The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-10-31
Historic Old Mill at West Union
Decides to End Existence,
and So 1t CrumpIes.

ana SO u CFumpleS.
WEST UNION, Oct. 30.-with a ter
fife crash and roar like thunder,
the old Mcconnell mill, one Of tho
Oldest landmarks In West Union, fell
into Middle Island creek recent
morning. 1t seems that some Of the
ttmbers were noticed to have given
away the day before, but it was not
safe to attempt to prop the building,
80 nothing was done.
This mill was built about the year
1877 by John Smith, as owner, and
doc" Lyons as the builder in charge.
For a time the mill was operated by
John Smith and then he sold It to his
son, Frank Smith, who lis still res
ident OF West Union. About the year
1879 Frank Smith sold half interest
to r. j. Mcconnell. These two men
operated the mill fon number of
years under the firm name of Smith
and Mcconnell Later they sold q
one-third interest to S. B. Mcmillan,
and then shortly afterwards Frank
one-third interest. Following the
death OF s. B. Mcmillan, Attorney
Paul NJ. Ireland purchased the inter-
est Of Mr.. Mcmillan, and later he with
Mr.. Mcconnell purchased the other
one-third interest from Ira Smith. Re-
Gently Mr.. Ireland and Mr.. Mcconnell
had settlement, whereby Mr.. Ireland
became the owner OF the mill build
ing and certain part Of, the real es-
tate. while Mr.. Mcconnell got the
feed store, the machinery in the mill
and certain parts of the real estate.
Old Burr Mill.
For many years this was a burr mill
but about the time that Mr.. Mcmillan
came into the business the roller pro-
cess was installed. which with tue
other Improvements that were made
at that time, cost about $1,000. This
occurred about the year 1886. The
new roller machinery was purchased
at Chambersburg, Pa.
Up to the year 1890, at which time
the oil boom started in Doddri lge
county, this mill, as well as the other
mills Of the country, had. more bug
mess than could be well taken care
Of This mill was run q, greater part
Of the time night and day, the farmers
raising more than enough wheat for
themselves, and flour was shipped
from here to Parkersburg in car load
lots. When the oil boom started the
young men and many of the farmers
left the farm and went. to pun,ic
works. 7 hose who remained on the
farm Wee unable to raise much grain.
and consequently the mills all over
the country were put out Of business
The only mill which is now being
operated in Doddridge county is tic
Joseph kreen mil lat st. Clair, which
is being operated by the Krean heirs.
The mill was the place wnere the
farmers used to gather to discuss all
matters of Importance, and many po-
litfcal issues have been settled in the
mill, or in the near vicinity. The days
OF home made -four and corn meal
seem to be days of the past, and tho
time when the farmer could take his
grain to the mill and after wa.;.. lg
several hours for his turn to come to
take his flour or corn meal homo, IS
gone. The majority Of the mills are
no longer standing, and those that are
standing are fase falling in dc :.ly.
traditional History.
There seems to have been cous,d.
cradle traditional history connected
with the mills that were ersct.d at
West Union prior to the erection Of
the mill that fell the otnci morNsng.
1t is not known just at what time tic
first mill was built, but i. Is almost q
certainty that it was situated on The
north side OF Middle IslanI creek, on
the big rocks opposite the McConnall
mill. The first mills were corn mills
and saw mills combined. SoE:e think
that Lewis Maxwell, an uncle of ths
persent Lewis Maxwell had the first
mill. 1t seems certainty that Lewis
Maxwell had mill on the north side
of the creek at one time, and that he
paid William Dotson, now deceased,
who lived or many years near Sunny-
side, so cents for cutting large hirli-
DRY tree down, which was in the way
Of the path to the mill, and that when
the tree fell 1t killed a large pike in
the creek which was about three feet
IN length. Dotson is said to have got
ten the SO cents and taken the Pike
home also.
Squire Cyres. an uncle by marriage
of L. T. Davis, esteemed townsr,au.
had a mill on the big rock on tho
north side about 1887 or 1870. There
was a bridge about where inc pres
ent railroad bridge now is. About
that time there was a freshet. whi.n
swept the bridge and mill both down
the creek. Another bride was huiit.
tut higher than the first. II seems
that Cyres rebuilt the mill and after
wards sold 1t to Charles Meiser9y. It
is then thought by some that Mer-