Early
History of Randleman, North Carolina
The founding of
the Dicks Grist Mill in 1800 was the beginning of the history of
Randleman, N.C. It
has been said that Peter Dicks laid the cornerstone for the City
of Randleman.
By 1848 more settlers had come, and Union Factory was
built, causing the community to change its name to Union.
During this informative period two men were outstanding
in development of the Community John Banner Randleman, and John
H. Ferree. These
two men had purchased the Union Factory, and changed it to
Randleman Manufacturing Company, and were instrumental in
starting the Naomi Mills.
In 1880 the General Assembly at Raleigh granted paper of
incorporation to the City of Randleman, named for John Banner
Randleman. When the
town of Randleman Mills was created and incorporated a town.
John H. Ferree, James E. Walker, James O. Pickard,
Romulus R. Ross, Addison W. Vickery, created a body politic
under the style of Commissioners of the Town of Randleman Mills.
The small town thrived, and by 1890 was the largest town
in Randolph County. The
coming of the High Point, Randleman, Asheboro, and Southern
Railroad in 1889 had greatly facilitated the growth, because
roads were not good, and the railroad assured the town of
quicker handling of freight.
During this time three more mills came into being –
Randleman Hosiery Mills, Plaidville Mills, and Marie Antoinette,
Randleman Hosiery was the first hosiery mill in Randolph County.
The High Point, Randleman, Asheboro, and Southern
Railroad was completed in July 1889.
In its early days the influence of this railroad played
an important part in the development of Randleman, and other
sections of Randolph County.
The first church to be built in Randleman was the Mt.
Lebanon Methodist Church in 1850.
In 1855 a Methodist Episcopal Church was organized,
called St. Paul. In
order that the people on the other side of town could be
conveniently served in 1833 Naomi Methodist Church was
organized. These two churches merged in 1944, and are now the First
Methodist Church. The
Bank of Randleman was organized in 1900 with Stanhope Bryant as
president, and was consolidated with the Peoples Bank in 1910.
September
5, 1961 moved from old City Hall Building to first floor of the
Lions Club building at the corner of the City Parking Lot.
January
1965 the Board formed the first Planning and Zoning Board.
March
1970 began grading and clearing for the ball field on Stout
Street.
In 1973 completed
construction on present City Hall and the Randleman Library.
February 7th,
1978 the form of government was changed to City Manager/Aldermen
form of government.
July
1979 the first full time fire chief was hired.
John
Banner Randleman
John Banner Randleman, son of Augustine F.C. Randleman, was born
September 11, 1837 in Stokes County, North Carolina (the part
that is now Forsythe County) died late in 1879, Union Mills
(later Randleman) North Carolina.
He is buried at St. Paul’s Methodist Church Cemetery,
Randleman, North Carolina.
He worked in the Cotton Mills from the time he was
seventeen. He was
superintendent of High Falls Cotton Mills, on July 7th,
1868, with John H. Ferree, bought Union Factory from George W.
Swepson on Deep River. He
added to and improved the Mills and renamed them Randleman
Manufacturing Company.
Later the Randleman Company was the parent Company for
other Cotton Complexes including the Marie Antoinette, Naomi
Falls Mfg. And others. Also
the Randleman General Store, which was the first store, built at
Union (Randleman) and operated until the early 1980’s, though
for many years not in the Randleman Family.
The Town of Randleman Mills was chartered on March 29,
1880, and in 1890 it was the largest town in Randolph County.
It had grown into a flourishing town, and ranked among
the leading Manufacturing Centers in the State.
The Randleman interests
were sold to Deep River Mills Inc., in 1911, when about 600
workers were employed there.
The Mills were sold at auction in 1933 (the town was for
two years without a payroll) but the Mills came back to fill
government orders during WWII and they have continued to thrive.
Mary Alice Randleman, daughter of John Randleman, married
John H. Ferree April 10th, 1873.
He had control of the Mills at Randleman after his
partner John Banner Randleman died.
S. G. Newlin, his brother-in-law, was also an officer in
the Mills.
When
the Town of Randleman was incorporated in 1880, S. G. Newlin was
one of the first Town Commissioners.
Peter
Dicks
Peter Dicks may be said to have laid the corner stone of
Randleman when in the dim and distant past he put a little grist
and oil mill on the banks of Deep River and the became known as
Dicks’ Mill.
Peter Dicks was a man of affairs as counted in his day.
He was a farmer and owned large tracts of land; he was a
merchant, operating a store in the then thriving village of New
Salem. He
served in many public affairs from the founding of the County of
Randolph, having been Clerk of the Court of Equity and
Commissioner, of Justice. He
was one of the founders of New Garden Boarding School, now
Guilford College, and throughout his life remained trustee of
the school.
|
