W. T. NORTHINGTON, S. I. MUNGER, and ROBERT S. MUNGER are listed among the presidents and are not shown in this Web Folder.

Click Photos to Enlarge

JOSEPH  B E N N E T T  BELL

Joseph Bennett Bell was born in Greenville, Alabama, November 18, 1859. His early education was received in the schools at Greenville. As a young man he moved to Montgomery and later settled in Prattville, Alabama. In 1889 he married Miss Mary V. Pratt, daughter of Merrill E. Pratt and Julia Pratt.

Mr. Bell was prominent in political and financial affairs of Autauga County. He served as Probate judge for several years and also served in the state legislature.

At the organization of Continental Gin Company in 1899 he was made a director, a position he held until the Company was reorganized in 1926. Mr. Bell was a director of the Prattville Bank. He was active in religious circles, serving on the board of stewards of the Methodist Church. He owned the ice plant and oil mill at Prattville.

Mr. Bell died on May 18, 1937, in Prattville and was survived by seven children.

F E R D I N A N D  C.  GAMMONS

Ferdinand C. Gammons, son of Samuel and Deborah Gammons, was born in South Middleboro, Massachusetts, September 29, 1845. He made Middleboro his home until twenty-one years of age, at which time he moved to Bridgewater. In Bridgewater he became a manufacturer of boxes under the firm name of Pratt and Gammons. In June 1876 this factory was destroyed by fire, but Mr. Gammons was able to continue the business by contracting with the Eagle Cotton Gin Company to manufacture boxes for them. A year and a half later Mr. Gammons became one of the owners of the Eagle Cotton Gin Company and was elected manager of the company. He continued as manager and vice president until 1899 when the company was sold to Continental Gin Company. He then became vice president and manager of the Bridgewater factory, a position he held until February 1926 at which time Continental Gin Company was reorganized, and he resigned as a director.

Mr. Gammons was a member of the Methodist Church and was considered a deeply religious man. He built and presented to the congregation the Gammons Memorial Methodist Church in Bridgewater. By virtue of his interest in civic and religious affairs in the community, he was considered a prominent man in Bridgewater.

SAMUEL P. GATES

Samuel P. Gates was born June 8, 1837, the son of Pearly and Mary Gates of Ashby, Massachusetts. He received his early instruction in the local schools, later graduating at the State Normal School in 1857. Soon after graduation he entered the employ of Bates, Hyde & Company of Bridgewater, manufacturers of cotton gins, as secretary to Joseph A. Hyde.

In the course of the Civil War Mr. Gates enlisted in the United States Army. He was detailed for duty in the Adjutant General's office in the War Department in Washington. In 1867 he was given an honorable discharge by Secretary Stanton, thus permitting him to resume his position with Bates, Hyde & Company.

Upon the death of Mr. Hyde in 1877, the Eagle Cotton Gin Company was incorporated and Mr. Gates was chosen treasurer. He held this position until the corporation was sold to Continental Gin Company.

Mr. Gates was treasurer of the Bridgewater Savings Bank from the date of its organization until his death; president of the Bridgewater Co-operative Bank, and of the Bridgewater Shoe Factory Company. He served as trustee of the Bridgewater Public Library, the Bridgewater Academy, the old Bridgewater Historical Society, and clerk, treasurer and trustee of the Church of New Jerusalem.

He was married in 1871 to Miss Marcia Elizabeth Jackson of Plymouth, who died two years later. Their only child, Marcia, died in infancy.

Mr. Gates was a religious and a charitable man, and an outstanding citizen.

ENNIS  MUNGER

Ennis Munger was born at LaGrange, Texas on February 29, 1860. Little is known of his early life. He was married and had two sons who were later associated with the company.

The purpose of his moving to Dallas was to work for the Munger Improved Cotton Gin Machine Manufacturing Company. In 1897 he became treasurer of the Company. In 1899 when Continental Gin Company was organized, he was elected a director. He was also in charge of sales west of the Mississippi River until his death on October 8, 1909.

He was a cousin of R. S. Munger.

DANIEL PRATT II

Daniel Pratt, son of Merrill E. and Julia Pratt, and great nephew of the founder of the Daniel Pratt Gin Company, was born February 12, 1866. He received his early education in the Prattville schools and his college education at the University of Alabama, where he was graduated. He later served the University as a trustee for many years. After his graduation in 1886, he began work for the Daniel Pratt Gin Company and upon the death of his father, Merrill E. Pratt, lie became manager of the Company.

He was a member of the Methodist Church, serving on the board of stewards. He was always interested in the civic affairs of the town and county. He served as president of the Prattville Bank.

In 1892 he assisted in the organization of the Northington-Munger-Pratt Company of Birmingham, manufacturers of the Munger System Outfits. He was elected treasurer of the Company. In 1899 when the Daniel Pratt Gin Company was sold to Continental Gin Company, Mr. Pratt was elected vice president of the Company and manager of the Prattville plant. Several years later he resigned as vice president and manager of the Prattville plant, but continued as a director until his death on October 7, 1949.

He was beloved by all who knew him. He was a generous contributor to all good works of the community. At the time of his death, Mr. Pratt was survived by three children: Merrill E. Pratt, Mrs. Oscar Underwood, Jr. and Mrs. Robert Wilkerson.

Mr. Pratt was one of the last of the original organizers of the Continental Gin Company. He spent practically his entire life in the cotton ginning machinery industry, adding greatly to its advancement.

ARTHUR W. SMITH

Arthur W. Smith was born at Prattville, Alabama, April 7, 1855, son of Ferdinand E. Smith and Martha E. Riggs Smith. He attended the Prattville schools and Southern University at Greensboro, Alabama. Graduating in 1876 he taught for almost two years at Southern University and then came to Birmingham.

Mr. Smith was employed by Pratt Coal and Coke Company where he became superintendent, a position he filled until the property was sold in 1884. In 1879 he married Miss Mary E. Sloss, the daughter of Colonel J W. Sloss, one of the leading pioneers in the development of Birmingham and the builder of the original Sloss furnaces in this district.

In 1884 Arthur W. Smith with his brother, Dan T. Smith, composed the firm of A. W. and D. T. Smith. They had the exclusive sales agency of the Daniel Pratt Gin in the states of Texas and Louisiana. He did not go to Texas but remained in Birmingham and in 1885, with his father, F. E. Smith and brothers, D. T. Smith and Emmett L. Smith, organized the Smith Sons Gin & Machinery Company. He was president until the company was sold to Continental Gin Company in 1899.

Mr. Smith served as vice president and treasurer of Continental Gin Company from its organization in 1899 until he resigned in 1929, remaining a director however until his death March 13, 1944.

He was closely identified with the Birmingham Trust & Savings Company, serving on its Board of Directors from 1890; vice president from 1892 to 1901; president until 1923, and then chairman of the Board. He served as chairman until he retired in 1937 but continued as a member of the Board.

Mr. Smith was one of the organizers of the Title Guarantee Loan & Trust Company and a director until his death. He served as a member of the Jefferson County Sanitary Sewer Commission, organized the Oak Hill Memorial Association for preservation of Oak Hill Cemetery, serving as president until his death.

Religious affairs in the community were encouraged by Mr. Smith. For many years he was on the board of stewards of the First Methodist Church, serving several times as chairman. He was a leading citizen of Birmingham.

DAN T. SMITH

Dan T. Smith was born October 5, 1857. He was educated in the Prattville school and later attended Southern University at Greensboro, Alabama, graduating in 1876.

After working under his father in the Daniel Pratt Gin Company plant until 1884, he and his brother, A. W. Smith, became general agents of the Daniel Pratt Gin Company for the states of Texas and Louisiana. In 1884 he married Miss Carrie Thornton of Union Springs, Alabama.

In the fall of 1885 he returned to Alabama and with his father and two brothers, joined in the organization of Smith Sons Gin & Machine Company of which he was made vice president.

Mr. Smith was an exceedingly modest man, adverse to publicity, yet few people ever knew of the great good and assistance he rendered to mankind. In most instances he gave anonymously. He was a steward in the Avondale Methodist Church, serving several times as chairman of the board. He served as chairman of the trustees of the church.

Mr. Smith became general superintendent of the Continental Gin Company shortly after its organization. As one of the original organizers, he was made a director.

His death on January 26, 1924 was a great loss to the Company.

CHARLES R. WINSHIP

Charles R. Winship was born December 18, 1863. He was educated at the Boys High School, Atlanta, and then attended the North Georgia Agricultural College in Dahlonega, Georgia. Graduating at the age of nineteen, he then entered the firm of Winship & Brother in 1883.

He was married in 1890 to Miss Ida Atkins of .Athens, Tennessee. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and a member of the board of deacons. He was a member of the Capital City Club, the Piedmont Driving Club, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and director of the Trust Company of Georgia and trustee of Oglethorpe University.

Mr. Winship was interested in all movements for the furtherance of benevolence, education, temperance and morality.

He was president of Winship Machine Company at the time of its sale to Continental Gin Company. He was made a director of Continental Gin Company at the time of its organization, a position he held until his death October 7, 1929.

GEORGE WINSHIP

George Winship was born at Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia, in 1835. He was the son of Joseph Winship with whom he later became associated, along with his brother, in the firm of Joseph Winship & Company.

Upon retirement of his father in 1869, the business became known as Winship & Brother. On December 23, 1884, the Winship Machine Company was incorporated with George Winship as president, a position he held until retirement in 1895.

George Winship was one of Atlanta's most prominent citizens because of his interest in all civic activities. When Continental Gin Company was organized, he was made a director. Moreover, he was further honored by his fellow directors by being made temporary chairman at all meetings of the Board. He died April 11, 1916, at the age of eighty-one years.

05/09/2007