Milford chronicle., 1949-10-28
Industries OF
.MiIfOrdOf
81 Years Ago
Late Mrs. Jas. p. Pierce
Recalls Them In Paper
Written And Delivered
81 Years Ago.

Club at their meeting on Monday
last by Mrs. james P. Pierce, who
IS the daughter Of George s. Grief. |
Esq, Of this town..
Milford has always been an In
dustriOus town. Tan mills were the
first industries, and were started
BY Henry Bowman about 1880; but
It is not known just where the
first one was located. This led TO
ship building, which was the next
enterprise and was extensively
carried on, and beginning as early
as 1893, starting with a small yes
sci and continuing until several
large three masted sehooners
were built here.
In 1887 an act was passed by the
Delaware Legislature enabling Rev
Sydenham Thorn to erect a mill
dam across the Mispillion for the
use Of q grist mill on the Kent size,
It being the site where the ReG
Mill now stands, until the beginn-
ing of said mill about seven years
ago. The original shingle mill stood
in the same place as far back, as
any one now living can remember.
The Ford, which gave to Milford
its name, was near this old mil,
which makes it Of unusual interest.
Joseph Oliver began about this
S time to lay out the town and lease
! lots, and from that time forth it
began tC grow in population and
importance. This section being cell
ebrated both for wheat and corn
made the milling business both
necessary and profitable. Mr.. Dut-
ton, Jna. NJ. Darby, +. F. Causey
ana his son of the same name, have
bsen owners of this mill. Gov. eau
sey was also owner Of what Is now
known as Haven Mills.
A walk around the lower pond
win bring you across the Haven
Mill aam, at present a place OF
rural beauty, but which in times
past was the scene Of much actlVS
industry. Here on the earth side a
good many years ago stood an OLD
brick mill owned by Gov. Causeyi
Lut which was converted into
woolen factory about 1868, to De
cperated by HOffecker Bros, ol
SMYRNA. About 5000 yards of clotn
were manufactured per week, EN-
Moving about thirty hands. Being
a novelty, this mill excited mucA
interest among the towns peOpIe
ana was always a source Oh ehlei
tainmeRt to those VINO caTeu "
watch the operations, from the
wool as it came in just sheared
from the sleeps back through the
Washing process, then the cardlng,
next the being spun into yarn anu
thence on until the shuttles IleW
hack and forth like magic through
the web. and we saw before us thS
cloth ready for market. Thls' as
have said, was an interesting sign
2 and one lady while showing some
visitors through the factory, was II
an unguarded moment caughI Il
one of the large wheels ana cam
near losing her life. But all THIS
with many other things, is now on
w history. Even the race OF wate
which propelled the mighty mach
inery, is dried up and filled eve,
With the road, so that our chllorel
can only know what we tell tnen
at this. one CT MilfOrd's most inter
esting of industries. Only rev
Laces farther on, we stand In I'll
old saw mill, also owned by +. I
q Causey, and my memory taxes III
4 back TO the days of my childhoo
p when a ride on the end Of saw 10
i. was a never failing source OF oe
2 light.
-. Now we cross the bridge, whic
is Milford's Niagara, and wher
young men and maiden's hav
stood many times listening to tA
old. old story that is new with eac
generation. Right in the midst {
all this beauty, with the clear e1
panse Of lake to the west Of us an
the lower stream on the east tha
received the cataract, was full
little islands, and we rOmantica
ly loved to call it Venice. Then tn
channel, or aqueduct, that carrie
the water to the next wheel an
lust across another tiny streaI
was the Bridge of Signs" leadin
TO the castle, which was in realit
'husk factory where many toI
of corn husks were prepared I'M
e. balls and sent to the city market
to be made into mattresses. We Oh
" went in imagination to see tn
4 husk factory, or we might not haN
:. been permitted tc return aero:
this bridge, and it is necessary tn;
we get back for there are a gOC
many more industries to be locke
up yet. And right here at our fe'
stands the brown bark mill" Il
two massive wheels slowly b.
s. constantly turning. The one ms
in attendance with a cloth tie
over his mouth and nose to pr
vent breathing too freely of Il
bark dust, looked from the conta
like Mother GOose's old man "cl
thed all in leather" These two Ia
ter plants were owned and opera
ed by r. H. Williams.
Now a few steps further agai
and we Sre at Geo. s. Grier's fOu
dry, machine and wood shops,
: that time a scene of bustling /
dustry. A great many hands we
employed, and much machine
and many farm implements we
made and sold through all the su
rounding country.
We are ready now to leave H
ven Mills; l feel that / have ling
longer, perhaps, than time allow
but Il is all fraught with pleasa
A childhood memories and was
different from the scenes of toda
] had almost forgotten to menti
that while the old shOps still stal