Wilson Brothers
Wilson
Brothers Shirts began as a two story building about 1887. The main headquarters
were in Chicago and the South Bend plant was only the manufacturing center.
It was located on Sample Street just east of Prairie Avenue. Originally they
only made shirts but later also made underwear, pajamas, and men's socks. By
1926 they had seven large buildings employing over 1600 people. By 1929 they
were employing 2200 people. The ethnic workforce is unclear. However, a 1934
article from the South Bend Tribune
lists 65 employees who have worked more than 25 years for the company. Most
of the names are German and Polish. This would be consistent with a pattern
of people who lived in the neighborhood because it is the same neighborhood
of those who worked for Studebaker and Oliver.
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