The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-10-20
Agrltnltnral.
From tie .SoutkerR CGltivatos-.
Introduction of the Cotton Gina
Southern Patriarch.

the producers, but to the world, every
thing relating to its history is of interest.
Therefore, | am induced to give little in
formation | lately obtained Of the great
staple, and the rather because you have
promised, in late number of your paper,
to lop off the unreliable portions of your
rorrcspot. ynts communication. Know
ing that mine will undergo the pruning of
a judicious hand, feel some security that
shall not thrust before the public IN un-
slightly article. | am well aware that
when we are possessed of an idea, so
mnch of a hobby" that we must write
about it, there is danger of becoming pro-
sy. Besides, we planters are generally un-
used to composition, and when we have
! anything to say, usually take twice the
space that you would, who know so well
the connection of words. l hope you will
strike out any, or every portion of this, if
not of sufficient interest to go before the
public.
rode, a few da.'s since, six miles be-
low this place to see my old friend, Thos.
Talbot, and his kitchen aud barn. Mr..
Talbot is eighty three years old, in full
possession of his faculties, and is living
where he settled siXty-two years ago
Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin,
settled plantation adjoining him, on
which he placed one of his gins the first
that was used in Wilkes comfy; perhaps
the first in the State. lie and his part
ner, Durkee, erected gin house, and a
large cotton house. The latter to hold
the cotton they expected to receive
from customers to gin. The gin house
was grated, so the visitors might look
through, and see the cotton flying from
without seeing the gin. lie suffered ,co-
men to go in the gin house and see the
machinery, not apprehending that they
could bctray his secret to builders. Lyon,
who lived some eight or ten miles above
this place, by dressing himselfin woman's
clothes, procured admittance, and came
out and made his improvement, the saw
gin. Mr.. Talbot says, that Billey Meier
ran, little Irish blacksmith, who died a
lew years ago in this county, made the
saws, the first that ever were made. Dur.
kee, Whitney's partner, being dissipated
and inattentive to business, he sold out
his place, and the gin and cotton house
coming into the possession of Mr.. Talbot,
he moved them to his place. The former
is now his kitchen, and still has its long
grated windows, as in the times of Whit
ney. The cotton house makes large and
commodious barn. Mr.. Talbot says that
Allison or Ellison, who had been con-
nected with Whitney in business, told him
that the latter got his first idea of the in
vention from gin used to prepare rags
making paper, and which he saw on a
wrecked vessel. On the place sold bv
Whitney, was erected in 1911, a cotton
factory, and, [ presume, the first in the
State. The prime mover of the enter
prise was Mr. Bolton of Savannah, a
merchant who spent his summers then. in
Washington. Mr.. Talbot had four shares.
The factory had one hundred and sixty
splndIcs, cost 81! 200 and made fifty wards
OF cloth day, which sold from so cents
to one dollar per yard. The weaving wa.
done by hand loom wcavers, who were
obtained from Long Cain in South Caro-
lima. The factory proved an Improbable
affair.
In this connection it may be interesting
to say that during The war of 1912, co ton
was hauled from this county to Baltimore
and Philadelphia, and the wagons loaded
back with goods. Wagoners arc now liv-
ing in the county, who used to drive the
teams engaged in this service.
Icannot close this communication with
out word about my aged and highly re-
spectacle friend, in his character of plant
er. Some Of the land now in cultivation
by Mr.. Talbot, was old when three fourths
of Georgia was in the possession of the In
dians. Originally of strong soil, as
Wilkes county generally was, Mr.. Talbot,
by paying some attention to improvement
has not only preserved but much improv-
ell some OF his old lands. But that to
which | wish particularly to direct atten-
ton, is his regret that he had not com
menced hill side ditching long ago, before
the creeks snd branches had carried off
the best Of his soil. The walnut, locust
and other shade trees in his yard, planted
with his own hands, have the appearance
of very aged trees. His servants, some of
them as old, or older than himself, with
Al