In the late 1830s, Ebenezer (Pettigrew) and Josiah Collins, Jr.,formed t he Sahara Silk Company, a venture aimed at fostering silkproduction in t he region. Although significant numbers of Mulberryleaves were importe d, silk production never seems to have gotten offthe ground, and the c ompany was disbanded around 1844.
A letter of 16 February 1887 tells of how a drunk Arthur Collins,after l osing Somerset plantation, sat on the porch at the Collins'sWeston pla ntation and threatened to turn his bulldogs on anyone whotried to take t hat property away from him. Charles LockhartPettigrew, Jr., was his la wyer in an unsuccessful attempt to holdonto the land.
