SMITH SONS GIN AND MACHINE COMPANY

Avondale, Alabama

FERDINAND E. SMITH was born in 1824, at Brentwood, New Hampshire. He was persuaded by Daniel Pratt to come South in 1849 to operate a sash and door factory at Prattville, using power furnished by the Daniel Pratt Gin Company in an adjoining building owned by Mr. Pratt.

After operating the sash and door factory for approximately five years, Mr. Pratt persuaded Mr. Smith to accept the job of assembling gins in the factory of the Daniel Pratt Gin Company. In 1884 Mr. Smith's sons, D. T. Smith, who had been working with his father, and A. W. Smith, who was living in Birmingham, were given the agency for distributing the Pratt gins west of the Mississippi River. D. T. Smith moved to Galveston to operate the agency.

In 1886 F. E. Smith withdrew from the Daniel Pratt Gin Company and organized the Smith Sons Gin & Machine Company to manufacture gins, feeders, and condensers. His sons, A. W. Smith, D. T. Smith, and E. L. Smith joined him in the organization. The plant was established in Avondale, a suburb of Birmingham. The officers of the Company were A. W. Smith, President, D. T. Smith, Vice President, and E. L. Smith, Secretary and Treasurer.

Due to the practical experience of F. E. Smith and his son, D. T. Smith, the Company enjoyed a large business throughout the South. In 1899 the Company sold its manufacturing plant to Continental Gin Company.

F. E. Smith died March 23, 1909.

Information from The Story Of The Continental Gin Company 1900-1952 by Algernon L. Smith Vice Chairman of the Board Edited by James F. Sulzby, Jr. Printed by The Birmingham Publishing Company Copyright 1952 Continental Gin Company

05/09/2007