The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-12

State mourns his death, this history.
written with his own hand will be read
with interest. He wrote:
My father, the late Edwin NJ. Holt
possessed a fine mind and q, remark
able aptitude for mechanics. He was
married during the year 1923, and
about that time commenced his busi-'
ness career by running small farm
and store. About the year 1886 there
was in Greensboro, N. c., Mr.. Henrvi
Humphries, who was engaged in run,
ming at that place a cotton mill byI
steam. Following the natural inclina-l
tion of his mind for mechanical pur-'
suits, my father made it convenient to
visit Greensboro often, and as often as
he went there he always made it his
business and pleasure to call on Mri
sHumphries, The two began to Ike
each other very much, and soon BE-,
came good friends, and the more my,
father examined and saw into the
working of Mr.. Humphries' mill, the'
more he determined TO go into bust,
ness for himself Some time about the
year 1886 he mentioned the matter to
his father, hoping that the old gentle
man would approve of his plans, and
as he at that time owned grist-mill
4 en- Alamance creek (about one mile
from his home), the water power Of
the creek being sufficient to run both
the gTist-mill and a small cotton fac
tory, and he reasoned that if his father
would join him i'm the enterprise aad
erect the cotton factory on his site on
Alamance creek, all would be we'll. But
his father bitterly opposed the scheme
and did all he could to dissuade his son
from embarking in the enterprise. Not
discouraged by this disappointment.
he next applied to his bTother-in Law,
William A. Carrigan, to join him, and
he considered the matter for long
time, not being able to make up his
mind one way or the other as to what
be would do. Finally, without waiting
! for his brother-in-law's answer, he
went to Patterson, n. j.. and gave the
order for the making of the machinery,
snot then knowing where he would To-
cate his mill. On his return from Pat
terson, y. j., he stopped over in Phil
adelphia " here he met at the United
States Hotel the late Chief Justice
Ruffin. Chief Justice Rufin at that
time owned a water-pOwer and mill
1 ON Haw river, the place now being
known as SWepsonVille and he re-
marked to my father that he was go
ling to build a cotton factory and asked
him where he was going to locate it.
i My father replied that he wanted 20
i put it at his fathers mill site on Ala
nance creek, but that the old gentle
man was so much opposed to it that he
Ibid not know whether he would allow
I it or not Chief Justice Rufhn then
said he did not wish to interfere IN
sany arrangements between his father
and himself, but that if his father held
out in his opposition he would be glad
to have him locate his min at his place
on Haw River, and it he wished part
sner he would be glad to enter into
partnership with him, and if be did
not desire a partner, but wanted r.
borrow any money, he would be glad
to loan him "a. much rs he CcgiI-d 70
borrow On his return home my father
repeated this conversation to his Ca.
4 sther, who, seeing that he was deter.
mined to build cotton factory, pro.
.posed to let him have his water-poWer,
on Alamanee creek, and to become his
partner in the enterprise. The latteH
part Of the proposition was declined
on account of having previously told
his father that he would not involve
him for a cent. The conversation with
lChief Justice Ruffin was then repeated
to his brOther-in-law, William A. Car
rigan, who then consented to enter
Unto the partnership and join in the
undertaking. They bought the water
power on Alamance creek from my
grandfather at a nominal price, put
up the necessary buildings and started
the cotton factory during the panic Of
1887. The name Of the firm was Holt
Ia CarTigan, and they continued to do
business under this name until the
'year 1851. About this time Mr. Carri-I
gan's wife died, leaving her surviving
five sons. the two oldest of whom were
graduates of the University of North
Carolina, and these two young men, lie !
string to move to the State of Arkan-s
sas. their father decided to 90 with
them, and 50 sold out to my father his
Interest in the cotton factory I was
then living in Philadelphia, and my
father needing some one to help him
in mis- business affairs, brought me
home and / went to work with him, en-
tering upon my duties on the 18th day
of October, 1851, and continued in his
service for ten years, In the year 1853
there came to our place of business ON
Alamance creek a Frenchman, who 4
was a dyer, and who was "hard up 4
and out of money, and without friends
lie proposed to teach me how to colOrN
cotton yarn if / would pay him the
sum OF one hundred dollars and giveH
him his board. / persuaded my fathera
to allow me to accept his proposition,
and Immediately went to work With
such appliances as we could scrape up,
which were an eighty-gallon copperE
boiler (which my grandfather used fcrS
the purpose of boiling potatoes ands
turnips for his hogs), and a largcS.
cast-irOn Wash-pot which happened tnHl