Livestock Market

Years ago farmers sold their livestock to dealers who traveled from farm to farm. The farmers had to take what was offered. Now, area farmers take their stock to a livestock market where it is auctioned to the highest bidder and the stock is shipped from the market. Years ago farmers drove their livestock to the railroad through the streets of town. Now it is hauled by truck to market.

Such a market is Alderson Live Stock Market, Incorporated. It is located west of town on the South side of the river, on the road to the Reformatory. The company was incorporated April 15, 1936. Its first president was M. W. Price; C. L. Lowe was vice president and manager. Martin Rodgers was secretary-treasurer. The first auction was on June 18, 1936.

Later, Clarence Holman was manager. A. O. Moss and S. M. Ellison have been auctioneers. The present auctioneer is Kermit Morgan.

Lewis Fleshman, Blue Sulphur Springs, has had an interest in the market for many years, and his son Lewis (Bud) Fleshman, Jr., has been a long time employee. The market’s chief sales are in cattle. However, it sells anything on foot which a farmer raises: cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, ponies and chickens.

On March 1, 1963, Gene Knight, Lewisburg, leased the business from the corporation. which owns the pens and buildings. From March 1, 1963, to the end of the year, $866,000.00 worth of livestock was sold. In 1964, sales are expected to top one million dollars.

Every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. the auctioneer on his rostrum with the clerk, starts his chant, and batches of livestock enter the ring, all locally raised. It is fast, fair and interesting. Around the ring are seated farmers, buyers and spectators. The buyers are well—known men. Among them are: M. E. Coleman for a packing plant in Oak Hill; Mr. Fotus of Fotus Packers, Beckley; L. M. McCown and Son, Charleston; "Babe" Lewis, who buys for several packing plants, and Food Fair, a huge grocery chain. Joe Furr is another buyer.

The market gets a fee set by law, and operates under a Federal statute governing packers and stockyards, as it deals in food sold in interstate commerce.

In the fall the market has special sales at night, of stock cows for breeding purposes, and young stock for the Western feed lots. There will be four or five of these sales in 1964. Most will be shipped out of state to such states as Texas, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. All of this stock is graded by the State of West Virginia, Department of Agriculture.

Alderson is an important market and this is the way local farmers sell the ine cattle and sheep grown on the bluegrass hills.

Next: Nash

The contents contained in this series is copyrighted and the sole property of The Greenbrier Historical Society - Lewisburg, WV
Used by permission - November 18, 2008