First Cotton Mill in Northwest Georgia - First of its Kind on Waymarking.com

Three Walker County businessmen, Andrew P. Allgood, Spencer S. Marsh and Col. W.K. Briers, officially organized the Trion factory Oct. 12, 1845. It has had few shut-downs since its first production in 1847. In 1858 an epidemic, in 1864 Sherman's invading Federal Army closed the mill until the end of the War Between the States, fire on April 10, 1876 only shut the mill for six months and a strike for six weeks in 1934. Three families owned and operated the mill through its first 150 years. The Allgood Family (1845-1912), the B.D. Riegel Family (1912-1987) and the R.B. Pamplin Family purchased the mill in 1987.

027-3 GEORGIA HISTORIC MARKER 1995

History about the Town of Trion and the mill: Trion, incorporated in 1869, was named after Trion Factory, the first cotton mill in northwest Georgia. Built in 1845-47 the mill was named by its three founders to commemorate their partnership. In 1858 it served the community as a hospital during an outbreak of typhoid fever. Unlike many other cotton mills, the factory was spared by Sherman's troops during the Civil War (1861-65), reputedly because one of its owners, Andrew Perry Allgood, was a Union sympathizer who hosted General Sherman overnight in October 1864. Allgood received protection papers from Sherman in exchange for a promise to close the mill for the duration of the war. Ironically in 1875 the mill did burn to the ground, raising questions about whether the fire had been set by people angered by Allgood's Union sympathies. The mill was rebuilt and eventually became Mt. Vernon Mills Incorporated, the world's largest indigo denim plant.

1845 Judge Spencer Marsh, Andrew P. Allgood along with Colonel W.K. Briers formed a partnership on October 12 to begin manufacturing products from cotton. The agreement was for Judge Marsh to hold and share one-half, Mr. Allgood to have one-fourth and Colonel Briers would have the other fourth. The capital invested was $25,000. A plank damn was built to furnish water power for the small mill. The original structure was a two-story building with the lower floor made of stone or brick and the upper floor made of logs. The floor print of the new mill measured 113 feet by 50 feet. Originally the 40 employees produced five-pound bunches or hanks of yarn on the mill's 600 spindles. The hanks were sold to merchants in the area from wagons. During the same year the name of the post office changed from "Island Town" to "Half Way" and back to "Island Town". 1847 The tiny mill was complete and in full operation. Employees had increased to 45 along with an increase to 864 spindles and 10 looms were now in operation. A new product was also introduced: osnaburg sacks for the local wheat crop. Mr. Allgood purchased Colonel Brier's one-fourth interest in the young and growing enterprise during the year.

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