“The Mill Ran Today”: Patterns of Work in a Mid-Nineteenth Century Northwest Missouri Woolen Mill

Abstract

Mid-nineteenth century woolen mills in northwest Missouri represented proprietary rather than corporate mill ownership found in the northeastern United States. Although the work performed by mill operatives was similar in both types of mills, forms of mill management and the daily rhythm of work differed. The first purpose of this study was to determine the patterns of work at the Watkins Woolen Mill (WWM), near Lawson, Missouri. The second purpose was to compare WWM weavers to the New England mill girl profile (Dublin, 1979). Data revealed that weavers at the WWM worked irregular weeks compared to the 12-hour, six-day work weeks common in corporate New England mills; that the weavers’ work culture included job-sharing and on-the-job training; and that there were sibling employment patterns similar to Dublin’s (1979) study. Weavers at the WWM experienced a “dual loyalty” to their home and to the mill (Zonderman, 1986).