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Charles A. Trollinger, Early Banker Here, Now In Retirement and picture

Charles A . Trollinger, Early Banker Here. Now In Retirement
Charles Anderson Trollinger, banker and poor man's friend was born in the Carolina Cotton Mills community on May 11, 1896. Undoubtedly his arrival made his parents, Joseph M., and Sara Patton Trollinger, very happy. So, we can say that Charlie-as his many friends know him-is another native son who has contributed much toward peace and prosperity of Alamance County. When the infant Charlie was two or three months old - old enough to sit up and take notice of his domestic environment - the political pot was boiling. Referring to history, we find 1896 was a Republican year in both state and nation. However, we will not blame Charlie for the election of William McKinley as President of the United Slates, nor the election of Dan Russell as Governor of North Carolina. In the summer of 1902, Charlie was six years old, just old enough to find the "ole swimin' hole." Since he was reared, not far from Haw River, he had no trouble finding plenty of water in creeks, as well as the Carolina Mill race.

In September of 1902, Charlie was started to the Midway School, an elementary school midway between Carolina and Glencoe mill villages. Of course, we don't know what Charlie's attitude was toward the four "prison" walls of the classroom; nor the disciplinary measures the schoolmaster and schoolmistress visited upon him. However, I will wager that he was like most six-year-old boys: he started to school because he was sent. Possibly he was like the schoolboy Blake tells us about:
"But to go to school in a summer morn. Oh, it drives all joy away! Under a cruel eye outworn, the little ones spend the day- in sighing and dismay."

Nevertheless, Charlie Trollinger continued to go to school through fall, winter and part of spring. In the summer, he worked on his father's farm-made hay while the sun was shining, went swimming when the water was fine, and cast his lure when the weather was right for the fish to bite.

After he had been exposed to the fundamentals of literacy for a number of sessions, he was ready for high school. So, when he was old enough to wear long trousers, shave once a week, and his voice had changed from tenor to baritone - possibly about the year 1914) he inrolled in the Hawfields High School was consolidated with other schools of the area in 1922 and became Alexander Wilson. In the late spring of 1917, a military draft of manpower was in effect, since our country had declared war on Germany. Being between the ages of 21 and 31, Charlie had registered for military service. His number was drawn, and he reported for physical examination at the appointed time. Previously he had broken some bones in one of his legs. The doctor of the draft board decided that the bones had not healed sufficiently to stand the rigors of war, so the potential soldier in the personage of Charles Anderson Trollinger was rejected.

The next year, 1918, he got a job in Burlington "jerking soda" for the City Drug Company. Possibly with the thought of learning to be a druggist the practical way. He worked for John Henderson, a druggist from Marion for two years. At that time, the City Drug Store was on the corner of South Main at Front Street: where the Barbour-Pittman Drug company is located now. During the two years Charlie worked for John Henderson, Ph.C., P.D.Q., C.O.D., he not only learned to mix a palatable drink at the fountain, but he learned to blend a dose of castor oil so it could be swallowed without that naeseous taste. Although he was never in the army, he knew how many pellets of compound cathartics was a proper dose to stimulate a suggish liver and purge the system. Before his two years of pharmaceutical experience was up, Charles A. Trollinger was a Ph.C., in his own right. He filled doctor's prescriptions, and no harm was done to the patients.


The apothecaries' shop, as our English cousins sometimes call a drug store, was not altogether to Charlie Trollinger's liking. So, in the year 1920, the year women in the United States were granted the right to vote, and millions of women freely admitted they were 21 years old, Charlie secured a position with the Alamance Bank and Trust Company. That bank was located where Raylass Department Store is today. Later the Alamance Bank and Trust Company, was reorganized and the name changed slightly: The name Atlantic" was substituted for Alamance, even though the bank was no where near the Atlantic Ocean. Charlie was a teller, and liked...

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