Dorothy Sheppard Davis Brewer

Cone Mills Employee, Inspector and Timekeeper | Mill Villager

I worked for Revolution Mill from 1949 to 1952. I never applied for a job at Revolution, Harry Stutts an overseer, came to or house in July l949 and ask if I would like to work for him at Revolution Mill.  After I got my composure. I said, “Sure”.  He replied, “Be there in the morning before 7:00 am.”  I worked for Revolution until they closed in 1982.

I started wrapping cloth and then put in different jobs, inspecting cloth and a time keeper.   Benny Burton was my, “boss” and told my daughter years later that if he had two like me he could eliminate lots of jobs.

I do not ever remember a day in my career that I was late.  (My daughters told me the reason: “ I never wore makeup.”)

One special day in 1956, I went to work (the night before I sold one of our Farms in Putnam, North Carolina and was paid in cash.  God blessed me and my girls.  The money was enough to buy the mill house in Print Works that I was renting.  At 9:00 am, I asked Harry Stutts to let me off from work.  He said, “No”.  I told him that it was very important, he told me to come to his office.  Harry, I have over $5,000.00 in my bra and I need to go the Company Office to buy my house.  He said, “Go Now”.

Every day was a good day for living in the Mill Village.  Neighbors shared conversations and good coffee.