, embarrassed by his slovenly appearance, pitched his lumber to the small-town CEO. Always needing lumber for the thousands of textile looms it built each year, Mr. Draper handed Henry an order so large, the former pre-teen rock cutter was speechless.

“I’ll need a month to prepare this sir,” Henry said.

“Sure, said Mr. Draper, “bring this order in on time and we can negotiate a long term contract.”