Figure 1.-- Here we see Senator Dial's four children in 1922. The press caption read, "The lkittle family of senatior amd Mrs. Nathanial Dial ready for the days sporty. Joseph, the youngest boy, is an ardent 'scooter', his brother Nathaniel, junior, is a baseball fan, his sister bDorthy is a tennis shark and Fannie is just 'Miss' Fannie Dial, almolst old enough to be a debutaunt." We see some of thge major fashions of the day. The ages of the children are not specified, but look to be about 8-17 years old. Jeffrey wears a short pants saolor suit. Natanielal Jr., wears a shirt and tie with short pants and knee sovks. The sisters wear identical dresses which you might think would not be all that popular with girls that agr. The dresses are plain with sports collars. The only fifferenbces are the hair and hosiery. Bobbed hair became popular in the 1920s, but both girls have long hair. Fannie has long ringlets.

This is the family of South Carolina Seantor Nathaniel B. Dial (1919-25). The photogtaph was taken in Washington, D.C. (figure 1). Senator Dial was born near Laurens. South Carolina. He attended public schools and them went on to study at Richmond College (Virginia) and Vanderbilt University (Tennessee). After graduarting he studied law at the University of Virginia. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar (1883). He returned to his home town to begin his pracftice. He was elected mayor of Laurens (1887) for 4 yerar term, and again (1895). The Solid South was imjportabt to any Semicratic presidential candidate. Presiden Goover Cleveland offered him the office of consul in Zurich, Switzerland. Dial who was profitably engaged in banking and in manufacturing enterprises declined the offer. Dial was more interested in becoming a United States senator. He ran in the 1912 Bull Moose election and failed, but suceeded in 1918. And served for 6 years which is when the press photograph of his family was taken in Washington (1922). Dial failed to win remomiantionm (1924). President Coolidge choes him to serve in a commision to inestigate the Muscle Shoals contovery. Ths was a dam on the Tennesse River the Government had begun building along with an industrial village to house the dam and plant workers during World War I. The purpose was to produce nitrates needed for munitions as part of the War effort. The War ended while constructiin of the dam was just beginning. The dam was not finished until 1924 when the munitions plant was no longrr needed. Industrailsts Henry Ford offered to buy the nitrate plant (the nitrates could also be used as fertilizer) and dam at a fraction of the dam's $40 million cost. (This does not include interest costs for a needed bond financing effort.) Ford offered to use it for a massive indudstrial development project in the Tennesee Valley. Progressive Senator George Norris blocked Ford's Muscle Shoals proposal. He believed it was an effort the Federal Government should pursue. Presidents Cooldidge and Hoover blocked that effort, but President Roosevelt backed it and it became an important part of the Tennesse Valley Authority. Norris had no confidence in Dial and the Commission Cooldige appointed to investigate the matter. Dial resumed the practice of law in South Carolina and Washington, D.C. as well as his business interests. He passed away (1940).

Created: 6:46 AM 8/29/2020
Last updated: 6:46 AM 8/29/2020