The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-06

THOMAS TALBOT AND WHIrNEY's CorroN GIS.-
The Southern Cultiuator, published at Augusta,
Georgia, contains the following interesting letter
from Judge Andrews, of Washington, in that
State: ..a.
MEssRs. EptroRs: Cotton having become of
such vast importance, not only to the producers,
but TO the world, every thing relating to it's history
is of interest. Therefore am induced TO give a
| little information ! lately obtained of the great
staple. w.
rode, a few days since, six miles below this
place, to see my old friend Thomas Talbot, and his
kitchen and barn. MIR. Talbo, is eighty three
years old, in full possession of his faculties and
| ia living where he settled sixty-two years ago.
Whitney, the inventor Of the cotton gin, settled
a plantation adjoining him, which he placed
one OF his gins, the first that was uaed in Wilkes
| county; perhaps The fret in the State He and his
partner, Durkec, erected q gin house, and large
cotton house-tbc latter to hold the cotton they
| expected to receive from customers to gin. The
gin house was grated, 30 that visitors might look
through and see the cotton flying from, without
| seeing the gin. He suffered ioomen to go in the
| gin house to sec the machinery, not experimenting
that they could betray his secret to builders Ly-
| on, who lived some eight or ten miles above this
place, by dressing himself up in women's clothes,
| procured admittance, and came out and made his
improvement, the saw-gin. Mr. Talbot says that
| Billy McFerran, little lrish blacksmith who died
few years ago in this county, made the saws, the
| first that ever were made. Durkee, Whitney's
partner, being disspated and inattcntive to bust
ness, he sold out bis place. nd the gin and cotton
house coming into the possession of Mr. Talbot, no
moved them TO this place. The former is now his
kitchen, and still has it's long grated windows, "a
in the time of Whitney The cotton house makes
a large and commodious barn. Mr.. Talbot says
| that Allison, or Ellison who had been ted
with Whitney in business, told him that the latter
| got bis idea OF the invention from a gin used to
prepare rags for making paper, and which he saw
| on a wrecked vessel. I'll" ....'r. ."'
On the place sold by Whitney was erected, in
1911, cotton factory, and presume the first in
the State. The prime mover in the enterprise was
a Mr.. Bolton, OF Savannah; merchant who spent
his summers then in Washington Mr. Talbo!
and sixty spindles, cost $l,7oo, and made fifty
| yards OF cloth day, which sold from fifty cents
TO one dollar per yard: The weaving done by
| Cane, in South Carolina. The factory proved an
| Improbable affair. "' ...
| In this connection, it may be interesting to sa
| that during the war of 1912 cotton was hauled
and the wagons loaded back with goods Wagon.
| ers now living in the country who used Il
drive the teams engaged in this service.
cannot close this communication without q
word about my aged and highly respectable friend
| in his character Of planter. Some Of the land nov
in cultivation by Mr.. Talbot was old when three
1ourths OF Georgia was in possession of tho Indians
Originally OF q strong soil, ms Wilkes county gen
orally was, MIR. Talbot, by paying come attention
to improvement, has not only preserved but much
improved some Of bis old lands. But that to which
wish particularly to direct attention is his regre
that he bad not commenced hill side ditcbing long
ago. before the creeks and branches had carried OF
the beat OF his soil. The walnut, locust and Other
shade trees in bis yard, planted with his owr
hands, have the appearance Of aged trees. Hi
servants, some rs old CT older than himself, will
| their generations Of children, grand children, and
| do not know how far 20 go IN the great grand
| children, give TO the white. headed citizen the up
pearancc of a patriarch ut the hend of his tribe
| He has had born his place one hundred and min,
children, but has kept no record Of dcaths.
| GARRETT ArpRBws.
WAsHiNeToN, WILKES Co Ga. /, August, 1852.