The Gold of the South

By Joan Frances – 

 Historically, cotton was discovered over 7,000 years ago and is one of the oldest fibers distributed throughout the world. It is a unique crop, both food and fiber, and it requires 180 to 200 days from planting to full maturity. Cotton is a fairly hot weather plant, requiring plenty of fertilizer and sun. Pests and disease are a constant concern; this crop is heavy on management. It was one of the leading commodities in America for 134 years from 1803 to 1937, and the benefits are well worth the effort. For over one hundred and fifty years, the Fort Bend community has contributed to the growth and success of the cotton industry, one of the largest agricultural industries in Texas.

When the early settlers came to Fort Bend, they discovered rich soil and abundant land along the Brazos and Colorado Rivers. The success of cotton growth caught on quickly, and farmers began profiting from harvests and exceeding expectations. In 1825, Jared Ellison Groce and his son, Leonard,  purchased land near Hempstead and brought from Georgia what is believed to be the first cotton gin. This invention existentially grew the American cotton industry by enabling a worker who cleaned five pounds of cotton in one day by hand to “gin” fifty pounds in the same amount of time. Even with the gin, complex work was required in separating the fibers from the seeds. Consequentially, growers became dependent on slaves as the main source of labor for the industry.

In 1845, Fort Bend had a record 1,172 slaves harvesting the cotton for market. Workers brought handpicked seed cotton to the gin house where it was placed on a flat tray and raked, which allowed the lint to fall through a hole into the “lint room” and to be stored until ready for bailing. Labourers then carried baskets of cotton to a yard press for compression inside the bale box. Each bale weighed 400 to 500 pounds. As a result of its huge success, the ginning, seed oil milling, brokerage and storage industry also contributed to increased wealth for the farmers. As early as 1833, Fort Bend had 30 cotton gins. By 1860, there were over 2,000 and 159 farms in the area encompassing 12,000 acres of cotton and a slave population totaling 4,127. The farmers believed the economic and prosperity of the community justified the institution of slavery; therefore, they supported the Confederacy and voted for secession from the United States.

When the Civil War began in 1861, it brought economic decline and hardships. Although the battle never reach-ed Fort Bend, the repercussions were impacting. “King Cotton” was a slogan the southern states used to support secession by forming an alliance with the Confederacy in an effort to force Great Britain and France to support them in the Civil War. In early 1861, farmers refused to sell or ship cotton; they stockpiled or burned it in an attempt to persuade Great Britain to provision the south because their industrial economy depended on cotton textiles. The plan backfired; Britain was well-stocked with a surplus from exported bumper crops in the late 1850s so they remained neutral. Later, when cotton was in demand, and the value of stock piles increased, the British approached India, Egypt and Brazil to intensify cotton production.

During reconstruction, cotton was used as currency, and a tenet farming system evolved. The property owner kept a portion of the harvested crops in exchange for the use of the land and supplies. Banks suffered, and land could not be purchased. As a result of abolishing of slavery, plantations had no work force. After the war, America once again regained its position as the world’s leading producer of cotton. 

Today, Fort Bend County continues to be a driving force in the cotton industry. Cotton is marketed more than any other fabric in the world, and it is still known as the gold of the south.