Erwin Cotton Mills

• 1892: Erwin Cotton Mills incorporated, the Duke family owning a controlling interest with Benjamin N. Duke as president and William Allen Erwin as manager.
• 1893: Mill No. 1 in West Durham began operation
• 1896: Mill No. 1 doubled in size
• 1903 - 1904 : Mill No. 2 built at Duke (now Erwin), Harnett Co., N. C.
• 1906: Colleemee Cotton Mills, Cooleemee, Davie Co., N. C., acquired and operated as Mill No. 3
• 1909 - 1910 : Mill No. 4, bleachery and finishing plant built at West Durham
• 1925: Erwin Yarn Company, a selling agency, established in Philadelphia, Pa.
• 1925 - 1926 : Mill No. 5 built at Erwin, N. C.
• 1927: William A. Erwin succeeded B. N. Duke as president
• 1932: Pearl cotton Mills in North Durham acquired and operated as Mill No. 6 Kemp Plummer Lewis succeeded W. A. Erwin as president
• 1937: Finishing plant added at Cooleemee
• 1947: Erwin Yarn Company liquidated
• 1948, ca.: Diana Mills at Neuse, Wake Co., N. C., acquired and operated as Mill No. 7
• 1948: Stonewall cotton Mills, Stonewall, Miss., acquired and operated as Mill No. 8 William Haywood Ruffin succeeded K. P. Lewis as president
• 1949: Accounting procedures changed from longtime standard forms posted by hand to radically different forms utilizing business machines
• 1950: Company changed name to Erwin Mills
• 1953: Abney Mills of South Carolina acquired control and its president, Francis Ebenezer Grier, became chairman of the board
• 1960, ca.: Burlington Industries acquired control, Erwin Mills continuing as one of its divisions
• 1969, ca.: Mill No. 6 in North Durham closed
• 1986: J. P. Stevens acquired and closed West Durham plant

From the guide to the Erwin Cotton Mills Records, 1832-1976, (Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library)