[1] In May 1842, Fries publicly announced that he intended “to keep constantly on hand a good assortment of wools, common yarn, Stocking Yarn ready twisted, and cheap Lindseys and cloths of different colors, qualities and prices.”[2] By May 1843 the mill had added "good, heavy Jeans" to the line, which would go on to become one of Fries' most popular products.
[4] Francis Fries' standing in the community was such that he was a member of the Forsyth County House of Commons from 1858 to 1859.
[1] During 1863 and 1864, private houses all around the town were used to dry Fries' cloth before it was made into oilcloth, children in the town wore wooden shoes to save leather for war supplies, and children and elderly townspeople were all involved in preparing different materials for the war effort.
[5] Governor Zebulon B. Vance publicly denounced these practices in the legislature, to strong objections from the mill owners, with Frank Fries describing Vance's comments as "very sweeping" and stating in a letter that the state's millers "are not more incorrigible than other classes of our citizens".
[4] By 1974, the mill had 1,614 spindles and 40 looms in operation, employed 100 people, and produced both yarn and cloth.