Captain John Henry Montgomery was born on a farm in Hobbysville in Spartanburg County on December 8, 1833, the eldest son of Benjamin Montgomery and Harriet Moss. In the early 1850s, Montgomery worked as a store clerk and then a partner with his brother-in-law in a mercantile business. In 1857 he married Susan A. Holcombe, a union that produced eight children. Shortly after marrying, Montgomery entered into the general merchandising business with his father-in-law and acquired an interest in a local tannery. He served in the South Carolina Volunteers during the Civil War, reaching the rank of captain.
After the war, Montgomery continued with his farming and mercantile activities. One day while plowing the fields, he stopped in his tracks. His wife, who was watching him from the kitchen window thought he might be sick and rushed into the field, whereupon Montgomery told her that he was too smart to plow fields for the rest of his life. His successful experimentation with commercial fertilizers led to an association with John Merriman's Baltimore-based firm, where he was brought on as a salesman. In 1874, Montgomery moved from the country to the city of Spartanburg and joined the mercantile firm of Walker, Fleming and Company, the largest cotton buyer in the county.
In 1881, Montgomery and Walker, Fleming and Company purchased Trough Shoals, a property situated on the Pacolet River as the site for a new textile operation. A year later, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company was organized with an initial capital stock of $103,000. Montgomery was chosen to serve as president and treasurer of the company, and the first mill became operational in 1884. Under Montgomery's guidance, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company expanded its operations to a second mill in 1888, adding a third in 1894. By 1895 the company operated more than 50,000 spindles and maintained a capital stock of $700,000.
Montgomery's success was due in large part to his skill at attracting Northern investors, notably bringing Seth M. Milliken of the New York selling house Deering, Milliken and Company to Spartanburg. Milliken lent Montgomery $10,000 for Spartan Mills, his second major mill project. Organized in 1888, Spartan Mills merged with Whitfield Mills of Newburyport, Massachusetts the following year in an arrangement that brought all of Whitfield's machinery to Spartanburg.
Montgomery played an important role in the development of upcountry mill villages with the construction of company housing, schools and shops. In November of 1885, the Spartanburg Carolina Spartan stated that the Pacolet Manufacturing Company served as a "monument of practical utility." Seth Milliken once said that Capt. Montgomery was the smartest businessman he ever knew.
By 1900 the upcountry mills under Montgomery's presidency were consuming cotton at such a high rate that they had to look further south for enough supply of raw cotton. Two years later Montgomery opened two mills in Georgia, one in Gainesville and the other in New Holland. John Montgomery died on October 31, 1902, shortly after falling from a scaffold at the Gainesville site. His sons took over running the mills with Ben at the Drayton Mill, Victor at the Pacolet Mill and Walter at Spartan Mills.
Researched by Helper
After the war, Montgomery continued with his farming and mercantile activities. One day while plowing the fields, he stopped in his tracks. His wife, who was watching him from the kitchen window thought he might be sick and rushed into the field, whereupon Montgomery told her that he was too smart to plow fields for the rest of his life. His successful experimentation with commercial fertilizers led to an association with John Merriman's Baltimore-based firm, where he was brought on as a salesman. In 1874, Montgomery moved from the country to the city of Spartanburg and joined the mercantile firm of Walker, Fleming and Company, the largest cotton buyer in the county.
In 1881, Montgomery and Walker, Fleming and Company purchased Trough Shoals, a property situated on the Pacolet River as the site for a new textile operation. A year later, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company was organized with an initial capital stock of $103,000. Montgomery was chosen to serve as president and treasurer of the company, and the first mill became operational in 1884. Under Montgomery's guidance, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company expanded its operations to a second mill in 1888, adding a third in 1894. By 1895 the company operated more than 50,000 spindles and maintained a capital stock of $700,000.
Montgomery's success was due in large part to his skill at attracting Northern investors, notably bringing Seth M. Milliken of the New York selling house Deering, Milliken and Company to Spartanburg. Milliken lent Montgomery $10,000 for Spartan Mills, his second major mill project. Organized in 1888, Spartan Mills merged with Whitfield Mills of Newburyport, Massachusetts the following year in an arrangement that brought all of Whitfield's machinery to Spartanburg.
Montgomery played an important role in the development of upcountry mill villages with the construction of company housing, schools and shops. In November of 1885, the Spartanburg Carolina Spartan stated that the Pacolet Manufacturing Company served as a "monument of practical utility." Seth Milliken once said that Capt. Montgomery was the smartest businessman he ever knew.
By 1900 the upcountry mills under Montgomery's presidency were consuming cotton at such a high rate that they had to look further south for enough supply of raw cotton. Two years later Montgomery opened two mills in Georgia, one in Gainesville and the other in New Holland. John Montgomery died on October 31, 1902, shortly after falling from a scaffold at the Gainesville site. His sons took over running the mills with Ben at the Drayton Mill, Victor at the Pacolet Mill and Walter at Spartan Mills.
Researched by Helper
Captain John Henry Montgomery was born on a farm in Hobbysville in Spartanburg County on December 8, 1833, the eldest son of Benjamin Montgomery and Harriet Moss. In the early 1850s, Montgomery worked as a store clerk and then a partner with his brother-in-law in a mercantile business. In 1857 he married Susan A. Holcombe, a union that produced eight children. Shortly after marrying, Montgomery entered into the general merchandising business with his father-in-law and acquired an interest in a local tannery. He served in the South Carolina Volunteers during the Civil War, reaching the rank of captain.
After the war, Montgomery continued with his farming and mercantile activities. One day while plowing the fields, he stopped in his tracks. His wife, who was watching him from the kitchen window thought he might be sick and rushed into the field, whereupon Montgomery told her that he was too smart to plow fields for the rest of his life. His successful experimentation with commercial fertilizers led to an association with John Merriman's Baltimore-based firm, where he was brought on as a salesman. In 1874, Montgomery moved from the country to the city of Spartanburg and joined the mercantile firm of Walker, Fleming and Company, the largest cotton buyer in the county.
In 1881, Montgomery and Walker, Fleming and Company purchased Trough Shoals, a property situated on the Pacolet River as the site for a new textile operation. A year later, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company was organized with an initial capital stock of $103,000. Montgomery was chosen to serve as president and treasurer of the company, and the first mill became operational in 1884. Under Montgomery's guidance, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company expanded its operations to a second mill in 1888, adding a third in 1894. By 1895 the company operated more than 50,000 spindles and maintained a capital stock of $700,000.
Montgomery's success was due in large part to his skill at attracting Northern investors, notably bringing Seth M. Milliken of the New York selling house Deering, Milliken and Company to Spartanburg. Milliken lent Montgomery $10,000 for Spartan Mills, his second major mill project. Organized in 1888, Spartan Mills merged with Whitfield Mills of Newburyport, Massachusetts the following year in an arrangement that brought all of Whitfield's machinery to Spartanburg.
Montgomery played an important role in the development of upcountry mill villages with the construction of company housing, schools and shops. In November of 1885, the Spartanburg Carolina Spartan stated that the Pacolet Manufacturing Company served as a "monument of practical utility." Seth Milliken once said that Capt. Montgomery was the smartest businessman he ever knew.
By 1900 the upcountry mills under Montgomery's presidency were consuming cotton at such a high rate that they had to look further south for enough supply of raw cotton. Two years later Montgomery opened two mills in Georgia, one in Gainesville and the other in New Holland. John Montgomery died on October 31, 1902, shortly after falling from a scaffold at the Gainesville site. His sons took over running the mills with Ben at the Drayton Mill, Victor at the Pacolet Mill and Walter at Spartan Mills.
Researched by Helper
After the war, Montgomery continued with his farming and mercantile activities. One day while plowing the fields, he stopped in his tracks. His wife, who was watching him from the kitchen window thought he might be sick and rushed into the field, whereupon Montgomery told her that he was too smart to plow fields for the rest of his life. His successful experimentation with commercial fertilizers led to an association with John Merriman's Baltimore-based firm, where he was brought on as a salesman. In 1874, Montgomery moved from the country to the city of Spartanburg and joined the mercantile firm of Walker, Fleming and Company, the largest cotton buyer in the county.
In 1881, Montgomery and Walker, Fleming and Company purchased Trough Shoals, a property situated on the Pacolet River as the site for a new textile operation. A year later, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company was organized with an initial capital stock of $103,000. Montgomery was chosen to serve as president and treasurer of the company, and the first mill became operational in 1884. Under Montgomery's guidance, the Pacolet Manufacturing Company expanded its operations to a second mill in 1888, adding a third in 1894. By 1895 the company operated more than 50,000 spindles and maintained a capital stock of $700,000.
Montgomery's success was due in large part to his skill at attracting Northern investors, notably bringing Seth M. Milliken of the New York selling house Deering, Milliken and Company to Spartanburg. Milliken lent Montgomery $10,000 for Spartan Mills, his second major mill project. Organized in 1888, Spartan Mills merged with Whitfield Mills of Newburyport, Massachusetts the following year in an arrangement that brought all of Whitfield's machinery to Spartanburg.
Montgomery played an important role in the development of upcountry mill villages with the construction of company housing, schools and shops. In November of 1885, the Spartanburg Carolina Spartan stated that the Pacolet Manufacturing Company served as a "monument of practical utility." Seth Milliken once said that Capt. Montgomery was the smartest businessman he ever knew.
By 1900 the upcountry mills under Montgomery's presidency were consuming cotton at such a high rate that they had to look further south for enough supply of raw cotton. Two years later Montgomery opened two mills in Georgia, one in Gainesville and the other in New Holland. John Montgomery died on October 31, 1902, shortly after falling from a scaffold at the Gainesville site. His sons took over running the mills with Ben at the Drayton Mill, Victor at the Pacolet Mill and Walter at Spartan Mills.
Researched by Helper
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