Yesterday: China Grove Cotton Mill

Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 2, 2011

David Swinson, who has lived on ‘Mill Hill’ in China Grove most of his life, shares this photograph of China Grove Cotton Mill employees taken April 22, 1935, outside the plant. Swinson’s father (not pictured) worked with many of the workers, and ‘I knew a lot of those people in the photograph,’ Swinson says. Here’s a rundown of the workers (full or partial name) who can be identified: From left to right, first row — Mrs. Casper, unidentified, Sallie Mills, Edna Beaver, Connie Yow, Ruby Smith, Nola Barnhardt, Isabelle Mabry, Myrtle Roberts, Lois Waddell, Mrs. Curtis, Mr. Cudd, Mrs. McClure, Rachel Dorton, Mrs. Deal, Carrie Norton, Mable Solomon, Ethel Crisco, Hazel Mauldin, Edith Wilhoit, Pearl Correll, unidentified, Will Payne, Craig Morris and Charlie Clark. Second row — Jessie Mae Fraley, the next four people unidentified, Lottie Caldwell, Myrtle Mull, Georgia Withers, unidentified, unidentified, Mrs. Doby, Mrs. Whitman, unidentified, Mrs. Duncan, unidentified, Myrtle Barnhardt, Helen Hollar, Mrs. Stamper, Mrs. Boger, Nell Waddell, Ethel Propst, Ruby Lentz, Bessie Shuffler and unidentified. Third row — The first three people are unidentified, Mrs. Alsobrooks, Vernice Alsobrooks, Estelle Hopkins, unidentified, unidentified, Maude Teeter, Elizabeth Collins, Ruth Hopkins, Susan Roberts, Sallie Henley, unidentified, unidentified, Marbelle Morris, Demmy Garmon, Maude Davis, Coy Kimball, Herbert Overcash, Lefty Crisp, Mr. Foster and unidentified. Fourth row — Ollie Correll, the next three are unidentified, Bertie Christopher, Mamie McKnight, unidentified, unidentified, Thelma Hunsucher, Cleo Miller, Miss Tate, unidentified, Mrs. Solomon, Ruth Whitman, Mrs. Safriet, Mrs. Withers, the next three are unidentified, Mrs. Harwood, Cecil Kluttz, Ollie Cline, Mrs. Burris, Myrtle Bostian, Pearl Walker, Lillie Mundy, the next four are unidentified, Worth Christopher, Mr. McKnight and Tom Davis.