The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-12-07
COTTON ANECDOTES.
The Firat Reported from GeorgIa-iIo,y
the Whitney Gin Was Invented.


In little book published in 1918.
called Census Of the City Of Savannah.
together with statistics relating to the
trade, commerce, mechanical arts" etc.
"i the city Ito which work allusiou has
already been madc}, II is stated The. cot
ton, even then one Of the largest items in
'hc exports OF Savannah, WAS an article
which was almost unknown in commerce
until the close OF the last century. OF
the two kinds cultivated ir the United
states, the black seed. or long staple cot
ton was first produced in Georgia about
tho year 1856, and the green seed, or
short staple cotton, not until some years
later, although it had been raised in
North Carolina and Virginia in limited
way prior to the revolution. Its first
cnltivators III this State were Mcssrs
josiah Tntnall, Nicholas Turnbull,
james Spalding and Richard Leake.
lhe trst bag exported from Georgia was
grown by Alexander Bisset of ST. Sim.
ons island, and was shipped from Sa.
vannah by Thomas Miller in 1883. Mr..
Miller was still living in Camden county
III 1913, and was one of the first whc
ever engaged in the purchase of cotton
IN .ie Savannah market. where, for a
long time. no was t.ic cnly buyer. He
used to purchase it by the pound in
small parcels, and with his own hands
assorted and packed it for market. The
'dnstry and interest he displayed in his
business, added to the fact that he was
the pioneer in cotton buying in the
south, gave MIN the name OF Cotton
Miller by which he was long and gener.
ally known. In 1882 line growth OF cot.
ton was so inconsiderable, or deemed of
SO little value as an article ui commerce
mat Ar. Jay, in his treaty with Eng.
land negotiated that year, stipulated that
no cotton should be exported from
America. The United States Senate,
however, refused TO ratify this article.
In l192 the entire crop OF the country
was only four hundred and Fifty bags, and
IN iIs4 an American vessel that carried
eight bags TO Liverpool was seized on the
ground that twas impossible for 10 much
cotton to be produced in the United
States.
In 1894 the invention Of the saw gin
by Eli Whitney, of Connecticut, gave q
powerful impetus to the culture Of cotton.
aud regarding this most useful invention
very interesting incident is related,
which We believe has never heretofore
"nF."'ea III plint. ~ scemS that h1r.
whitney conceived the idea of tho gin
while he WAS employed as tutor by Mrs.
General Nathaniel Greene, at Mulberry
Grove, Chatham county, on the Savannah
river, and sct about carrying his idea into
effect lie constructed gin. and when
be thought il WAS perfected invited Ger.
tain persons from this section Of the
State TO see it in operation. Among
those present was Mrs Greene, who man.
iiested much interest in the invention.
While looking on at tho working Of the
gin, however, it suddenly became clog
gcd from some cause, and Mrs. Greene
took comb from her hair and placed
the teeth Of the comb just in front of the
roller of the gin, 80 ns to uncog the ina.
chine. and the cotton began coming out
beautifully. This little act suggested
one of the most important and useful i'm.
Provements Of his invention to Mr.. Whit.
ney. lie immediate adopted it, and then
for the first time really perfected his gin
This anecdote was told to Mr.. John M.
Guerard. of this city. by Mr.. =. Nj.
Nightingale, Of Brunswick, grandson of
General Greene, who vouche,l for it's
truth.-.Hrannah Ntus