“Children working in the cotton mills…”
The Chester Manufacturing Co. was chartered on July 10, 1888. The incorporators were: J.L. Agurs, J.H. Smith, S.M. Jones, G.D. Heath, J.J. Hemphill, G.W. Gage, and W.H. Hendrix. The mill was located on the property of Mr. Woods and a two story brick building and fourteen workers houses were built. The masonry and plastering was done by J.R. Simrill and the woodwork was done by George A. Albright, both skilled Chester artisans. There was a fire in the early years of the company and it was rebuilt. The Catawba Manufacturing Company was established as a separate business to supply yarn to the Chester Manufacturing Company. Both of these mills became involved in the panic of 1893 and failed. The next year D.A. Tomkins of Charlotte bought the Chester Man. Co., and the Catawba Man. Co., and they were thereafter operated as one business. They failed again in 1898 and were sold in 1899 to O.P. Heath of Monroe and Eli Springs of Charlotte. LeRoy Springs was made the President and at this time it became known as Springstein. The mills still had trouble being profitable but the sale of fabric to the government during WW I brought a new period of prosperity.
The Catawba Spinning Co., was also owned by Mr. D.A. Tomkins and was later sold to Springs and partners. This mill was changed to the Eureka Mills and it operated as a yarn mill and in 1909 began making sheeting. In 1931 the operations of these mills were merged. In 1933 the Springs Cotton Mills was formed and the company rebuilt the Springstein Mill and introduced new machinery.
Credits: Anne P. Collins, A Goodly Heritage: History of Chester Co., S.C., Collins Publishing, Columbia, S.C. 1986, p. 127-131
City Directories and History: 1908 – Mrs. Mary Roof (#10 Springstein Mills – Boarding),
The links associated with this page from the Lewis Hines Photo Collection tell an important history of the textile industry in Chester,
R&R HISTORY LINK: WHITE FAMILY IN FORT MILL SC
S.C., and elsewhere in the South. Click on the sites below to be linked with the Hines photo collection which can be viewed here or researched on the Hines website
Reported to be the Jeffries family, who were employees of Springstein Mill. Courtesy of the Chester Co Library.
at: http://lewishinephotographs.com/ Also, see the images below from the Lancaster Cotton Mill, owned by the same company operating the Springstein Cotton Mill in Chester, S.C.
Also see additional information on the Spring’s family home in York County, Springstein Plantation.
The RH Record of Jan. 21, 1899 reported the Chester Cotton Mills is in the hands of a receiver. There have been no buyers and the price has been reduced to $25,000. The sale will be in February.”
The RH Herald on Feb. 22, 1899 reported the Chester Cotton Mill has been sold to O.P. Heath and Eli Springs of Charlotte, for a price of $48,000.” This was a bankruptcy sale.
On May 10, 1899 – “the name of the Cotton Mill in Chester recently purchased by Mr. Heath and Springs has been changed to, Springstein after an old Springs family name in Holland.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Sept. 10, 1902 – “That Mr. J.W. Westerland has a force of hands in Chester covering the Springstein Mill.” (Mr. Westerland was a roofing contractor from Rock Hill and often installed roofs on industrial building across the state.)
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Oct. 25, 1902 – “A fire originated in the dye room of the Springstein Mill and did about $75,000. in damage. It destroyed the dye room, engine, boilers, slashers, piping and a stock of fabric. The mill will be closed for one to two months. During that time the Euraka Mill will add extra shifts to hire the Springstein operatives as extras.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Feb. 25, 1903 – “In an article taken from the Spartanburg Journal, that R.W. Boney, who has been in the insurance business in Spartanburg for sometime, has secured the position as bookkeeper for the Springstein Mills of Chester. In the past he worked with the Tyger River Manuf. Co., of Fairmount.”
The RH Record of July 22, 1909 – “The Springstein Mill of Chester is changing this week from steam power to electricity. Some of the motors are already in operation. The Southern Manufacturing Company of Gadsden Street has also recently installed electric power.”
Shipment of cotton to the Springtein Mill in Chester via W.M. Patrick of Fairfield County, S.C. in 1928
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R&R HISTORY LINK: Mr. Boney was associated with the Springstein Cotton Mill of Chester, S.C.
R&R HISTORY LINK: LEROY SPRINGS AND CO, LANCASTER SC
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