The Winpennys of Manayunk: An Alternative Approach in the Burgeoning Nineteenth Century American Textile Industry

Abstract

The Winpennys of Manayunk provide a case study of three generations of early industrialists who produced woolen goods along the banks of the Schuylkill between 1808 and 1884. Family know-how and family networking greased the wheels of commerce. They pursued their patriotic duty and kept the Quartermaster well supplied — even in peacetime. The small mills were a fascinating alternative to the Lowell model.