Fred Lavell Gaddis attended Independence and Morton High School, upon graduation he won the Sears Roebuck Foundation Award. He attended Miss. State Univ. 3 years and Univ. of Southern Miss, one quarter until he joined the U.S. Naval Air Corps. During his Navy career he switched from Air Corps to Navy, received his "Deck Commission" from Columbia Univ. in New York. There was a greater need for pilots at this point in WW II and haying the opportunity to go back into flight school, he later received his "Navy Wings" at Pensacola, Fla. 5 Mar 1-946. The remainder of his Navy duty was spent out of Norfolk, Va, where he flew PBY's and PBM's in Air Sea Rescue. He resigned from the U.S. Naval Air Corps Oct 1947 and 2 weeks later his plane and crew he had flown with over a year crashed in Norfolk killing all. He, Tweency and Fred, Jr. moved to Forest, Miss, where he went into the broiler business with his brother Edward (Ed) Mondell Gaddis. In July 1951, Fred and Ed started the first Miss. Broiler Festival personally feeding several thousand people, it was such a success, that for years later this event took place yearly, but with the other poultry men of the area going together paying the cost of feeding many more thousands of people. Fred and Ed dissolved partnership 1957.
As years went by, he built up Gaddis Industries, which included Gaddis Packing Co. (broilers), Gaddis Breeder Farms, Inc., Gaddis Hatcheries, Inc., Gaddis Feed Mill, Little Princess Packing Plant (beef and pork), Scott Equity Co. and 38 poultry farms. He was 1/3 owner of Poultry Packers. He organized and built Central Byproducts, Ltd. acting as President until he sold his business.
With all the fertilizer at his disposal, he started a cattle farm known as Big G Ranch with registered Charolais cattle, buying 1/3 ownership of world famous "Beau Ivo" b. 17 Mar 1968, which was the world's fastest rate of gain in any beef animal. As a Miss. State alumni, he has been instrumental in getting Charolais started at Miss. State Univ. and is one of their Patrons of Excellence. In 1968 he and Tweency went to the France Charolais Show as guests of the French Government.
In 1973 he built a new Gaddis Packing Co. and 27 Mar 1974 had to kill 1 3/4 million chickens, plus emptying all freezers stocked full of birds, because U.S.D.A. said the birds had excessive amounts of Dieldrin. In 1974 Fred sold his Gaddis Packing Plant, feed mill, hatchery and farms (broiler and breeder) to Hiriam A. McCarty. He kept the Big G Ranch and cattle farms, selling the cattle and turning the pastures into soybean fields that he and his 2 sons, Mike and David, run in a three-way partnership known as FMD Farms.
He is President of a catfish business trade name "Well-Fed" with a packing plant at Belzoni, Miss., which was started 1969. In 1970 he opened a new 186-room Rowntowner Motel that he personally built in Biloxi, Miss. The motel was sold 1976.
Fred joined the Springfield Baptist Church as a young boy, moved his membership to Forest Baptist Church 4 Jan 1948, rededicated his life to his Lord 21 Apr 1963 being baptized again. He is a Deacon, serving as Chairman several times, Superintendent of the Intermediate Department for 15 years, and Trustee of the Baptist Children's Village, where he and Tweency gave the Gaddis Dormitory furnished, to the Baptist Children's Village 1968.
He is Past President of Miss. Poultry Improvement Assn. and on 26 Sep 1983 was the recipient of the Hall of Fame Award at the unveiling of his portrait which now hangs in the MPA Hall of Fame at Miss. State Univ. and a plaque denoting the honor; Scott Co. Chapter Miss. State Alumni; Chamber of Commerce; Lion's Club; V.F.W.; National Broiler Council; American Legion and a Mason. He has been an active worker of Boy Scouts serving as Cub Scout Master 3 years, Financial Chairman Andrew Jackson Council and recipient of its coveted "Silver Beaver" Award 28 Jan 1965. All 3 of his sons have attained their Eagle Badge in Scouting and the 1969 Andrew Jackson Council Eagle Recognition Dinner was named the Fred L. Gaddis Class in his honor.
He was Mayor of Forest, Miss, having held this position for 16 years and served as City Judge for 8 years until he got the Council to hire a City Judge. On 10 Aug 1981 the new city recreational area was officially named the Fred L. Gaddis Recreational Park.
As years went by, he built up Gaddis Industries, which included Gaddis Packing Co. (broilers), Gaddis Breeder Farms, Inc., Gaddis Hatcheries, Inc., Gaddis Feed Mill, Little Princess Packing Plant (beef and pork), Scott Equity Co. and 38 poultry farms. He was 1/3 owner of Poultry Packers. He organized and built Central Byproducts, Ltd. acting as President until he sold his business.
With all the fertilizer at his disposal, he started a cattle farm known as Big G Ranch with registered Charolais cattle, buying 1/3 ownership of world famous "Beau Ivo" b. 17 Mar 1968, which was the world's fastest rate of gain in any beef animal. As a Miss. State alumni, he has been instrumental in getting Charolais started at Miss. State Univ. and is one of their Patrons of Excellence. In 1968 he and Tweency went to the France Charolais Show as guests of the French Government.
In 1973 he built a new Gaddis Packing Co. and 27 Mar 1974 had to kill 1 3/4 million chickens, plus emptying all freezers stocked full of birds, because U.S.D.A. said the birds had excessive amounts of Dieldrin. In 1974 Fred sold his Gaddis Packing Plant, feed mill, hatchery and farms (broiler and breeder) to Hiriam A. McCarty. He kept the Big G Ranch and cattle farms, selling the cattle and turning the pastures into soybean fields that he and his 2 sons, Mike and David, run in a three-way partnership known as FMD Farms.
He is President of a catfish business trade name "Well-Fed" with a packing plant at Belzoni, Miss., which was started 1969. In 1970 he opened a new 186-room Rowntowner Motel that he personally built in Biloxi, Miss. The motel was sold 1976.
Fred joined the Springfield Baptist Church as a young boy, moved his membership to Forest Baptist Church 4 Jan 1948, rededicated his life to his Lord 21 Apr 1963 being baptized again. He is a Deacon, serving as Chairman several times, Superintendent of the Intermediate Department for 15 years, and Trustee of the Baptist Children's Village, where he and Tweency gave the Gaddis Dormitory furnished, to the Baptist Children's Village 1968.
He is Past President of Miss. Poultry Improvement Assn. and on 26 Sep 1983 was the recipient of the Hall of Fame Award at the unveiling of his portrait which now hangs in the MPA Hall of Fame at Miss. State Univ. and a plaque denoting the honor; Scott Co. Chapter Miss. State Alumni; Chamber of Commerce; Lion's Club; V.F.W.; National Broiler Council; American Legion and a Mason. He has been an active worker of Boy Scouts serving as Cub Scout Master 3 years, Financial Chairman Andrew Jackson Council and recipient of its coveted "Silver Beaver" Award 28 Jan 1965. All 3 of his sons have attained their Eagle Badge in Scouting and the 1969 Andrew Jackson Council Eagle Recognition Dinner was named the Fred L. Gaddis Class in his honor.
He was Mayor of Forest, Miss, having held this position for 16 years and served as City Judge for 8 years until he got the Council to hire a City Judge. On 10 Aug 1981 the new city recreational area was officially named the Fred L. Gaddis Recreational Park.
Fred Lavell Gaddis attended Independence and Morton High School, upon graduation he won the Sears Roebuck Foundation Award. He attended Miss. State Univ. 3 years and Univ. of Southern Miss, one quarter until he joined the U.S. Naval Air Corps. During his Navy career he switched from Air Corps to Navy, received his "Deck Commission" from Columbia Univ. in New York. There was a greater need for pilots at this point in WW II and haying the opportunity to go back into flight school, he later received his "Navy Wings" at Pensacola, Fla. 5 Mar 1-946. The remainder of his Navy duty was spent out of Norfolk, Va, where he flew PBY's and PBM's in Air Sea Rescue. He resigned from the U.S. Naval Air Corps Oct 1947 and 2 weeks later his plane and crew he had flown with over a year crashed in Norfolk killing all. He, Tweency and Fred, Jr. moved to Forest, Miss, where he went into the broiler business with his brother Edward (Ed) Mondell Gaddis. In July 1951, Fred and Ed started the first Miss. Broiler Festival personally feeding several thousand people, it was such a success, that for years later this event took place yearly, but with the other poultry men of the area going together paying the cost of feeding many more thousands of people. Fred and Ed dissolved partnership 1957.
As years went by, he built up Gaddis Industries, which included Gaddis Packing Co. (broilers), Gaddis Breeder Farms, Inc., Gaddis Hatcheries, Inc., Gaddis Feed Mill, Little Princess Packing Plant (beef and pork), Scott Equity Co. and 38 poultry farms. He was 1/3 owner of Poultry Packers. He organized and built Central Byproducts, Ltd. acting as President until he sold his business.
With all the fertilizer at his disposal, he started a cattle farm known as Big G Ranch with registered Charolais cattle, buying 1/3 ownership of world famous "Beau Ivo" b. 17 Mar 1968, which was the world's fastest rate of gain in any beef animal. As a Miss. State alumni, he has been instrumental in getting Charolais started at Miss. State Univ. and is one of their Patrons of Excellence. In 1968 he and Tweency went to the France Charolais Show as guests of the French Government.
In 1973 he built a new Gaddis Packing Co. and 27 Mar 1974 had to kill 1 3/4 million chickens, plus emptying all freezers stocked full of birds, because U.S.D.A. said the birds had excessive amounts of Dieldrin. In 1974 Fred sold his Gaddis Packing Plant, feed mill, hatchery and farms (broiler and breeder) to Hiriam A. McCarty. He kept the Big G Ranch and cattle farms, selling the cattle and turning the pastures into soybean fields that he and his 2 sons, Mike and David, run in a three-way partnership known as FMD Farms.
He is President of a catfish business trade name "Well-Fed" with a packing plant at Belzoni, Miss., which was started 1969. In 1970 he opened a new 186-room Rowntowner Motel that he personally built in Biloxi, Miss. The motel was sold 1976.
Fred joined the Springfield Baptist Church as a young boy, moved his membership to Forest Baptist Church 4 Jan 1948, rededicated his life to his Lord 21 Apr 1963 being baptized again. He is a Deacon, serving as Chairman several times, Superintendent of the Intermediate Department for 15 years, and Trustee of the Baptist Children's Village, where he and Tweency gave the Gaddis Dormitory furnished, to the Baptist Children's Village 1968.
He is Past President of Miss. Poultry Improvement Assn. and on 26 Sep 1983 was the recipient of the Hall of Fame Award at the unveiling of his portrait which now hangs in the MPA Hall of Fame at Miss. State Univ. and a plaque denoting the honor; Scott Co. Chapter Miss. State Alumni; Chamber of Commerce; Lion's Club; V.F.W.; National Broiler Council; American Legion and a Mason. He has been an active worker of Boy Scouts serving as Cub Scout Master 3 years, Financial Chairman Andrew Jackson Council and recipient of its coveted "Silver Beaver" Award 28 Jan 1965. All 3 of his sons have attained their Eagle Badge in Scouting and the 1969 Andrew Jackson Council Eagle Recognition Dinner was named the Fred L. Gaddis Class in his honor.
He was Mayor of Forest, Miss, having held this position for 16 years and served as City Judge for 8 years until he got the Council to hire a City Judge. On 10 Aug 1981 the new city recreational area was officially named the Fred L. Gaddis Recreational Park.
As years went by, he built up Gaddis Industries, which included Gaddis Packing Co. (broilers), Gaddis Breeder Farms, Inc., Gaddis Hatcheries, Inc., Gaddis Feed Mill, Little Princess Packing Plant (beef and pork), Scott Equity Co. and 38 poultry farms. He was 1/3 owner of Poultry Packers. He organized and built Central Byproducts, Ltd. acting as President until he sold his business.
With all the fertilizer at his disposal, he started a cattle farm known as Big G Ranch with registered Charolais cattle, buying 1/3 ownership of world famous "Beau Ivo" b. 17 Mar 1968, which was the world's fastest rate of gain in any beef animal. As a Miss. State alumni, he has been instrumental in getting Charolais started at Miss. State Univ. and is one of their Patrons of Excellence. In 1968 he and Tweency went to the France Charolais Show as guests of the French Government.
In 1973 he built a new Gaddis Packing Co. and 27 Mar 1974 had to kill 1 3/4 million chickens, plus emptying all freezers stocked full of birds, because U.S.D.A. said the birds had excessive amounts of Dieldrin. In 1974 Fred sold his Gaddis Packing Plant, feed mill, hatchery and farms (broiler and breeder) to Hiriam A. McCarty. He kept the Big G Ranch and cattle farms, selling the cattle and turning the pastures into soybean fields that he and his 2 sons, Mike and David, run in a three-way partnership known as FMD Farms.
He is President of a catfish business trade name "Well-Fed" with a packing plant at Belzoni, Miss., which was started 1969. In 1970 he opened a new 186-room Rowntowner Motel that he personally built in Biloxi, Miss. The motel was sold 1976.
Fred joined the Springfield Baptist Church as a young boy, moved his membership to Forest Baptist Church 4 Jan 1948, rededicated his life to his Lord 21 Apr 1963 being baptized again. He is a Deacon, serving as Chairman several times, Superintendent of the Intermediate Department for 15 years, and Trustee of the Baptist Children's Village, where he and Tweency gave the Gaddis Dormitory furnished, to the Baptist Children's Village 1968.
He is Past President of Miss. Poultry Improvement Assn. and on 26 Sep 1983 was the recipient of the Hall of Fame Award at the unveiling of his portrait which now hangs in the MPA Hall of Fame at Miss. State Univ. and a plaque denoting the honor; Scott Co. Chapter Miss. State Alumni; Chamber of Commerce; Lion's Club; V.F.W.; National Broiler Council; American Legion and a Mason. He has been an active worker of Boy Scouts serving as Cub Scout Master 3 years, Financial Chairman Andrew Jackson Council and recipient of its coveted "Silver Beaver" Award 28 Jan 1965. All 3 of his sons have attained their Eagle Badge in Scouting and the 1969 Andrew Jackson Council Eagle Recognition Dinner was named the Fred L. Gaddis Class in his honor.
He was Mayor of Forest, Miss, having held this position for 16 years and served as City Judge for 8 years until he got the Council to hire a City Judge. On 10 Aug 1981 the new city recreational area was officially named the Fred L. Gaddis Recreational Park.
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