Though he had not been a particularly apt pupil in the schools, he conceived the ambition of attending college; and so, after teaching several winters in rural schools, he went to Yale.He appears to have paid his own way through college by the exercise of his mechanical talents.He is said to have mended for the college some imported apparatus which otherwise would have had to go to the old country for repairs."There was a good mechanic spoiled when you came to college," he was told by a carpenter in the town.There was no "Sheff" at Yale in those days to give young men like Whitney scientific instruction; so, defying the bent of his abilities, Eli went on with his academic studies, graduated in 1792, at the age of twenty-seven, and decided to be a teacher or perhaps a lawyer.
Like so many young New Englanders of the time, Whitney sought employment in the South.Having received the promise of a position in South Carolina, he embarked at New York, soon after his graduation, on a sailing vessel bound for Savannah.On board he met the widow of General Nathanael Greene of Revolutionary fame, and this lady invited him to visit her plantation at Mulberry Grove, near Savannah.What happened then is best told by Eli Whitney himself, in a letter to his father, written at New Haven, after his return from the South some months later, though the spelling master will probably send Whitney to the foot of the class:
"New Haven, Sept.11th, 1793.
"...I went from N.York with the family of the late Major General Greene to Georgia.I went immediately with the family to their Plantation about twelve miles from Savannah with an expectation of spending four or five days and then proceed into Carolina to take the school as I have mentioned in former letters.During this time I heard much said of the extreme difficulty of ginning Cotton, that is, seperating it from its seeds.There were a number of very respectable Gentlemen at Mrs.
Greene's who all agreed that if a machine could be invented which would clean the cotton with expedition, it would be a great thing both to the Country and to the inventor.I involuntarily happened to be thinking on the subject and struck out a plan of a Machine in my mind, which I communicated to Miller (who is agent to the Executors of Genl.Greene and resides in the family, a man of respectibility and property), he was pleased with the Plan and said if I would pursue it and try an experiment to see if it would answer, he would be at the whole expense, I should loose nothing but my time, and if I succeeded we would share the profits.Previous to this I found I was like to be disappointed in my school, that is, instead of a hundred, I found I could get only fifty Guineas a year.I however held the refusal of the school untill I tried some experiments.In about ten Days I made a little model, for which I was offered, if I would give up all right and title to it, a Hundred Guineas.I concluded to relinquish my school and turn my attention to perfecting the Machine.I made one before I came away which required the labor of one man to turn it and with which one man will clean ten times as much cotton as he can in any other way before known and also cleanse it much better than in the usual mode.This machine may be turned by water or with a horse, with the greatest ease, and one man and a horse will do more than fifty men with the old machines.It makes the labor fifty times less, without throwing any class of People out of business.
"I returned to the Northward for the purpose of having a machine made on a large scale and obtaining a Patent for the invintion.Iwent to Philadelphia* soon after I arrived, made myself acquainted with the steps necessary to obtain a Patent, took several of the steps and the Secretary of State Mr.Jefferson agreed to send the Pattent to me as soon it could be made out--so that I apprehended no difficulty in obtaining the Patent--Since Ihave been here I have employed several workmen in making machines and as soon as my business is such that I can leave it a few days, I shall come to Westboro'**.I think it is probable I shall go to Philadelphia again before I come to Westboro', and when Ido come I shall be able to stay but few days.I am certain I can obtain a patent in England.As soon as I have got a Patent in America I shall go with the machine which I am now making, to Georgia, where I shall stay a few weeks to see it at work.From thence I expect to go to England, where I shall probably continue two or three years.How advantageous this business will eventually prove to me, I cannot say.It is generally said by those who know anything about it, that I shall make a Fortune by it.I have no expectation that I shall make an independent fortune by it, but think I had better pursue it than any other business into which I can enter.Something which cannot be foreseen may frustrate my expectations and defeat my Plan; but Iam now so sure of success that ten thousand dollars, if I saw the money counted out to me, would not tempt me to give up my right and relinquish the object.I wish you, sir, not to show this letter nor communicate anything of its contents to any body except My Brothers and Sister, ENJOINING it on them to keep the whole A PROFOUND SECRET."* Then the national capital.
** Hammond, "Correspondence of Eli Whitney," American Historical Review, vol.III, p.99.The other citations in this chapter are from the same source, unless otherwise stated.
The invention, however, could not be kept "a profound secret,"for knowledge of it was already out in the cotton country.
Whitney's hostess, Mrs.Greene, had shown the wonderful machine to some friends, who soon spread the glad tidings, and planters, near and far, had come to Mulberry Grove to see it.The machine was of very simple construction; any blacksmith or wheelwright, knowing the principle of the design, could make one.Even before Whitney could obtain his patent, cotton gins based on his were being manufactured and used.
