Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 10: Review of the Progress of Manufactures in Spartanburg County During the Nineteenth Century, 1900

Iron Industry

Ill " Ramsey's History of South Carolina " (Appendix, p. 307), we learn that the first iron ore works in South Carolina were erected within the borders of the present county of Spartanburg in 1773. These have been called in the pages of history Buffmgtoii's Iron Works, Wofford''s Iron Works^ and Berivick^ s Irott Works^ but, from what we have been able to gather, they were one and the same, possibly a joint stock compau)-. Of Buffington we know nothing except that the land grants in that immediate vicinity show him to have been one of the first settlers there. Of William Wofford, who was also one of the proprietors, we have given a sketch elsewhere in connection with the Wofford family. It would appear, however, that he had disposed of his interest in these works, either before the beginning or during the Revolution, for, in 1780, we learn from Draper's "King's Mountain" that he was living in the upper Catawba Valley, N. C, where he had erected a small fort, which the over-mountain men passed on the route to King's Mountain, just preceding the battle there. Of Simon Berwick, the last proprietor of Wofford's Iron Works, we have a notice in an another place in this work. (See Chapter I.)

Wofford's Iron Works, a name that has been made famous in the pages of our Revolutionary history, by reason of the battle that was fought near by, were located on the left bank of the stream, Lawson's Fork, abont a half mile above the present manufacturing village of Glendale. This was perhaps the most noted point within the territory of the present county of Spartanburg before and during the Revolution. It was here that Mr. Drayton and Mr. Tenant, commissioners sent out by the Council of Safety in 1775, to explain to the people the nature of the dispute between the colonies and the mother country, repaired for a time ; and it was from this point that Mr. Drayton wrote to the Council of Safety, informing them of the patriotism of the people comprising the early settlements of the up-country, stating, among other things, that they were active and spirited, and that he was taking steps at once to organize a regiment ; which resulted in a short time in the organization of the famous Spartan regiment commanded by Colonel John Thomas, Sr. It was also to this place that Sumter and his gallant followers retreated after the battle of Blackstocks. Colonel Sumter, having been seriously wounded in said battle, was here placed on a litter between tw^o horses and carried to a more secure region in the mountains, w4iere he remained until after his recovery, when he again took the field.

In another volume* we have given some account of the raid of the notorious " Bloody Bill " Cunningham to the up-country of South Carolina in November, 1781. One of his most infamous acts of oj^en incendiarism was the destruction by fire of this valuable property, which, doubtless, by reason of the death of Mr. Berwick, a few years later, were never rebuilt.

Besides Wofford's Iron Works, there were other works located in the up-country, perhaps less extensive and important. It is said that in the Southern colonies iron-making became an important indnstry eYen before the beginning of the eighteenth centnry, and it has been a well-established fact that the early settlers of what is now Spartanburg county understood something of the manufacture of iron, and when the Revolution broke out there were several forges in the up-country of South Carolina, and one of these was Poole's Iron Works, which were located somewhere on Pacolet River. Colonel John Iv. Black, son of one of the pioneer iron-makers of South Carolina, in a letter to Mr. Richard H. Edmonds, editor of the Mamifactiirer'' s Record^ in speaking of the early days of iron manufacturing in upper South Carolina, says :

" Small quantities of iron were made in Catalan forges along the Piedmont slope in the Carolinas prior to and during the Revolutionary War. The limonite ores . . . were used, and small quantities of iron were made. . .

"During the Revolutionary war William Hill, father of the late General D. H. Hill of the Confederate army, operated a forge and a small blast-furnace on Allison's Creek, . . . and made iron from these very pure ores. Lord Cornwallis, in his advance from upper South Carolina to Charlotte, burned Hill's works, and destroyed some small iron guns Mr. Hill had cast to aid the colonial rebellion. Vestiges of this furnace are still to be seen, and a fragment of an iron cannon taken lately from Allison Creek can now be seen in Yorkville, S. C.

"A small blast-furnace was erected on King's Creek, seven miles southwest of Blacksburg, by one Stroup, in 1822; also a Catalan forge. In 1824 Stroup left King's Creek and moved seven miles to the present site of the Cherokee Cotton F'actory, and began to build iron works on Broad River. This move was to get alongside the gray ores of Blacksburg, S. C. In 1826 a company known as E. Graham & Co., composed of James A. Black, Emon Graham, Jacob Deal and P. R. Brice, all of Columbia, S. C. , and David Johnson, of Union coiinty, bought the Stroup interest and proceeded to build an iron works.

E. Graham & Co. 's interests were merged into an incorporated company - the King's Monntain Iron Co. - with $100,000 capital, a portion of which was invested in slaves as operatives and mechanics.

"In 1827 the King's Mountain Iron Co. erected a blast-furnace. This was replaced by a large furnace on the same site in 1837, and was designed for a hot-blast, but only cold blasts were ever applied. The present Cherokee cotton mill occupies the same site. In 1832 E. Graham & Co. built a rolling-mill in Union county, two miles below their furnace. In 1830 they cast guns - six and nine pounders - for the State of South Carolina, and quantities of round shot ; also grape and canister. In 1837 the King's Mountain Iron Co. built a second blast-furnace on King's Creek, four miles southeast of the town of Blacksburg. In the same year the Magnetic Iron Co., capital $250,000, of which 60 per cent, was invested in slaves, was incorporated and built at Cherokee Ford, on Broad River, one mile above King's Mountain Iron Works and near the present town of Blacksburg, four furnaces, rolling-mill, nail-factory, etc. This compau}^ graded and operated a tramway five miles long, to bring in ores, limestone, charcoal and supplies. This was operated in 1838, and the old grade, in a good state of preservation, may now be seen, from Cherokee Ford to Gaffney City.

"In 1837 a furnace was erected by the South Carolina Manufacturing Company, near the old Cowpens battle-ground in Spartanburg county. Wilson Nesbitt, afterwards member of Congress, Wm. C. Clark and others formed a part of said company. Mr. W^ Mollis was for many years the superintendent of these works. So also was the Hon. Gabriel Cannon in the early years of his manhood. This company also built and operated a mill to roll iron, and a nail factory (called the Rolling Mill), at Hurricane Shoals on the Pacolet River, now the site of the Clifton Cotton Mills (No. i)." .

The South Carolina Manufacturing Company owned more than twenty-five thousand acres of land lying between the rivers Pacolet and Broad, and a tramway was constructed leading out to the ore-beds on these lands, which the writer has often seen. The late Hon. Simpson Bobo owned considerable stock, and in some way had charge of the business management of this company, which was successfully operated until the close of the war, when the emancipation of the slaves, and the Confederate securities in which the company had largely invested, interrupted this and all other companies and put an end to the iron industry in upper South Carolina.

Colonel Black further states that during the late civil war between the States the rolling-mill at Hurricane Shoals was operated to its fullest capacity, casting bolts, shot and shell. No large guns were cast.*

As early as 1820, Micheal Miller, a native of Pennsylvania, who left behind him a numerous posterity, of which the writer is a great-grandson, owned and operated an iron forge on Middle Tyger River, near the present location of the Gross Oil Mill. It remained in operation for a number of years. The old ore-pits are yet to be seen in the vicinity of Welford. Mr. Jas. S. Ballenger, residing near that place, informs the writer that his father, Mr. William Ballenger, wagoned ore to this furnace back in the twenties.

* Colonel Black, in his letter, assigns as a reason why no cannon were cast at these works, that Yorkville, S. C, twenty miles, was the nearest railway point. This is a mistake : the railroad from Columbia to Spartanburg, six miles distant from Hurricane Shoals, was completed before the civil war, and in full operation during said war.

t Since chapter relating to progress of city of Spartanburg was written, in which it was stated that one of the cotton mills in Spartanburg contained the largest number of spindles and looms under one roof, the writer is informed that this is a mistake ; that this is now claimed for some other mills in South Carolina which have been built since said article was written.

is indebted to Mr. Wm. A. Hill, Enoree, S. C, who, in a letter under date of February 28, 1899, states that he has, for some years, been collecting such authentic information as could be obtained in reference to Hill's factory, the place of his birth. Mr. Hill states it is a matter of history that in the years 181 5 and 1816 there were great colonies emigrating from " The New England States" into "The Southern States," principally cotton manufacturers, who dotted our Southern States with small yarn-mills.

With this colony came Mr. Hill's grandfather, Mr. Leonard Hill, together with other relatives. They came to Charleston, S. C, hired conveyances, and started to explore what was then a wild and romantic country. They journeyed through the lower and middle belt, which brought them into the Piedmont section of South Carolina. They arrived on the banks of the main Tyger, with her rapid-flowing stream and magnificent shoals, and here they put down stakes, and decided to try their success at manufacturing cotton into thread. But little cotton was then grown in the up-country of South Carolina, but the plant had been found - a most magnificent plant, too, as it proved to be. It was here that Leonard Hill, George Hill, Wm. B. Shelden and John Clark, all parties from near Providence, Rhode Island, decided to go no further, but to cast their lot with the good people of the "Old Iron District." The remainder of the party consisted of William Bates and John Weaver.* William Bates pursued his journey into Rutherford county, N. C, where he erected a building and

* Major William Hoy, in a communication to the Spartan, under date of December 25th, 1895, states that Major James Edward Henry came with the Hills to Spartanburg county about 1S17 or 181 8, and was for sonie time engaged with them in spinning cotton on Tyger River, but that he quit the business, and was a lawyer in full practice as early as 1822.

began the spinning of cotton into yarn, while John Weaver drove down stakes and began the same bnsiness on the banks of Eeaverdam, near O'Neal], S. C. The present rnins of the old factory bnildiiig, an illustration of which we present herein, was erected in 1820.*

Hill's factory, on the same stream, another colony of New Englanders drove down stakes and began improvements, preparatory to the erection of a cotton mill. The

* Major Win. Hoy, in his writings, states that Weaver was for some time the proprietor of the cotton mills afterwards known as "Burnt Factory " (the same having been destroyed by fire and never rebuilt), and became engaged in a lawsuit with one McDowell, of Charleston, S. C. McDowell died, and his executor carried on the suit and gained it. Weaver afterwards erected a cotton factory on Beaverdam Creek, as above stated.

place referred to is now known as " Burnt Factory," and, from the best information that can be gathered, these mills were being erected at the same time, but which began the spinning of yarn thread first cannot now be ascertained, but both probably began in the same year.

In a few years after this William Bates returned to South Carolina and took charge of a cotton mill which had been erected by local capitalists in Greenville district, afterwards known as " Batesville," which property he greatly improved.

Leonard Hill, George Hill, William B. Shelden and John Clark, all being master mechanics and manufacturers, went to work in earnest preparatory to erecting the mill, afterwards known as Hill's Factory, Leonard Hill being chosen as foreman or business manager. All the machinery had to be conveyed by wagons from Charleston through a scant settled country when public highways were much neglected. In 1816 or 1817 a small mill was started up, containing about 700 spindles, and people, far and near, went to see " the cotton factory." Mr, Hill states that he has often heard his grandmother speak of the astonishment exhibited even by the best-informed citizens of that day and time.

"In 1820 William Shelden retired from the firm, selling out his interest to the company. In 1825 George Hill retired, selling out his interest. He returned to his native State, Rhode Island. In 1830 John Clark, of the firm of Hill & Clark, sold his interest to Leonard Hill, who now became the sole owner, and who conducted the business until his death, in 1840. Between the years 1816 and 1830 the building at Hill's Factory was twice consumed by fire, upon which there was not a dollar of insurance. After the death of Leonard Hill the prop- erty fell into the hands of his four oldest sons, James, Albert, Whipple, and Leonard. In 1845 o^ '4^ Whipple and Leonard retired, selling ont their interest to James and Albert, who operated it until 1866, sellingout the machinery to Nesbitt & Wright."

Mr. Hill further states, that on the north side of Tyger River, at Hill's Factory, now owned by the Enoree Manufacturing Co., can be traced an old canal said to be once used to convey water to an old iron works which Mr. Hill has heard called "The Wofford Iron Works" ; but as to this name there may be some mistake, as there had been another iron works of the same name on Lawson's Fork, of which mention has been already made. This supposed name for the iron works referred to doubtless grew out of the fact that the old chain of titles to the Hills and others shows that "Beard Shoals" was once owned by a family of Woffords, and that seven small islands were at one time conveyed by title to the Cotton Mill Co. at Hill's Factory by one Wofford.

The present generation of people can never appreciate what our pioneer manufacturers had to contend with in the introduction of machinery into the up-country of South Carolina, and at a time, too, when there was but little cotton produced and no cotton-gins in operation to prepare it for the machinery, and no transportation but on wagons, the nearest market being Charleston, some 250 miles distant, traversing a thinly settled country and over natural cut roads, with little or no attention as to the convenience of the traveling public. Such is a part of history that belongs to the past.

Not long after the Hills and others began the business of manufacturing cotton into yarn, the Rev. Thomas Hutchings came to what is now called Pelham and erected a cotton factory, which was in operation as early as 1822. Mr. Hutchings continued to operate this faci62 History of Spartanburg County.

tory until some time near 1830, when he sold out to Philip Lester, who, after a short time, took into partnership Josiah Kilgore, who had plenty of capital, and they made it a success.

Major Hoy has heard Mr. Kilgore say that it took $20,000 a year to buy cotton. Said amount would pay for about five hundred bales, which number is now spun at Pelham in five days. To turn this $20,000 dollars paid out for cotton back into cash was a matter of importance, and to make a success of the business the thread was transported by wagons to Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and a great quantity to the lower portion of South Carolina. A quantity of cotton thread was bartered in East Tennessee for flax thread, which was sold to the shoemakers, but a large amount of it was woven in the country looms, the factory paying a skein of cotton thread for weaving a yard of flax cloth, which had a ready sale.

Pelham, known in former times as Lester's Factory, is located only about sixty yards from the present line between the counties of Greenville and Spartanburg.

When Mr. Hutching-s sold his factory on Enoree, he built another on a large creek, a short distance from what is now Batesville, which was in operation in 1833. He afterwards sold it and was running another on South Tyger River in 1837, at what was formerly called Cedar Hill but now Arlington. In this factory the late Simpson Bobo, James McMaken and David W. Moore were largely interested, having furnished most of the money that built the factory. A lawsuit in equity sprang up between the parties, which resulted in Mr. Hutchings losing his case, and the factory in some way fell into Mr. Moore's hands. It was subsequently purchased and operated for some years by Dr. Peter M. Wallace. Afterwards it was owned and operated by Mr. Lewis Green

From information gained from Mr. D. E. Converse, who came to " Bivingsville" Febrnary, 1855, we learn that the factory at that place started abont 1830. Dr. James Bivings was the moving spirit, and conducted the business for some years, but eventually had some disagreement with the stockholders which resulted in litigation. Dr. Bivings came from Lincolnton, N. C, bringing with him a full set of competent workmen, such as stone-masons, carpenters, machinists, etc. The factory building was in those days quite an imposing affair, and the arrangement of the machinery was well planned, all made in Patterson, N. J. One feature was power, which consisted of an overshot wheel of 26 feet diameter and 12 feet breast, while now the same power is obtained by an 18-inch diameter turbine.

Dr. Bivings, after leaving Bivingsville, started a small spinning-mill on the Chincapin Branch, where the Spartanburg water-works are now located, and not having power enough, supplemented by hitching mules to a long sweep attached to a revolving wheel. This was a primitive way, but only shows what advancements have been made in this line of business.

Dr. James Bivings, after he failed to make a success of his cotton mill on Chincapin Branch, with his son, James D. Bivings, erected a cotton factory on Middle Tyger, which was successfully operated. This he called Cf'awfordsviUe^ named in honor of Hon. John Crawford, who lived near by. The same factory is now called Fairmont, owned and managed by Mr. Guy Harris and others.

After the withdrawal of Dr. James Bivings from Bivingsville, the property was owned and operated by Mr. J. H. Leitner and others, but prior to and up to the beginning of the war between the States, Mr. John Bo-

After the war the property was rebuilt ' by Messrs. John Bomar, Jr., John C. Zimmerman, and D. E. Converse, under the firm name of Bomar, Converse & Zimmerman, but after the death of Mr. Bomar in the latter part of 1868, Mr. D. E. Converse, always the leading spirit, became, with Mr. A. H. Twichell, his brother-inlaw, the manager and principal owner of this valuable property.

In the beginning of the factory at Bivingsville it operated 1,200 spindles and 24 looms, while the same factory, remodeled, now called D. E. Converse & Co., has 17,280 spindles and 518 looms.

Fingerville cotton factory takes its name from Joseph Finger, who came to the District of Spartanburg from Lincoln county, N. C, in 1839, and in 1849, in partnership with Gabriel Cannon, who was at that time engaged in merchandizing at New Prospect, began the erection of a cotton factory. The factory is located on North Pacolet River, near the old homestead residence of oMr. Finger. The first investment in buildings, machinery, etc., was about $5,000, and the original number of spindles was about 400. Within the past ten years (the original factory building and machinery having been destroyed by fire) a new company has been organized, with Mr. J. Belton Liles as president, with an investment of capital amounting to $50,000. New and elegant buildings have been erected, and the number of spindles at present amounts to 10,000.

nally built by Mr. James McMakin, of Spartanburg, but was subsequently owned and operated by Messrs. Henry White and William Finger. The decease of these gentlemen caused the property to fall into other hands, when, about 1891 or '92, it was demolished by a stroke of lightning, being at this time the property of Mr. F. H. Cash. A new company, however, has been organized at this place and the mills rebuilt, with Mr. T. R. Trimmer at the head, with a capital stock, spindles, etc., as shown in table below.

The following table will show the amount of capital invested, spindles and looms in Spartanburg county, including the Gaffney Manufacturing Co., Cherokee Manufacturing Co., now in Cherokee county, which formerly comprised a part of the original county of Spartanburg :