He gained sufficient support for his own efforts, but was unable to bring about any general change in the agrarian southern economy.

William Gregg, considered by many as "the most significant figure in the development of cotton-mills in the South", was born on February 2, 1800, in Monongalia County, Virginia.

His early exposure to his uncle's cotton manufacturing plant sparked his long- term interest in the business.

Following the War of 1812, Jacob Gregg had encountered economically tough times and could no longer support the young William.

In 1821, William Gregg moved independently to Petersburg, Virginia, an industrial town, to improve and enhance his craft and trade and perfect his ability.

Continuing his string of purchases in 1838; Gregg bought into the Vaucluse Manufacturing Company, which was a cotton mill in the Barnwell District of South Carolina.

Gregg rekindled his interest for the industry and bought into the company with his brother in law General James Jones.

In 1844 Gregg embarked to the North, on a mission to study and examine the numerous textile mills in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

Gregg wanted to improve and enhance the industry in the South as many Southern plants were prone to failure and undercapitalized.

Gregg advocated that the region stop remaining over-dependent on plantation agriculture as the only means of commerce in the society.

The articles mainly critiqued the South's failure to develop a strong and viable manufacturing sector that could accompany the strengths of the agricultural industry, specifically plantations.

Gregg felt that by keeping local capital, the state would diversify, jobs would be produced, and the economy would become less dependent on cotton growing.

This money was put towards constructing a tremendous and massive state of the art textile factory and plant on Horse creek, which was a couple of miles from Gregg's Vaucluse Mill.

The production and construction of the Graniteville Company relied on the local people of the area to build and operate the mill.