Do YOU Remember Dr. Denton’s Pajamas?
A Step Into the Past
When you or your children were young, were footed pajamas a ‘thing’? Maybe they still are!
Did you ever wonder their origins… .Who created them? Where? What did production look like? When? Who worked there? Did the factory close and when?
A History of Pajamas
In the 19th century, British colonials encountered the “piejamah” which was a common garment in India and Iran.
Before pajamas, most European and American men wore nightshirts to bed, as they had for centuries. Women wore nightgowns.
As most history goes, there are varying stories. One such story mentions that some trace the evolution of footed pajamas back to the 1400s. But most cite the late 1800s as the first time period in which one-piece sleeping garments were made. They were called “union suits” and were a type of one-piece long underwear, originally created in Utica, New York.
According to the Ladies Home Journal in 1912, the Dr. Denton garment covered body, feet and hands. They promised warmth if bed covers were thrown off. At that time, prices were 50¢ to $1.10
Here is one of the ads from long ago!
Another advertisement:
Above is Margaret Thomas who was the daughter of the mill’s manager at the time. Dressed in her Dr. Denton’s, as shown in this photo, she became the trademark of the mill, appearing in numerous advertisements.
History of Dr. Denton’s Pajamas Unfolds
The company was founded in 1865, originally as the Michigan Central Woolen Company, and from the late 1800s through the first half of the 20th century was probably the single best-known manufacturer of blanket sleepers in the United States.
The mill was built in 1872 and operated as the Centreville Knitting Company by leading businessmen and farmers of the vicinity. The first period of the business may be said to have concluded in 1885 and was characterized by considerable friction and rivalry, the result being that it was thrown into the courts and assigned to one of the factions.
Throughout the years, the factory had many names and many who were connected to its ownership and operation.
A Doctor Was Not in the House
Although the new company name said otherwise, ‘Doctor’ Denton was not a physician nor an academic doctor. Using the Doctor Denton name was a marketing technique.
According to the 1974 story in The Sturgis Journal, the “Dr.” referred to endorsements of the sleeper from medical doctors, including Dr. Mary Wood Allen, editor of American Motherhood.
The “Dr.” was dropped from the company name and labels in the 1930s because the government believed it was misleading.
Who Was Dr. Denton?
Whitley Denton was born in England in 1845, coming to the United States with his family when he was three years old.
As a young man, he fought in the Civil War. After the war, he worked as a blacksmith. He also worked in cotton mills as a young man, apparently learning along the way.
After moving to Centreville, Michigan, Denton created the original design of the footed pajamas. Denton was known to sew the first sleepers in his own home to protect his children from the winter cold. He was known to work long and hard, showing up at the mill every day to make sure everything was running smoothly
“He worked and studied over the garments so assiduously that his health rapidly declined, but he felt he could not stop,” his obituary read. “Finally, the goods were perfected to his satisfaction and he took the long-needed vacation, but it was too late,” stated Dennis Volkert in the The Sturgis Journal March 28 , 2009
It was also reported: “Mr. Denton’s obituary described how “the world is better for his having lived.” Employees of the mill served as pallbearers and when funeral services were held at the late Denton’s home, “the crowded home and evidences of sorrow on every face spoke volumes, and best testified to his worth”.
Denton died in 1896 at the age of 51, two years before his patent was approved.
Denton might not have imagined his company would one day have such long-term success. Many of us still know his name, over a half century later.
Dr. Denton Mills in Centreville, Michigan
The first building to be built was the three-story brick structure at the corner of Clark and Mill streets. That corner of town looks completely different today as I try to piece together exactly what I’m looking at today compared to then.
One hint is figuring out where the water came from to power the mill in those days.
Power for operating the machinery in this building was the endless cable, mounted on towers equipped with pulleys, running the water power plant on North Nottawa Street to the rear of this three-story building. Often it was necessary to close the plant because the cable would break frequently and time would be required for the repair.
At its peak, the Centreville plant employed 350 to 400 workers.
Denton may not have anticipated how successful his patent would eventually become. By the 1920s, sales ranged in the hundreds of thousands annually and a branch plant was opened in the nearby town of Mendon where 100 workers were employed. During the Great Depression, the Mendon factory portion of the operation was closed.
Inside the Factory
My favorite part of the Dr. Denton story is looking at photos from inside to see the equipment and the workers busy at their tasks. This is where the special knitted fabrics were created which began the entire process.
Once the fabric was created and cut to patterns, the workers would begin stitching the pajamas.
I love seeing the workers. I’d like to be able to talk with those ladies!
Pajamas Piled Up
Do you notice the stacks of finished pajamas?
High quality in workmanship was stressed. Any store receiving a garment which they thought was not of first quality, they received a replacement without question.
The Mill was very fortunate to have conscientious employees who had pride in their work and were anxious to produce a good garment. Even to this day, previous workers express their enjoyment of working there (see below).
The early sleepers were gray, heavy and were made with three percent wool. The sleepers were mass produced beginning in 1895 and color was added to them in the 1950s.
Here is one of the workers at a sewing machine — it had nine threads going on one machine! This woman must have had quite the sewing skills!!!
Women in the Workplace
In the photos from long ago, it looks like mostly women were the seamstresses. In one woman’s ‘resume’, one can see that this was a huge operation with many departments. Ms. Barbara Parker must have been one of our early woman pioneers. Just look at the list of positions she held within the company over a period of time: training supervisor, time study engineer, office manager, human resource manager and plant manager.
Interesting Statistics for Dr. Denton’s Sewers
In late 1920 and early 1930, in an average year, they would spin two million miles of yarn; enough to circle the earth eighty times.
One to two miles of yarn were required to make one pair of pajamas, the amount depending on the size of the garment.
Two tons, 7,500 yards, were knit daily to satisfy the production.
Thirteen tons of thread were used in a year and two million yards of facing material were required for a year’s production.
Approximately 25,000 four-hole buttons were sewed on each day with each one having fourteen stitches. For each button there had to be a button hole which was fashioned with 100 stitches.
Speaking of Buttons…
According to Charles A Boss, former Vice President of Denton Mills from 1920 to 1940 : Originally, Dentons were fashioned with pearl buttons and later with bone buttons. As more washing machines equipped with powered ringers were being used in the homes, this type of button would break easily when going through the wringer. To remedy this, the Denton Mills designed the first four-hole rubber button which was manufactured in Milwaukee by a company experienced in processing rubber products. These would bend when going through the wringer. This innovation came about in 1930 and had strong customer appeal.
In 1951 snap fasteners had become popular and were adopted.
Dr. Denton’s as Trailblazers
Early in the 1920s, workers’ hours were reduced to five days a week by discontinuing the Saturday forenoon work. Employees, however, continued to receive the same weekly wage.
This was considered quite an innovation as the only industry reported to have a five-day work week, at that time, was the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan.
Times Were A-Changing
It is said that, eventually, the business had outgrown the building in Centreville, sending all production to three plants in Mississippi where taxes were lower.
The plant closure also meant an end to retail sales at the manufacturer’s outlet which had given employees a chance to buy the goods they made at a reduced price.
Upon closure, the Centreville location still had 120 workers.
Razed in 1972
In 1972. the Denton pajama factory was razed. What a sad day it must have been for all who had worked there and the people who entered its doors to climb up to the second floor to purchase right on site.
A portion of the building still stands but it is unclear which portion was razed as I look at the buildings still standing
By the late 1970s, 53 years ago, the company ceased production of the pajamas to focus on sweaters. A search on the internet, however, shows that there are some companies which still produce footed sleepwear!
What My Own Friends Said:
Recently I posted a photo on Facebook, asking any of my friends if they remembered Denton pajamas. YES! Below are some of their responses:
“I can remember my mother loved her job there and most all of her co-workers. She also talked about the owner being there daily & was in the factory part helping with what they needed .”
“Many in my area still remember working and/or shopping in the old building.”
“I think about those pajamas every time we drive by.”
“I always made it a point to buy my kids their pajamas at the St Joseph County Fair. They used to always be set up there.”
“My mother would buy our pajamas there.”
“I had an aunt who was a sewer there. She kept my kids supplied in pj’s…. I really appreciated that from her.”
“I worked there for a short time one summer.”
“I did sewing on their machines - mostly it was fun and interesting. “
“I remember going there for their sales!”
“I remember climbing the stairs to a room filled with sale items on big tables.”
The women who commented are still alive, fondly remembering times long ago….
Today
What does the building look like now?
This back portion is my favorite:
This new portion was added and stands today. What a contrast!
There had been a For Sale sign in the front of the building but now even the realtor is out of business. I had been hoping for a tour! However, with windows looking like this, I think it is best to leave it alone.
Even the factory’s old windows look like a piece of art.
Sources:
AHundredYearsAgo.com
Collection by Dick Cripe
Period Papers on Ebay
St. Joseph County Historical Society
UPI Archives, June 23, 1988
Volkert, Dennis
Wikipedia
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