Mayesville (Marysville)
There was extreme segregation in the early days of the Mill Company. Almost all of the jobs inside the mill were denied to black people. There were some jobs available to black men in outside work and in the warehouses. Black families were also not allowed to live in the Mill Village in Company houses. Starting in 1921, steps were taken to provide houses for the black families that worked for the Mill. A separate community, Marysville, was built, away from the Mill Village, for this purpose. The following story is taken from Volume 1 of the History of Pacolet.
(I had the good fortune to know and work with Mr. Capus Littlejohn (Not Capers) that was interviewed for the above article in the late 1950's. We worked for the District 3 schools doing maintenance work. He was a kind and wise man.)
Thanks to Ms. Vonda R. Shands we have become aware of an online interview related to Pacolet and Marysville. In 1964, a researcher from Georgia State University interviewed Ms. Ethelene Rogers about her life in Pacolet and Marysville. The approximately one hour interview covers subjects such as the Depression and the Great Textile Strike of 1934. Ethelene Rogers was one of the best friends of Vonda Shands’ grandmother. The very interesting interview touches on many facets of life in Pacolet. It can be heard at: http://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uprising/id/449.
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Pacolet.