The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-08
About The Cotton Gin,

% %FVVTY%T
-. -r.rr~ P Moore in Sunny South.) I
.. .-.aarion which produced the
...-. evolution known to history in
.......-..re. 10 manufactures and in
.......r.a was that of the cotton gin.
-.. grarcst stimulus to the worlds
...~-. was created by the cotton gin. !
r-s..,a and the continent of Europe
l.-r.-a.l under it's influence as they /
s.a -..gr f0urished before; the wilds /
,+ America were transformed by it and /
..rr-.z- wilderness become, as if by /
--.... fields of fruitfulness. blooming
,.~.uas and p0pulous cities that rival
ra ls0 proudest capitals of the old
world i1 wealth. power and magnif1-
... The direct result of this simple
-... .ae was to render commodity
l.r...o but little utilized readily mer-
r..-aoIe and almost in a twinkling it
became king of the worlds commerce
u. 5uauce. Hence ii becomes a very
...o1t.uC question, who invented the
oo..ou gin, and one that has not re
t...uI the consideration from historians
taa- it deserves.
The great Macaulay appreciated the
marvellous results of the invention and
eN.atlates at length upon its beneficial
effects upon the civilization of his time.
But he seems to have treated with un-
woated neglect, its authorship, and ac-
e..r.f contrary TO his usual custom,
the common version without investiga-
r..u. in all the histories Of the United
S.a..s that it has been my privilege to
r..o. Iii all the histories of Georgia,
while noticing the fact that Whitney's
..-in W1s contested for a period ex-
ing more than a generation, neither
ru. grounds for the litigation nor the
circumstances attending nor the name
@. the unsuccessful claimant appear in
their rages, and although Georgia did
--t escape the chrge of ingra titude in
b. doubtful issue of the causes tried in
this State. there is no defense set up.
JILL r. Nhitpey, according 10 the best ac-
counts Obtainable produced the first de-
vice IOr separating lint cotton from the
-1. His machine proved, after testing
it, 10 be impractical. 1t consisted of a
Under into which annular rows of
spikes were driven. revolving so as to
-. The spikes through intervals be
-weaH wires which formed the breat Of
Eli Whitney was born at Marlborough.
Nass.. December 8. 1765 He was a
1aIsuith by trade and during the revo-
ulonary war, when nails were in de-
u.Di and wages remuneratiye, he man
aged 10 save enough money to take him
through Yale College. General Nathaniel
Greene, prior TO the war, had been an
ancaorsmith at Providence, and it is
ks in 1icrI.+ of Sr,hc nj
.- The two had been thrown together
any rate so it IS related. as the
.o~ Of General Greene was returning
..on q visit to Providence, her old home
@avannah. she chancd to meet on ship
card young Whitney. who ostensibly
"as coming to Georgia to enter a private
.MLlE as TUDOR. He also proposed, i
54id to employ his spare time il
-.atying law. Being disappointed in hi
expected engagement, he accepted tn
laE-atOn Of Mrs. Greene to ACCOMPANY
her TO her Observation-Disclosures grove.
-r" miles up the Savannah river.
The production Of cotton was the in it
infancy. There was no way of sepa
rating the lint from the seed except b
."-- hlch was a very tedious process
~ saod days task for negro was fou
"4Aas Of lint cotton. Under these cir
Gums -anees it is obvious cotton CROWN
could not be very lucrative. Hence i
"a not engaged in extensively.
-aout, this time Colonel Robert For
s.tio, he father of John Forsythe. tn
H.toa sttesman, and Majors Pendleto
and Brewer, comrades Of General Greene
no reside dat Augusta. called to pa
'.-f respects to Mrs. Greene, and dur
a.- the course of conversation the fac
"-a I'll eGt5Oned that agriculture would b
"'E profitable if some one would inver
machine for cleaning cotton. Thus tn
.Aart.r was brought to Whitneys atte1
subsequently Mrs. Green marie
.".aeas Miller, and they, accompanie
"hltney, moved to Augusta, wheT
.-t.I and Whitney associated wit
.''A captain James Hoole, the firm be
A-a- Miller Whitney G. Toole. The
..''' -aSed Two tracts Of land on Rock
III Richmond county, from Thoms
-4"lE Glascock, September %, 180
HEohn as the Phinizy place, al
.'-o.lshed thir gin factory. pate,
1H been issued to Eli Whitney Mar,
-'sf. signed by George Washingto
''eot; Edmund Randolp, secretar
tate, and William Bradford, attorne
-0faL Subsequently Whitney returnt
o1necticut, leaving his partner. Mi
20 look after his interests in II
d. while he established the Whitne
@o- at Whitneyvills, Conn Too
med 10 have dropped out of the cor
Tor we hear no more about hir
"eE died at New Haven Janual
-"s leaving large estate. A hanc
monument was erected to his men
"@+ah was unveiled with elabora
s. the distinguished United Stat
I' charles Sumner, delivering Il
'.a@o Holmes, the inventor of Il
Ill., the same that is in use at ii
I'll day, and for which no substitr
Eef been found, was a Scotchm;
o'Lla, but when quite yiung he we
ms father to live at Cork Irelar
... me elder Holmes acquired
green and engaged in the man
Oh Hnen. Robert dimes wish
70 marry contrary to his inclin
,., Consequently he left home and 8
Ill.,. .of the New World. He finally -
ii. augusta whore La ,,,,,t ,