Lester “Frog” Taylor (Photo by Sherry Larson)
Lester “Frog” Taylor Lumber says, “goodbye”
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Lester “Frog” Taylor’s Lumber in Lynx, Ohio closed its doors on Tuesday March 14. The business began with trucking in 1957 and the first sawmill started in 1960, but Frog started dragging logs at the early age of seven. So how did he get the famous “Frog” name? Taylor explained that his heritage is in the Cheyenne tribe, and they are given a name associated with a life event. As a child, Taylor was trying to catch a frog and he fell in the ice he where he was skating – and that’s how Lester became “Frog or Froggy” Taylor.
On February 1, Frog turned 81. He discussed the beginning of the business and carting things on trucks. He said, “You name it, we hauled it.” Then, he started the sawmill business. Frog reflected on the many changes through the years. Back then, people cut with crosscut saws before chain saws and eventually transitioned to the modern tree cutters used today. He said they started the business using mules (yes, the animal) until 1973, moving on to dozers and skidders.
Frog shared a story about sending the mules out to pasture when he purchased his first dozer in 1973. Subsequently a couple of the mules died. He had a veterinarian come out to look at them and he told Froggy – they needed to stop feeding those mules. The animals were accustomed to working hard every day and burning off the fat from sweet feed. Without the work, they were becoming obese and unhealthy.
Gina Hayslip, Frog’s daughter-in-law, partnered with him at the sawmill. She said, “I hate to see it close. It’s sad – it’s been an icon for so many years. Everyone associates Frog with logging and the sawmill.” Hayslip started in the 1980’s by “playing’ with the equipment. She said, “I thought it was the coolest thing on earth.” She continued, “Frog taught me everything and showed me how to do all the stuff. It was amazing that someone would give me the chance. He’s like a father to me. I think the world of him.”
There are so many stories Frog could tell, and he offers to do so when he doesn’t have so much work to do. During our chat, we discovered that he and Gina hauled the dirt to our farm when the pond was built. Frog said he was a nosey little kid, so he learned loads of stories and history of Adams County. He shared his appreciation for the beauty of the county and all it offers. In all his travels, he hasn’t seen a more scenic area.
The favorite part of the business for Froggy has been meeting all the people along the way. He chuckled and said, “98% of them are really enjoyable and the other 2% you couldn’t suit no matter what you did.” But seeing people come and go every day is what he will miss the most. And the hardest part – by far – cutting the logs, using mules, and loading the logs by hand.
The sawmill will be up for auction on April 13 at 10 a.m. at its Tulip Road Lynx location. Frog and Gina will be sad to close this chapter. But it’s obvious that they still have plenty to do. And as our interview concluded, Froggy walked off – not into a sunset or an easy chair. He walked back in the barn and went back to work.
