// South Carolina White Privilege // Hard Working Americans // Since The Beginning // Amen //

Everyone in this family photo works at the Mill

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0395 [P&P]

The mill he refered to was in South Carolina. Due to child labor laws it's unlikely the youngest child (far right) was legally employed at the mill.

 Three unnamed "sweepers" from Clifton Mill in Clifton, South Carolina.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 3006 [P&P]

Mill "villages" were often constructed at the site of the mills throughout South Carolina. After reaching a certain age, children would attend school and then be sent to the mill to work after. Many simply dropped out of school when they reached the age of 12.

 A young girl tends a warping machine at a mill in South Carolina.

Flickr/Richland Library

In a reader comment on this photo on Flickr, someone identifies the girl in this photo as their Grandmother, Sara "Sadie" Agnes Lenore Barton (Howard). That's amazing!

8. In this 1912 photo taken at Beaumont Mill in Spartanburg, young "spinners" pose outside the mill.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 2968 [P&P]

Note the absence of shoes on two of the young girls and the injury the one girl has sustained to her toe. In spite of the situation the girls seem to be almost giggling.

 A young work crew is rounded up for a photo at Saxon Mill in Spartanburg, May 1912.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 2984-A [P&P]

This group of young men looks less than enthusiastic to be in the spotlight. Since the photographer was working in an investigative capacity documenting possible child labor law violations, it's possible there had been hushed warnings about speaking with him.

 Very few historic photos of adults in the mill exist.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0385 [P&P]

This rare photo was taken in a Newberry, South Carolina mill. The name of the mill is omitted from the record. The photo was taken in December, 1908.

 Spinners and doffers at Lancaster Cotton Mill, Lancaster, S.C.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0348 [P&P]

Even though this photo was taken in December of 1908, note the young boy second from right has no shoes on.

 A young boy sweeps in an unidentified South Carolina mill while others look at the camera.

Flickr/Richland Library

Many of the young children who worked at the mill are photographed without shoes. It's possible this child is working with bare feet.

 John Ghent had worked as a "spinner" for one year by the time this photo was taken in November 1908.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0337 [P&P]

The young boy worked at Lancaster Cotton Mill in Lancaster, South Carolina. The photo appears to have been taken in the mill "village."

14. Monroe James is photographed in Belton, SC in May of 1912.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 3021 [P&P]

The photographer notes he doubts this young man is twelve. At the time of the photo he worked in the mill in Belton, South Carolina.

 A proud Will Morrill is photographed in front of Wylie Mill in Chester, South Carolina, November 1908.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0320 [P&P]

The photographer noted young Will had been working in this mill for five years. It was common for children to work at the mill to help the family make ends meet.

 This photo taken in May 1912 shows a young boy walking ahead of some adult workers.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 2982-A [P&P]

The boy's name is Eddie Norton. The photo was taken at Saxon Mill near Spartanburg, South Carolina.

 A photo taken in the spinning room at Lancaster Cotton Mill in Lancaster, South Carolina shows a young woman and some older women tending spinners in the spinning room.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0355 [P&P] LC-H5- 355

The young girl's first name was Mamie and the photo was taken in December 1908.

 A spooling room at a South Carolina cotton mill.

Flickr/Richland Library

The giant spools seen atop the rows of machinery combined the threads from the smaller spools below.

 6:15 p.m. - Quitting time at Arkwright Mill in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Library of Congress/LOT 7479, v. 5, no. 2979 [P&P]

A shift of workers is heading home after a hard day's work. Workers often went to work very early and worked ten or twelve hour shifts. The photo was taken in May 1912.