Greenville in Greenville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Brandon Mill
Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022
1. Brandon Mill Marker
Inscription.
Brandon Mill. . By June of 1900, J. Irving Westervelt’s (1862-1939) dream of a new 5 story, 10,000 spindle, 400 loom cotton mill was under construction. Lockwood, Greene, and Company designed the mill. Built by local engineer Jacob W. Cagle (1832-1910), construction was completed in January 1901. Originally named Quintin, it was charged to Brandon, honoring Capt. Ellison Adger Smyth’s (1847-1945) family and a textile hamlet near Belfast, Ireland. The first cotton cloth was produced on February 8, 1901. By the end of 1901, the mill had produced 4,257,696 yards of cloth. Within five years, the mill expanded from 16,000 to 86,000 spindles, from 150 to 420 employees, and the mill village from 66 to 420 homes. Brandon stock reached over $200 a share by the end of 1908. In 1913, Augustus Wardlaw Smith (1862-1934) of Spartanburg became its second president. By 1918, the company had built a baseball park, school, two churches, nursery, and community house with a dining room, library, showers, and nurse’s station. Later, a bowling alley was added. The most famous of Brandon’s mill baseball players was Joseph Jefferson Wofford “Shoeless” Joe Jackson (1888-1951) who became one of professional baseball’s greatest hitters. In order to keep the mill open through the 1930s, Smith cut hours and pay rather than eliminate jobs – a strategy that produced substantial loyalty to the mill during the 1934 “Flying Squadron” textile strike. During World War II, Brandon Mill prospered with government orders for duck cloth, medical gauze, and uniform twill fabric. In December 1946, Abney Mills bought the assets of Brandon Corporation, and began selling the mill village houses. Brandon Mill reduced its workforce in 1969 and the mill closed in 1977. The mill complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
By June of 1900, J. Irving Westervelt’s (1862-1939) dream of a new 5 story, 10,000 spindle, 400 loom cotton mill was under construction. Lockwood, Greene, and Company designed the mill. Built by local engineer Jacob W. Cagle (1832-1910), construction was completed in January 1901. Originally named Quintin, it was charged to Brandon, honoring Capt. Ellison Adger Smyth’s (1847-1945) family and a textile hamlet near Belfast, Ireland. The first cotton cloth was produced on February 8, 1901. By the end of 1901, the mill had produced 4,257,696 yards of cloth. Within five years, the mill expanded from 16,000 to 86,000 spindles, from 150 to 420 employees, and the mill village from 66 to 420 homes. Brandon stock reached over $200 a share by the end of 1908. In 1913, Augustus Wardlaw Smith (1862-1934) of Spartanburg became its second president. By 1918, the company had built a baseball park, school, two churches, nursery, and community house with a dining room, library, showers, and nurse’s station. Later, a bowling alley was added. The most famous of Brandon’s mill baseball players was Joseph Jefferson Wofford “Shoeless” Joe Jackson
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(1888-1951) who became one of professional baseball’s greatest hitters. In order to keep the mill open through the 1930s, Smith cut hours and pay rather than eliminate jobs – a strategy that produced substantial loyalty to the mill during the 1934 “Flying Squadron” textile strike. During World War II, Brandon Mill prospered with government orders for duck cloth, medical gauze, and uniform twill fabric. In December 1946, Abney Mills bought the assets of Brandon Corporation, and began selling the mill village houses. Brandon Mill reduced its workforce in 1969 and the mill closed in 1977. The mill complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Greenville Textile Heritage series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1901.
Location. 34° 52.053′ N, 82° 25.639′ W. Marker is in Greenville, South Carolina, in Greenville County. It is on Ravenel Street west of Smythe Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker located in Greenville Textile Heritage Park. Touch for map. Marker
Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022
2. Brandon Mill Marker
Marker is second from left.
is in this post office area: Greenville SC 29611, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mills Mill (a few steps from this marker); Monaghan (a few steps from this marker); Piedmont (within shouting distance of this marker); Poe Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Dunean (within shouting distance of this marker); Poinsett (within shouting distance of this marker); Slater (within shouting distance of this marker); Judson (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 28, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,121 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 28, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
