The Werner Family

The Werner Family. . The Werner house is located at what is now 201 Werner Street, formerly called Broad Street. The property was purchased in 1919 and became the home of Theodore and Mary McDow Werner, the parents of four girls and six boys. The Werner family was originally from Pendleton, but moved to Central by 1880, and lived in another house that suffered a fire in the early 1900s., The Werner house later became the home of Theodore and Mary's youngest son George Herman Werner and his wife Eunice Lawrence Werner. After George Werner's death, John R. and Clara B. Head purchased the property and home in 1989., Herman Werner Plays Baseball , George “Herman” Werner, born in 1893, was the youngest son of Iheodore Joseph and Mary Werner. The following is a recount of how Herman came to play professional baseball:, “I was in Odenville, AL, in 1912. I was 18 years old and there was a traveling man came from Gadsden out there and he saw me playing ball and catching and batting and he went back to Gadsden and told the president of the league and they sent me a contract.”, Herman Werner joined the Class D league, referred to as the Sally League. When the Gadsden team was terminated due to financial problems, Werner was assigned to Rome GA in 1915, where he was voted the team's most valuable player as second baseman, receiving a silver bat and ball. He was promoted to the Class A Southern League team in Chattanooga. A year later, the 5'8" 150 lb second baseman found himself in Atlanta, playing for the Crackers. By 1917, Werner was ready to compete in the major leagues when the war in Europe intervened. Werner did not see any combat duty, but double pneumonia caused him some eye problems, for which he wore an eye patch., From 1919 to 1943 Werner played in the Sally League, Million Dollar League, Carolina League in Greenwood, and the Ware Shoals and Greenville teams before returning to Central in 1943. He worked at the Central Mill for 19 years until his retirement., The Werner Family , Theodore Joseph (T. J., or Joe) Werner, Jr (Confederate Soldier) was married to Mary Catherine McDow on May 10, 1866 in Pickens, South Carolina by Rev. B. S. Gaines. They had six sons and four daughters. Four of their sons and one son-in-law worked for the railroad. He was described as “a well-known man, being one of the oldest men in the employ of Southern” by the Farm and Factory Journal in 1908., After his wife died on July 31, 1925, Theodore Joseph Werner moved to Wagner, SC with his daughter Mary Lou Werner Ezell. Theodore Joseph used to slip off, catch the bus to Central and sit on the front porch of his former home. He would go uptown for a time, go back to sit on the porch and then catch the bus back to Wagner. Theodore Joseph Werner died on March 20, 1936 from a fall and resulting injury to his left hip., Frances Jane Werner was born April 26, 1868 to Theodore and Mary Werner. In 1887 she married Augustus D. Hardin at her family home. They lived at 202 Gaines Street until moving to Decatur GA where Gus was a train dispatcher. Frances passed away on July 4, 1956., John Theodore Werner, born April 26, 1870, was a conductor for the railroad. In November of 1895 he married Jennie S. Nicholson in Pendleton, SC. John Theodore Werner passed away on November 29, 1907 due to multiple gunshot wounds in his chest. Before the shooting, Werner was arrested by Chief of Police Attaway on a trivial charge. He was released, but later encountered Attaway in a restaurant. A difficulty arose between the two men and it is claimed by Werner's friends that he struck Attaway in self-defense, whereupon Attaway drew his pistol and fired three times, all of the bullets entering his chest. John T. Werner is buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Central., William “Will” Joseph Werner was born on May 19, 1873 and worked as a railroad conductor. He married twice and passed away in Belton, SC in 1942., Robert “Bob” Sidney Werner was born on May 4, 1876 and worked as a flagman for the railroad. He never married, as he died of pneumonia in April 1897. Bob is buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Central., Samuel Ernest Werner, born May 19, 1878, worked as a carpenter for railroad buildings. After living with his sister and father, he died December 30, 1956 in Wagner. SC., Miles Arthur Werner, born July 18, 1882, worked as a telegrapher for the railroad in Central as a teenager. After marrying Mildred Ford in 1907. Miles and Mildred lived with his parents, T. J. and Mary, until Miles was transferred to Rome, GA. He retired as the General Agent for the Atlantic Coastline Railroad and died on January 9. 1951., George “Herman” Werner, the youngest son, was born October 11, 1893. He played baseball and worked in textile mills. He married Eunice Lawrence in 1922, and passed away on March 2, 1987 in Central., Captions , . Top (L to R) Theodore John Werner and Mary McDow Werner. , . Middle (L to R) Herman Werner and Eunice Werner. , . Bottom (L to R) T. J. Werner and Miles Arthur Werner.