An Analyses of the 1860 Census for BIVINGSVILLE, SC
Story furnished by Clarence Crocker
The Post Office having closed on June 10, 1867, the 1860 Federal Census taken June 19, 1860 was the last Census taken of the little mill village known as Bivingsville, S. C. At the suggestion of Mrs. Helen Converse, wife of Dexter Converse, Cotton Mill President, the village name was changed to Glendale and the Post Office opened again as the Glendale Post Office on April 19, 1878. John L. Bomar. Marshall was in charge of the census and certified the report.
The census listed 70 households of the area made up of 397 inhabitants whose addresses were listed as Post Office, Bivingsville, County of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Of the 397 inhabitants, 220 were white females, 177 white males. There were 2 black males and 1 black female. There were 123 children under the age of 12. Though the average household was made up of 5+, one household contained 13 members, one 11, two 10, six 9 and eight had 8.
The Bivingsville Cotton Manufacturing Co. had been sold through bankruptcy proceedings on April 11, 1856 and was at this date being operated as “The J. L. Bomar Co.” The company operated a cotton mill, saw mill, grist mill, blacksmith shop, machine shop and carpenter shop which made among other things, wooden shoes and caskets in which to bury the dead.
Dexter E. Converse, 31 years of age was listed as Cotton Manufacturer. Albert H. Twichell, 19 years of age was listed as bookkeeper, Robert E. Grick, 23 years of age was listed as a selling agent for the factory, Autury Crocker, 22 years of age and a distant cousin of this writer was listed as mail carrier, John Cash, 22 years of age was listed as a grade school teacher, Larkin Lee, 25 years of age was listed as a grade school teacher.
Thirty nine persons were listed as cotton factory operatives, 4 as carpenters and cabinet makers, 3 as shoemakers, 2 as machinist and 3 as blacksmiths, making a total of 51 factory workers. While all indications are that the factory, having just been pulled from bankruptcy, had a low employment figure at the time, as in all censuses, perhaps a number of factory workers were not identified as such.
One final interesting observation, this writer did not see one single wife listed as working outside of the home, all were listed as “housekeepers” .
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Glendale. See more information about Mary and her Glendale connection at Mary McKinney Teaster.