TAYLOR COUNTY, GA - HISTORY 1912 Commercial - Manufacturing - Industry ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles The Butler Herald February 27, 1912 Page One The Manufacturies of Taylor County By Mrs. Julian Edwards Taylor County has until comparatively a short time ago been almost entirely an agricultural county. For the last ten years it has made wonderful improvement on industrial and manufacturing lines and corporate development. While the cotton factory, known as the Potterville factory, situated three miles below Reynolds and to the south of that town, has been in operation in some form or other for many years, it was only about ten years ago that new and modern yarn spinning machinery was installed. It was formerly, operated, too, by water and now steam and electricity. There were formerly only about 400 hundred spindles. Now there about 2200 spindles in operation and running nearly full time, that is, night and day. The best cotton yarns are spun by this factory. Its corporate style and name is the Taylor County Manufacturing Company. It is owned principally by the Bibb Manufacturing Company, whose home office is in Macon, Ga. This factory was brought up largely to its present efficiency and profit paying basis by the late Maj. J.F. Hanson, who in addition to being president of the Bibb Mfg. Co., was also president of the Central of Ga. Ry. Co. ***Question: Does anyone have ancestors who worked in this Taylor = Pottersville Mill? http://www.rootsweb.com/~gatchgs/tchgphoto6.htm photo of the old mill -- click on the small photo to view it better. There are several other smaller factories other than cotton factories in the county. There are two fertilizer factories at Reynolds, one variety shop and plaining mill; one guano factory at Butler, whose output per annum, I am informed is about fifteen hundred tons and which is on a splendid paying basis. There is also a bottling factory in Butler - owned and operated successfully by the White Brothers. There is also a kaolin factory situated two miles west of Butler, surrounded by several rich and practically inexhaustible mines of pure kaolin - but which factory is not now in operation. **Question: Does anyone know the NAMES of these factories --- and who operated them? 1)2 Reynolds Fertilizer 2) one variety shop (what does that mean) 3) one planing shop (this is lumber production, right? Local trees?) 4. Butler Guano Factory 5) Bottling Company - White brothers? More details? What kind of bottling? 6)Kaolin factory ?? What is this? I did a Google search and it is a kind of clay used for China?? This sounds interesting. Does anyone know what they made? Taylor County has more creeks and more water power than any other county in middle west Georgia. The Flint River on the north and east of the county could with a reasonable amount of capital and skill be turned into a magnificent manufacturing power - there being some splendid water falls in the upper or northern boundary of this county. There is White Water with its pure limpid waster of water which could be harnessed and made to contribute to the wealth and happiness of all the unemployed of Taylor County. We have made a small start in the manufacturing field; may it be speedily and largely extended. ================= The Butler Herald March 5, 1912 Page Three The Commercial Life of Taylor County By Mrs. Ira Chambers Taylor County has grown slowly in a commercial way, but in the last few years it has made creditable commercial progress. We have two railroads crossing the county, the Central of Georgia and A.B.&A. Each cover about 25 miles, and both have many good shipping points. We now have six banks in the county, three at Reynolds, two at Butler and one at Mauk. These six have a combined total capital of about $100,000.00. The county annually produces about ten thousand bales of cotton, about two hundred thousand bushels of corn, besides oats, peas, hay and all other produce needed for home consumption except sugar and coffee. Several cars of peaches and watermelons are shipped from the orchards and fields of the county yearly, and are sold at a good profit in the North and West. Several of these orchards have canning factories in connection thereto, and the fruit that is too ripe to ship is canned and sold to our local and foreign merchants. We have one cotton mill which sends out quantities of cotton yarn. This is the mill at Potterville. It consumes about 120 bales of cotton a month. This is made into yarn and shipped direct to New York. The turpentine and rosin industry also plays an important part. We have also several lumber and shingle mills over the county. Guano is also extensively manufactured in our county, much more than it takes to supply our needs, so it is shipped to other counties in the State. Our mule and horse market is flourishing. Several cars are handled by our enterprising dealers yearly. We have also several grist mills and cotton gins scattered all over the county that takes care of our needs in that line. We have also a Kaolin [See notes below] mine about three miles of Butler. The quality and quantity of the best. This mine at one time has been worked successfully, but at present is lying idle for want of proper machinery and capital with which to work same. The farmers are using up-to-date farming implements, are preparing their land as never before, are cultivating their crops well and we can say for our planters that as a rule they are prosperous and energetic. ================ From The Butler Herald The names of several fertilizer companies listed as sponsors giving prizes in a Boys's Corn Club contest. The one located in Butler was - Butler Fertilizer Co. - prize - 1 half ton high grade guano to boy using its fertilizer Reynolds also had two fertilizer companies - One by the name of Home Mixture Guano Co. - they were giving as a prize 1 ton of guano Second - Farmers Warehouse & Fertilizer Co. - prize of 1 ton of guano. The Butler Herald June 4, 1912 Page Three Local Paragraphs Mr. C.J. Fowler, of Potterville, was a pleasant caller at this office Monday morning. Mr. Fowler informs us that Mr. J.B. Bowden has resigned his position as superintendent of the Potterville cotton mill and the place filled by Mr. J.B. Parker formerly of the Porterdale mill. He said that he voiced the sentiment of all the employees of the mill and the people of the vicinity in profoundly regretting the loss of Mr. Bowden, who is one of the best qualified men in the state for the position he occupied and has the esteem of all the employees. Mr. Bowden always took an active interest in the social and moral uplift of the community, and a promoter in fraternal orders which has prospered and been of lasting good through his untiring efforts. The Butler Herald July 16, 1912 Page Three A Splendid Record of Butler Fertilizer Company The stockholders of the Butler Fertilizer Company met in annual session in the office of the Farmers & Merchants Bank on Tuesday last, when detail report of the business transaction o the concern was read and unanimously adopted. Considering the financial pressure of the times and the unfavorable crop season the report as read was quite flattering and accepted with much gratification by all of the stockholders. Without declaring a dividend which might have been done with due regularity and much gratification that matter was deferred until the holding of a call meeting some weeks hence. To fill a vacancy on the board of directors Mr. A.H. Sealy was elected to that office. The directors held a short session after the stockholder's meeting and elected the following officers: A.H. Sealy, President; C.E. Beens, Vice-President; I.F. Peebles, Sec. and Treas. The splendid record made by Butler Fertilizer Co., is due largely to the efforts of Messrs. H.J. Peagler and I.F. Peebles, leading members of the board of directors. Mr. Peagler, is cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank and has held that office with signal ability, demonstrating with equal ability his good business management in the manufacture of fertilizers. Mr. Peebles is one of the best known businessmen in this section of the state, enjoying a large mercantile patronage in addition to his other enterprises. KAOLIN The old chaulk mine is located just west of Butler on the south side of highway 137. Hasn't been in operation in a long long time. Dorothy" The primary use of Georgia clays around 1912 would have been for ceramics. Although Kaolin is used for paper filler now (among other uses mentioned in my earlier note), Vermont clays were used primarily as paper filler in those days. Larry Whittington Larry@WhittingtonAssociates.com VISITING THE CHALK MINE My parents, Aunt, Uncle, cousin and I were visiting relatives in and around Butler. I have no idea where the chalk mine was located. My Daddy took us there to see the mine and I didn't know if you walked into the stuff it was wet and would pull you under. We had a time trying to clean my shoes. I was about 8yrs old & my cousin was about 2yrs old. My cousin got into the chalk 1st and I tried to get him out but I got myself into it also and my Daddy had to get both of us out. Lillian Hinton Dickinson Jedlhd@aol.com KAOLIN - SCHLEY COUNTY A chalk mill will soon be started on the plantation of Mr. E.T. Leightner, who has on his plantation one of the finest chalk beds in the state. Dr. J.A. Chappell, the well-known Alabama chemist, came here a few days ago to examine it and pronounced it so good that a company has been formed to operate a mill on the spot. Eli Taylor Lightner (1846-1912) owned a plantation in the Concord community in Schley County, seven miles north of Ellaville (and just 2-3 three miles from the Taylor county line. I don't know if this is the same place or not but it seems possible. The Schley post office at this time was housed in the home of Mary Ella Woodall Patton and was physically located within a stone's throw of Concord Methodist church at the intersection of GA 240 and Concord Church Road. A photo of the home & post office can be viewed at http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley/photos/ph893woodallp .jpg It is on the National Register of Historic Places.