The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-31
THE COTTON GIN.
1ts History Narrated by Colonel w. III.
sSparlfs.
.Atloi,tn Cnnatitufiou..


:. Events franspiring in country, which
have operated o material change in the
industries, and the prosperity Of its peo.
'ple, constitutes, in great degree, its his.
tory, These events or discoveries usually
transmit the names Of those inventing or
discovering them to posterity as benefac-
stors of the human family, and are held
IN just reverence. The names of Watt,
the Inventor of the steam engine, of
Godfrey, y,v4thea Inventor cf- the quadrant,
OF Stevenson aud Train, the discoverers
OF sAe railroad ,apd the locomotives, and
ATRwHght, the tdyentor Of the spinning
jenny, ana.of Whitney, the inventor Of
the cotton gin, with Morse, the discoyerer
of the electric telegraph, will endure
whilst civilization shall characterize the
h4nlan family.
Altsof these Inventions are eras in the
progress Of the world, from which will
b4- dated the commencement of a new
and more rapid stride-to s.ciyilization,
health and power, ,Nand taise advance will
ever be credited to the wonderful genius
OF these men. Whence and wherefore
the appearance and the inventions Of
these wonderful minds? 1t has been
aptiy said the exigencies of man are ever
answered by the inspiration of God, and
that these are specalties in the progress
of time, designed by supernatural wis
dom for that advancement in the knowl.
edge of man, necessary to his compre.
hepsion of that perfection in nature
which enabled him to comprehend the
wisdom, power and mercy of the great
Creator, which in all things is but part
of this divine essence. However, be this
as it may, is' no part of my plan in
writing these crude sketches Of the early
history of Georgia. .~-..-....-.-- --- g.
In 1890 Robert Peel, of England, COM
menced 10 o small way the manufacture
of cotton. goods The supply of. cotton
was very limited, and chiefly from the
British West Indies.I The, price of cot
ton was then 80 high that now it would
6eSA considered y eXofbitant% This arose
tropsthe cqstlSsldsSof separating the lint
from the aeed.5 Tho Introduction of The
long staple cotton into Georgia anIl fouth
Carolina preceded some years that of the
green seed Or short staple cotton, { nd a
means had been invented for ginning or
taking out the seed Of fhe long stanled
cotton, known rs the roller gin. This
was slow; process and, Intellectual for the
purpdses of taking thei ilihtifro the seed
of the short stapled or upland cotton, rs
it was then tesrneds. The consequence
was there was very little cultivated for
market. Small patches were planted by
the iermersCEjust enough for home con-
sumption. When this was to be u ed the
seeds were picked out with tue fingers.
There are some old enough to remember
how this was effected in. every family. L
remember 1t WELL In the long winter
evenings the children, white and black
had weighed gott 10 them sof,e essonhcs of
seed cottonS from which the seedswere to
be taken. These ounces were spread out
before the fire in the room of the house
where were assembled the family. and In
very large portion of the community
this was tho only room in the house
This was done to heat. the cotton, as the
seeds ,When the cotton was warm, more
readily parted from, the lint. AS a stim-
ulant to active and quick work, reward
OF g biscuit or a lump of sugar was
promised, and the largest biscuit or lump
of sugar was for him or her who first
completed the task, and the cotton thus
prepared with the fleece grown on the
farm constituted the fiber from which the
entire raiment of the family was f6bri-
Gated. ~ =
The commencement of the rlanuiac.
ture of cotton in England, and its very
remunerative price stimulated its growth
in the South, and the separating or
cleansing the lint from the seed In q
more rapid and eGectual manner than by
the hand BECOME q adesideratum.
In l793 2 young pan from .NeEg, Eng
land canl9t9 SavannaE to teackiir,5 ashH-
vate family, but Having been. delayed in
coming beyond the. stipulated time. for
his arrival, hislplate had been filled b3
another. At that time there was residing,
some tSe3ye' miles above ,ShvaAnah d;
gentleman by the name of Miller. He
was from New England, and had married
the widow of General Nathaniel Greene,
of revolutionary fame. and was, in pes,
session pf gthc Mulberry Grove plahtas
tion, which had been donated by the
State of Georgia to General Greene in
reward for his revolutionary service -
Mr.. Miller-cbanced to meet this youth
in Savannah, being a countryman and
without employment, he invited him to
the hospitalitios Of his home. Il. was
whilst here, and nightly witnessing the
picking Of the seeds from the cotton by q
numerous, aocK, Of juvenile darkies seated
around the fire, and as they idled and
nodded at their work WAS. evidence of
fatigue aud want of sleep, his sympathies
were aNakensdr4eE these childrelt,s and
Cat SSSf11se5 kst>1S%A ipAiouSg ll-dt@ SOtle
others means Tor'ahis purpose could be
invented, that should secure them from
this untimely and fatiguing labor. In
this wish he was joined by Mrs. Miller,
who was at the time preparing some
small rods to be used in holding the wicks
OF tallow candles, better RnOwn nsitaiiow
dips, in the p1mitfye dayb of the State.
With the end of one of these she bent
into a sesk &C hook TIC point end aud
takingi,up ai handful of seed cotton che
pulled Nitlt.it the, lint from the seed.
This action suggested to the mind of
Whitney, who was the youth sojourning
Mt the house. the idea of. the cotton gin.
will'tell the story as Whitney him
self told it to me and the late Hopkins
Halsey, Of this State, Mt fhis owniholise
i'll New Haven, Connecticut, in 1920. ~
He said: "I saw Mt once that cylinder
armed with teeth similar to thoae in cot
ton cards and aaade 20 revosye. would
effectualIy do the work of separation be.
tween lints aud seed. Isswents tosbe5 and
thought all night such machine was
desideratum, and fels fcoalaEmake It,
and felt, too, if succeeded my fortune
was made. gs EARLY tlsses ne Ett TdSy 5swspt "a
gently, 4 AiE pA lsoa Isl IL. Sfilisg, Nhos
with woman's hopefulness and woman's
faith, visited me daily, encouraging me
and making suggestiona. Finally com.
pleted q model machine with SIX cyiinI
ders, all armed with small. wise- hooks.
These were placed upon a wooden shaft
side by SIDE andr toq9ne' was attaehei q