Cotton Farming
Around 1950 and before, there was a lot
of cotton farming in this area. Raising cotton could be
quite profitable but it was a very expensive undertaking.
In addition to seed and fertilizer costs, cotton had to be
specially cultivated, poisoned against the boll weevil, and
harvested at a relatively high labor cost.
One spring a flooding rain came after most farmers had
planted their cotton crops. It literally washed away the
freshly plowed soil with its seed and fertilizer. Starting
over, farmers replanted. For the second time the rains came
and again washed away the fertilizer and seed.
After having planted the third time, a group of downhearted
farmers were gathered on a chilly spring morning around a
potbellied heater at Stinchcomb’s store, located midway
between Fayetteville and what is now Peachtree City. They
were bemoaning their unbelievable losses.
One in the group trying to add some optimism to the
situation remarked, “ Well, I guess the Lord knows best.”
Mr. Quaker Davis, an older member of the group, replied in
a very sober manner, “Maybe so, but I might know more about
cotton farming than He does.”
Mr. Davis, a God fearing man, was well liked by those who
knew him. He was colorful in speech and action and in good
physical condition most of his life. I heard stories of his
walking from his home on Tyrone Road to Fayetteville and
back when he was quite old.
I received this email from
John Lynch after he read this story..
I wanted to ask if you remember Mr. Blake Gilbert, who
lived up where J&R Clothing is now? Your story on
cotton farming reminded me of him. In 1891 he grew 2 bales
of cotton and wasn't satisfied with the price of cotton
that year so he decided to "sit on it" until the price went
up. Well he sat on it for 56 years! The Redwines actually
bought the two bales in 1947 and there was a write-up in
the Atlanta Journal magazine about it (with a picture of
Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Charlie Redwine, and Mr. John Jackson, who
had ginned it). Catherine Redwine Stephens inherited the
cotton and gave it to the Historical Society for
safekeeping. We loaned it to Rick Minter to display at the
Tractor show, where it is today, just as dry and fluffy as
it was when picked. I have a small sample of it in the
museum here (Fife House) and love telling the story. Mr.
Gilbert was my great-grandmother's 1st cousin, was born in
1863 during the "Civil War" and I remember seeing him out
near the old home place on 85.