WINSHIP MACHINE COMPANY

Atlanta, Georgia

The first member of the Winship family to engage in the manufacture of cotton gin machinery was Joseph Winship. He was born in New Salem, Massachusetts, August 29, 1800. His earliest American ancestor was Edward Winship, who came from England in 1634 and settled at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Joseph Winship moved to Georgia when he was twenty-two years old. He settled first in Forsyth, Monroe County, but in 1835 he moved to Clinton in Jones County, and there he opened a general store in partnership with Charles Hutchings. This was a very successful establishment, and was well known throughout the area. He was married in 1826 to Emily, the daughter of Robert and Drucilla Hutchings.

About 1845 he established a small cotton gin factory in Morgan County, Georgia, ten miles south of Madison. It was operated by water power. The capital was $20,000 and there were about twenty employees.

Joseph Winship established in 1853 a cotton gin factory on the corner of Foundry Street and West Point & Atlanta R. R., in Atlanta. He afterwards admitted into partnership his brother, Isaac Winship, and his two sons, Robert and George, the firm then becoming Joseph Winship and Company.

During the War Between the States they manufactured guns and ammunition for the Confederacy. In 1864 the city of Atlanta was destroyed by fire and also the Winship plant. The plant was rebuilt soon afterwards, and in 1866 Isaac Winship moved to Macon, Georgia, selling his interest to his brother, Joseph.

Joseph Winship with his two sons, Robert and George, continued the business until January 1869, when Joseph Winship retired. The business was continued by the sons under the name of Winship and Brother until December 1884. The

State of Georgia, with a capital stock of $200,000. The incorporators were: Robert Winship, George Winship, Charles Robert Winship, R. E. Rushton, F. H. Schenck and C. J. Hancock. The Winship Machine Company was then incorporated in the officers elected were: George Winship, President; Robert Winship, Vice President, and R. E. Rushton, Secretary.

In 1890 Robert Winship retired as vice president and Charles Robert Winship succeeded him. In 1895 George Winship retired as president, and Charles Robert Winship was elected president. The business continued without change until December 1, 1899 when the Company was sold to Continental Gin Company.

For sixty-two years the company enjoyed business and developed into one of the largest manufacturing companies in the South. During this time they manufactured freight cars, cotton ginning machinery, steam engines, boilers, horsepower engines, cane mills and syrup kettles. -

Robert Winship's daughter Emily married Ernest Woodruff who bought the Coca-Cola Company from Asa Chandler. One of their sons, George would later become President and Chairman of the Board of Continental Gin Company. His Brother Robert Woodruff was President of the Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Johnson Senior Vice President of Sun Trust Bank said that the Coca-Cola Corporate jet is called "Winship" and most of the company employees think it is "Windship", not knowing the Winship family connection.

The location of the Winship/Continental Factory  is where the Georgia World Congress Center is now.

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