Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-02-09
MORE MILL HISTORY.
The Early FIGURING Mills Of Richmond
and ticinity-The Clark n
Yaryan Mill
Editor Richmond Palladium:

A CORRECTION
In speaking OF the Valley mill n a
former paper I stated, from the :
information | could gather, that VII
liam Bancroft bought the mlli IN
1885 and changed it into a woolen
mill, and that Amos Higgins next
came into possession of the property
and converted il into a Touring mn:
But from information since obtained
[ find that John Finley bought D
property in 1915, who in lo4o sold an
interest in it TO Jacob and William
Wright. 1t was this firm who putin
the -four making machinery IN 0
wear 1S49. 1t was this firm who sold
the mill to Amos Higgins 90
| tanned this information from a
daughter Of John Finley and am glad
to make the correction.
In an article describing the jerry
Cox mill | quoted from the Inter
State Publishing company where II
saws Jesse Clark built the frst
Touring mill in the county,, two
miles north of Richmond. | hnd
nothing I % corroborate the statement
in regard to such a mill IN that I'll,
| rection. The writer must have had
reference to the Clark and iaryan
mill near that distance northeast OF
| Richmond; neither do find evidence
that Jesse Clark ever owned or had
an interest in that mill, but that
| Robert Conner built one, whose power
was to be derived from Conner 5
springs in 1909. Ny impression is
that this is the mill referred TO as
built by Jesse Clark. Our Oldest
inhabitant. Jonathan Roberts, gives
il as his opinion that the first flour
manufactured in Wayne county was
made at this mill. After running
his mill for a number of years, too-
ert Conner sold it to a man by b
name of Jessup, who in turn sold 1t
to a man named Hammett. Clark
and Yaryan bought the property IN
1889, who, after adding a numoer OF
improvements, u it very ucces
fully for twenty-three years, with an
overshot wheel twenty-four e e IN
diameter, and a steady, uniform sup
ply of water for their three run OF
BURNS; the daily capacity OF the mil
was thirty barrels of flour, which
found a ready sale in the Richmond
1iiElA h1t ~ "dtC Do"Nt
part of the country was more rella-
BILE and so unavailable in supply as
this; not affected by drouths or
floods, and the power required for
the mill was just what the spring
would furnish, with no water gong
to waste. Tbs mill was destroyed by
fire in 1886, and it is remarkable that
such a mill seat should remain unim-
proved. Is"
The spring has near it an Indian
mound" so called, which leads to the
conclusion that it was a resort of the
mound builders, whoever they we're.
The one on the farm of Cornelius
Ratliff, two on the farm of the late
Daniel Bulla, the one in Glen Miller,
and others that might be mentioned,
would Indicate that this is the case,
as they are similarly located.
Jennie Kinley, a gifted poetess,
visited this spring and mound IN
1871 and subsequently, wrote:
And soon within the valley hid
We saw the sparkling water,
The mound upon the shaded bank
And the homestead of the cotter.
"'Ti. said that Richmond's noblest sons
And fairest of her daughters
Wear on their proud ancestral shields
The spirit of the waters
This closes my efforts to give some
account of the early Touring mills of
Richmond and vicinity. The length
of time since they were built and the
few people now living who could
give dates and names of owners
have rendered it difficult to present
the matter clearly in the light OF
facts and dates and especially so
when depending upon the recollec-
ton of individuals. If however, the
statements | have made have been OF
interest or if having contributed to
any extent to the remembrance OF a
part of the early history of this coun-
ty before it is entirely forgotten
then my object has been accom-
plished. JOSEPH c. RATLIFF.
Plenty Of nice fresh oysters at