A Legacy of Faith, Family & Generosity

Sisters Pauline (Polly) and Alta Enix were two of six children living in Harlan, Kentucky, when their mother died giving birth to her seventh child. Their father died a year later. The siblings were dispersed throughout the country, some to relatives, and the two young girls, ages 6 and 8, were referred to the Grace Nettleton Home for Girls in Harrogate, Tennessee. There they stayed until Polly was in the eighth grade.

For high school, their local Baptist pastor arranged for them to attend Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy. They arrived in 1942 and, because they had no home to return to, they stayed on campus year-round. That allowed both girls to accelerate their high school coursework and complete their graduation requirements early. Polly graduated in 1945, Alta in 1946.

Although their high school careers may have been fast-paced, they both found time for plenty of co-curricular activities and leadership roles. Polly was class secretary-treasurer her freshman and senior years and Young Women’s Auxiliary secretary for three years. She had roles in class plays for three years. Alta was vice president of her freshman class, senior class secretary, a member of Glee Club, and a member of the basketball and cheerleading teams.

Polly and Alta worked on campus to ease the burden of tuition. Polly worked in the cafeteria. In a 2007 interview with The Clarion, she recalled academy teachers who helped her and challenged her to achieve her potential. William F. Hall was a favorite, encouraging her to overcome her natural shyness and become involved in more activities at the academy. She remembered fondly her English teacher, Mrs. Polly Clark, daughter of Academy President Roy Anderson. And she enjoyed Mrs. Anderson as a teacher as well.

One of her closest friends was Pearl McCarter Marshall. Pearl graciously invited Polly home with her when school was closed for holidays.

After graduation, Polly attended one semester at Carson-Newman College before withdrawing to care for her older sister in Indiana who was ill. About the same time, an aunt in Arizona needed someone else to care for Polly’s two younger brothers. Also, the older brothers had finished their military careers. The eldest, Clyde, invited them all to move to St. Petersburg, Florida, and live in one home. At age 19, Polly became “mother” to the two youngest children, whom she had not seen since they were very young. The older brothers worked to provide financial support for the siblings as they all lived together as a unique family unit.

Although Polly occasionally expressed regret for not finishing her college education, she wasted no time deciding to invest her life in her siblings, cooking, washing clothes, and performing many of the tasks essential in the management of the home.

In the course of time, Polly met Linton Tibbetts, who in 1943 had arrived in Florida from the Cayman Islands with $16 in his pocket. After serving in the U.S. military during World War II, he worked in the local building trades. In 1948, he borrowed $1,500 to purchase a six-year-old lumber company from T.T. Cox.

Polly and Linton were married March 28 of that year. It was an Easter Sunday double-ring ceremony with her sister, Alta, and Alta’s new husband, Jack Hurlston.

Polly and Linton each brought into the relationship a solid commitment to hard work and a deep appreciation for family relationships. As their children were born, they were raised in a Christian atmosphere and, in turn, instilled with the same values that carried their parents through difficult times.

Cox Lumber and Tibbetts Lumber Companies expanded throughout Florida and the Cayman Islands, becoming highly profitable under Linton’s leadership. By the early 2000s, Home Depot was keenly interested in the businesses. Home Depot purchased Cox Lumber Company in 2006.

While Polly and Linton were successful in the world’s eyes, they would say that their children were their greatest legacy. Linton passed away at age 88 in 2011. Polly died in 2016 at age 89.

Polly dearly loved Harrison Chilhowee, the school that took her in as an orphaned teenage girl and helped her establish a strong foundation of faith. She repeatedly affirmed that love with her generous financial support, culminating with the construction of the Polly Enix Tibbetts Building in 2014. This 18,000-square-foot multipurpose facility was the first education building to be constructed on campus in over 45 years. It is in use extensively every day of the school year.

The Tibbetts’ daughters, Mary Brandes of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Donna Hooker of Louisville, Tennessee, along with their own children, are carrying on the philanthropic spirit of their parents in support of numerous Christian causes. The King’s Academy is a major beneficiary of their giving. From the Brandes Family Dining Room to the current student center project under construction, their impact is seen throughout the academy campus.