Officers & Directors For 2006-2007

President: Carolyn Fryer Windham
Vice President: Jack Potter
Directors: Charles Bridges
Douglas Bridges (Deceased)
Harry Fryer
Secretary/Treasurer: Jennings Blanton

Editor of "The Mill Hill Times": Jennings Blanton
                                                 Association Charter

The Delgado/Spofford Mills Association is established with loving memories of
family, friends, events, stories and happenings, wars, Depression and
recessions, much happiness, and many heartaches in the Delgado/Spofford Mill
Hill" community: to

(1) Promote, schedule, and hold annual reunions for the members of the
Association for fun,  and fellowship, and the binding together of all for many
generations to come: to

(2) Support those seeking to incorporate the community and properties into the
national Historic Register, and assist those having authority for the restoration
and preservation of the Delgado Mill Cemetery and to:

(3) Strive for the establishment of a "Mill Hill" museum and to support and
become an active participant in the Wilmington Historical Foundation.

(4) The Association will in no way engage in any political activities, nor serve or
support any political entity.

(5) The Association officers are: President, Vice-president/Treasurer,
Vice-president/Secretary, Historian, and Three Directors.  Subsequently the
Treasurer and Secretary positions were combined into one position of
Secretary/Treasurer, but one Vice-President was maintained.  Later a position of
Editor was established with the duty of publishing the Association's newsletter,
The Mill Hill Times.




.
This web site is to furnish information about the life and experiences of a group of people who lived in a
village in Wilmington, North Carolina commonly referred to as the "Mill Hill" by the residents and citizens      
of the city.  The village was known as Delgado Village on the US Federal Census reports, had 173 houses   
in which about 750 persons or 200 families resided, and who were employed by a textile company, Delgado
Mills. Inc.  For a period of 67 years "Mill Hill" in Wilmington, North Carolina was the place where thousands  
of hard working citizens lived, worked, and died living on a meager paycheck of a few dollars, many for less
than $10.00 per week, trying to provide food, clothing, and at least an elementary school education.

Although times were hard and especially through the Great Depression of 1930-1934, families got through    
it and the children of these "Mill Hill" parents achieved much success after the country recovered from that
National disaster and World War II.  Most all of the male children joined the Armed Forces and some were
killed in combat fighting the Germans and Japanese.  Many stopped their High School education after Pearl    
Harbor on December 7, 1941, but later continued on and were successful and productive citizens in
Wilmington and in other cities of the United States.

Men became high ranking officers in the US Air Force and the National Guard, attorneys, successful real
estate developers and contractors, two became professional golfers, one of which became the "club pro"   
at Wilmington's Municipal Golf Course and built it into a first class golf course.  Several became city law
enforcement officers, aviators, business leaders and Presidents of large textile corporations.  As such, one
was selected by the US Government as a consultant to the country of Czechoslovakia to help it develop a
National textile industry.

Women became Registered Nurses, school teachers, and during World War II were employed by the US  
War Department as secretaries, and other jobs related to the national defense.  Young high school  students,
not old enough to join the military were used as Air Raid Wardens when the German submarines were
sinking Allied shipping off the beaches of Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure.  Many of the wives who worked
in the weave and spinning rooms, and other sections of the mill, still gave birth to these children  and even
left their jobs in the middle of the night to go home to nurse their babies.  It is those babies who became the
successful people listed above, who owe that success to those hard working fathers and mothers and to
those dedicated school teachers at the little four grade school across the tracks and    known as Delgado
School.  Incidentally, that little school which was initially built to provide additional labor for the cotton mill,
prior to enactment of Child Labor Laws, has been designated as a National Historic Site.

Delgado Mills was established on May 25, 1899 when a Board of Directors was elected consisting of three
officers and four additional directors.  The property consisted of 102 acres of land costing $42.28 per acre
and the main buildings textile plant cost approximately $75,000.00.  The Official Handbook of Textile
Corporations reported in the 1927 edition the Delgado Mills, "Production and Equipment as being Fancy
dress ginghams, 46 cards, 900 narrow looms, 24,032 ring spindles, dye, bleach, finish, 4 boilers, steam     
and electric power;  Six hundred and fifty were employed (650).  Later another 67 houses were built as the
mill expanded, and the area was known as the "New Hill".  The area of the original 106 houses was known
as the "Old Hill."  Both areas had a boarding house.

On January 10, 1900, the Wilmington newspaper reported "the first blast of the Delgado Cotton Mills   whistle
echoed across town last night even though the mill was two miles from the river." The Cape Fear River was
at Front and Market Street which was 'downtown Wilmington.'  Suffice it to say that the residents of
Wilmington became accustomed to setting their clocks by the mill whistle.  Through the years 1900-1967
whistles were blown at 4:30, 5:50 (the 10 minute whistle) and 6:00 AM, for the 1st shift; 1:50    
and 2:00 PM 2nd shift and 11:50 and 12:00 PM midnight for the 3rd shift.

The mill operated as Delgado Mills from 1900 until 1933 when it changed hands and became known as
Spofford Mills, Inc.  The new owners were J. Holmes Davis Sr, and his son J. Holmes Davis, Jr.  For    
almost 25 years the Davis family operated the mill until it was purchased by the Lowenstein Corporation      
in 1957.  The plant was not very successful because of a depressed market for its particular type of
manufactured cloth and was closed in 1967.  The main manufacturing buildings and property was put up   
for sale and was purchased by some developers and the property was converted to an apartment    
complex.  The Office building was later purchased by another owner.

The "Mill Hill" village had its own 4 grade elementary school, its company store, and 2 churches, Delgado
Presbyterian and Gibson Avenue Baptist.  The company also had its own medical clinic with a doctor and
nurse.  Across the street from the main entrance was the home of the area Deputy Sheriff, and until the     
late 1930s had the only telephone in a "Mill Hill" house.  The house numbers and mailing addresses   


corresponded with the number of houses and an example of an address prior to 1933 was "60 Delgado,
Wilmington, North Carolina" and after about 1934 it became "60 Spofford, Wilmington, NC."

The houses, with the exception of those occupied by the various supervisors, about 6 in number, and
referred to by the mill hands as "bosses" had outhouse toilets, until the new owners installed bathrooms   
off the back porches.  In the 1920s the houses rented for $.25 per room per week, but later was raised to
$.40 per room.  Thus in the late 1930s a five room house would cost the employee $2.00 per week.  In
1930-31 a loom fixer would receive about $19.00 per week for a 60 hour work week.  Later when the 8     
hour work day was mandated the pay was increased so that by the time World War II started the minimum
pay was $.40 per hour.  A sweeper in 1943 would work a 48 hour work week and draw a pay of $20.80
which included time and a half for 8 hours on Saturday.                                                                                   

After 50 years working in the cotton mills of South and North Carolina,one of North Carolina's most
experienced textile machinery experts, especially, in looms and other weave room related equipment, his
weekly paycheck was $110 per week-just over  $5000 per year.  For most of those 50 years, he, his wife and
children were known as "lintheads" who lived on "Mill Hill."

As the Delgado/Spofford Mill Association prepares for it 9th Annual Reunion and with members hailing    
from 19 states;Washington, Oregon, Utah in the west, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois in the east, and
from Arizona across virtually all of the south from Kentucky to Florida, the Mayor of Wilmington, the
Honorable Spence H. Broadhurst had these words for the Association attendees:
                                                                                                           
"On behalf of the City of Wilmington, I would like to express our sincere congratulations as your   association
celebrates its 9th reunion in July, 2006.  The foundation of your continued success can be attributed to the
hard work and dedication of the many individuals who honor the area known as "Mill Hill"  in Wilmington...he
went on to say, "It is a testament to each of you who keep the spirit of your former neighborhood alive and
we extend our congratulations and best wishes for continued attendance in the years to come."  Sincerely,
signed, Spence H. Broadhurst, Mayor.

To all former employees and residents of the late Delgado/Spofford Mills, Inc, and the Lowenstein
Corporation who lived or worked on "Mill Hill", and to their families and descendants, this web site is
dedicated, with the hope and dream that those who follow behind will keep the spirit of our beloved "Mill
Hill" neighborhood alive and well.

Acknowledgment:  Two members of the Association, though not elected Officers or Directors, have made
significant contributions in all manners of help, and the recognition of Mr. Hugh Ballard, Greenville, SC      
and former President of several Textile Plants and Consultant to the country of Czechoslovakia and its
textile industry, and to Mr. Lonnie B. Williams, Attorney at Law with the law firm of Marshall, Williams, &
Gorham, L.L.P. Wilmington, NC, is in order.

Thanks to these persons for their assistance to the Association.

William J. (Jennings) Blanton, former "cotton mill sweeper", LtCol US Air Force (Retired), and former bank
Vice President
Association Secretary/Treasurer & Editor of "The Mill Hill Times
Charter of Delgado/Spofford Mills Association
Delgado/Spofford Mills Association, Wilmington, North Carolina
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