Poe

Mill 05

The Mill owned by Francis Winslow Poe began operations in 1897.
Equipment was 10,080 Spindles and 304 Looms. In 1907 equipment
was increased to 61,312 Spindles and 1,520 Looms.

The Companies property consisted of about 75 acre’s. Buildings consisted of the main Mill, Ice Plant, Store, Church, and School. The Store had rooms for the Company Office, Clubs, and Society Halls etc.

The Church was shared for services by the Baptist and Methodist’s. The
Presbyterian’s had no organized Church, but held services in the Church
about once a month. Years later a second Church was built and became
a Methodist Church, the Baptist remained in the first Church.
The School’s first floor was occupied by the Poe Mill Library and Social Club Rooms. The Library was opened each night until 10 o’clock and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The second floor was classrooms, and the School Library. The third floor was the Auditorium fitted for School exhibitions and other amusements and entertainments.

The Village was laid off in blocks 450 feet long by 200 feet wide, each
building lot being 75 foot front by 100 feet deep. The streets were 50 feet
wide and all were lighted with electricity furnished by the Mill.
The dwellings and homes consisted of home of the Assistant Treasurer,
The Superintendent’s house, the Parsonage, six Overseer’s house’s, a
large Barn, and Cow Stable’s, 45 two-stories Houses, and 152 one
story cottages.

The Mill was sold in 1947, to Ely & Walker Company. The Mill was sold again in 1954 by Ely & Walker Company to Burlington Industries. The Mill closed in 1977 and burned down in 2003. The 2 iconic smoke stacks of the Mill still remain.

Frank Ely owner of Janis & Company formed a partnership with one David Davis Walker in 1879. The resulting alliance was named Ely & Walker Company. Frank Ely died in 1890 and David Davis Walker died in 1918. (David Davis Walker was the Grandfather of President George Walker Bush).

1909 F W Poe Manufacturing Annual Report – Provided Courtesy of :
The Palmer-Norris Historic Upcountry South Carolina Collection

COORDINATOR

Gary O’Ssteen: Phone 864 423-8076, email gosteen08@aol.com

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