H. Sam Crouch Sr., the founder of Crouch Hardware Co. and a key player in the effort to move the National Wild Turkey Federation's headquarters from Fredericksburg, Va., to Edgefield, S.C., died Friday. He was 85.
Mr. Crouch opened his hardware store in Edgefield in 1952 and ran it until he handed it off to his son, Sam Crouch Jr., 16 years ago.
As a life member of the NWTF, Mr. Crouch became the first president of the South Carolina State Chapter in 1974. Five years later, plans were announced to move the NWTF's headquarters to Edgefield.
Tammy Sapp, the senior vice president of communications for the federation, said Mr. Crouch played an instrumental role in the move.
In February, Mr. Crouch was awarded the C.B. McCleod Award, given annually to an NWTF volunteer who has dedicated his life to wildlife, conservation and hunting.
The NWTF learned of Edgefield because of the turkey calling contest that was started by the elder Mr. Crouch.
The event became so popular that people came from across the region by the time the NWTF moved from Virginia, Sam Crouch Jr. said.
The contest would later evolve into the South Carolina Turkey Calling Championship.
Sam Crouch Jr. described his father as a man with many interests who loved the outdoors and loved to hunt quail -- before there was a turkey season, of course.
"I grew up quail hunting," he said. "We evolved into turkey hunting."
The first hunting season for turkey in Edgefield County was in the early 1960s, he said.
Sam Crouch Jr. took over the hardware store when it moved to a new location on Courthouse Square in 1992.
But his father put had him to work in the business when he was just 10 years old.
"I learned the hardware business when I was too young to realize I was learning it," Mr. Crouch said.
He said it seems strange not having his father around for advice.
"Hopefully, it will go on for a long time," he said of the business. "Daddy was my mentor and number one adviser when it came to the store."
Reach Nick Needham at (706) 724-0851 or nicholas.needham@augustachronicle.com.
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