USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 45
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During the war of 1812 the American troops were instructed to impress all the flour at Chester mills for the army, but the government paid full value for all that was taken. In 1824, Richard was succeeded by his son, William G. Flower, who operated them until 1843. In 1843 the Chester mills were sold
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under orphans' court proceedings, and in 1845 became the property of John P. Crozer, who thereon erected a five-story stone cotton mill. In 1852 he built mill No. 2, the two mills having 13,000 spindles, to which many thousands were added later. In 1863, mill No. 3, was added, the three mills consuming ninety bales of cotton and producing eighty-two cases of goods weekly After the death of John P. Crozer, in 1866, the mills were divided among his sons, Samuel A., J. Lewis, George K. and Robert H. Crozer, who continued the business until succeeded by their sons.
Lower Chichester Township Mills .- About the year 1750, a grist mill was erected on Chichester creek, at what is now Trainer's Station, John Price then owning the land. In 1790 his son Sammel owned the mill, which was oper- ated by George Pearson. In 1806 David Trainer purchased the grist mill, and in 1811 John R. Price built a saw mill near by on his father's estate, which he later sold to David Trainer, who with his partner, Gideon Jacques, operated both the grist and saw mills. It was to accommodate the rafting of logs to this saw mill that the Act of Assembly was passed March 24, 1817, which de- clared Lower Chichester creek "from the mouth thereof up the same to the mill of David Trainer and Gideon Jacques be and the same is declared a public highway for the passage of rafts, boats and other vessels." In 1837 the old grist mill was changed into a cotton factory and enlarged. This was operated by David (2) Trainer and John (2) Hastings until 1842, when the failure of a commission house, largely in their debt, caused a dissolution, Mr. Train- er, however, continuing the business, but under very discouraging circum- stances. In 1846 he exhibited at the National Fair in Washington, receiving special notice for the excellence of his goods. In 1849 he became owner of the mills by inheritance from his father, David (1) Trainer, and was engaged in prosperous business until October 13, 1851, when an incendiary fire swept away property to the value of $50,000, on which an insurance of only $18,000 was carried. He at once rebuilt, and by August 1, 1852, the old mill had been replaced by a much larger building, filled with new and improved machinery. In 1865 he enlarged his mill, and in 1869 erected mill No. 2, followed in 1873 by the erection of mill No. 3, and the firm, enlarged by the admission of his sons, became David Trainer & Sons. In 1878, at the Paris Exposition, they were awarded a bronze medal for the superiority of the tickings made at their mills. This has ever been one of the well known successful manufacturing plants of Lower Chichester.
On the west branch of Naaman's creek, near the northwest boundary of the township, is one of the old mill seats and land marks of the county. Prior to 1800 it was the property of Nathan Pennell, but in 1802 Nehemiah Broomall was its owner. In 1826 the grist mill was recorded as grinding between 3000 and 5000 bushels of grain yearly, while the saw mill was run only at intervals. On October 19, 1829, Nehemiah Broomall sold the mills to Benjamin Hickman. for $3000. After Hickman's death his widow Ann conducted the business, which later became the property of Samuel Hickman, who erected a new mer- chant mill on the old site and popularized the brand of "Diamond Mills" flonr.
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In 1870, John H. Barton and Jarius Baker erected a large sugar refinery cast of the upper pier at Marcus Hook, and in April, 1871, sugar was being refined. On February 25. 1872, fire in two hours left nothing but the walls, having consumed $125,000 worth of property, not fully insured. Later James Baker using the standing walls, erected a large flour mill on the site, but four years after the first fire it too was totally consumed by fire. In 1878, John ( 2) Larkin purchased the site, and using part of the old walls, erected a machine shop and foundry, which was used for a few months only. In 1880 the Pio- neer Iron Works, Limited, became the lessee and built seven iron vessels there. They then failed, and the building was later leased to different parties for varied purposes.
In 1871, Mr. Larkin erected a large three-story brick building intended for a shoe factory, and it was so occupied for a few months by Morton Bow- ker. Later it was changed to the Riverside Hosiery Mill, and on September I, 1877, Clarence Larkin and John G. Campbell began making hosiery there. In October, Mr. Campbell withdrew, the business having since been conducted by Mr. Larkin.
Birmingham Township Mills .- Brandywine creek, famous in history as the scene of one of the Revolutionary conflicts, has quite as interesting position in the annals of peace, inasmuch as along its banks were erected many of the manufacturing plants that gave Pennsylvania its place among the industrial states of our nation. At the intersection of Beaver and Brandywine creeks were the Beaver Valley Mills, owned by Thomas Gibson, a practical mill- wright, who in 1808 sold them to John Farra, who repaired and rebuilt the mills. At the death of the latter the estate was sold to Lewis Smith, and he subsequently conveyed it to Marshall Brinton, who enlarged the building by adding an upper story and installed new machinery. These mills later came into the possession of Joseph Brinton. Following Beaver creek, near the road leading to Smith bridge, was a woolen factory built in 1817 by John Farra. who leased to the La Forrest Brothers, but in 1824 it was burned, and re- mained as the flames had left it until 1830, when it was rebuilt on part of the old foundation, as a paper mill. As such, it was occupied by William and James Gilmore for a year, when John Farra took possession and manufactured paper therein until his death in June, 1832. He was succeeded by his son Daniel. Misfortune seemed to follow any building erected on the property. for on May 15, 1851, the paper mill was in turn destroyed by fire. The land then passed into the hands of Frank Tempest, who rebuilt the mill and added an engine to the machinery equipment, so that either steam or water power could be used. Further up the east branch of Beaver creek, on the same higli way, near Tempest's mill, Peter Hatton built a fulling mill in 1809, and in 1817 he erected a woolen factory wherein were manufactured flannels, satinets and cloth. The fulling mill has gone into decay, but the factory stands now idle, as to the purpose for which it was built, the waters which formerly furnished it power being used to assist in driving the machinery in Tempest's paper mill, both mills now being owned by the Tempest family. In 1826 both mills were
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supplied with water by the same race, and the business was conducted by Peter Hatton's sons Samuel and Gideon. In 1843 the Hatton mill was owned by Philip Hizer, and the dam there was washed away in the flood of that year.
Just beyond the bend in Beaver creek, in the state of Delaware, was the woolen factory built in 1825 by Charles Dupont and operated by Lewis Sacriste, but the structure was entirely demolished by the flood of August 5, 1843. Further along, near the line of Concord township, was the old Green saw mill, built early in the nineteenth century and owned by Reese Perkins. in the flood year, 1843. On the west branch of Beaver creek was an edge tool mill owned by William Morrison. Prior to 1777, William Twaddell owned an estate on Brandywine creek, where he erected iron works in con- nection with the saw mill. In 1780 he was in Aston, calling himself a "forge- master" and registering three slaves as his property. Difficulty in casking the ore and iron before and after smelting, caused him to change the works into powder mills in 1807, which were known as the Cannon Powder Mills. In this business William Twaddell continued until 1831, when there were two powder mills and four drying houses, at which time they were again changed into paper mills. Just above Twaddell's dam, which crossed the Brandywine obliquely, Thomas Gibson owned a saw mill on the west side of the creek, the dam of the latter being at right angles to the stream. Many years ago the building was struck by lightning, the building destroyed and the sawyer killed. The bridge of the Baltimore Central railroad, below Chadd's Ford, was built in 1859. At the east of the bridge stood Chadd's mill, on the site of which Caleb Brinton in 1860 built his present merchant mill. Previous to that year, Mr. Brinton had built a large frame building for a merchant flour and saw mill on Dix's Run above the Delaware county line. There he remained for some time, but the water power being insufficient, he moved the machinery to the larger building erected on the site of Chadd's old mill. A short distance below the county bridge at Chadd's Ford, is the mouth of Harvey's Run, the first mills on this stream being those erected by Benjamin Ring, some years previous to the Revolution, comprising grist, fulling and saw mills. The mills subsequently became the property of Eli Harvey, and in time that of his son, Joseph P., now being part of the estate owned by Joseph Turner. The old mills are no longer standing, having been torn down by Turner to raise, in their place, a large grist and merchant mill. Following the east branch of Harvey's Run, about a mile east of Chadd's Ford, was a saw mill, said to have been erected by one of the Butcher family about the beginning of the nineteenth century. This mill fell into absolute decay, but the property was purchased in 1842 by Job Pyle, who there erected a saw mill to cut up the tim- ber felled on the farm. Pyle sold the estate to Thomas Brinton, who repaired the mill, putting in buhrs to grind feed. On the west branch of Harvey's Run. directly opposite Chalkeley Harvey's house, was in olden times a corn mill, while some distance further up the road was an oil mill for grinding linseed.
Upper Chichester Township Mills .- John Talbot built a stone grist mill on the east branch of Naaman's creek in 1767, which for many years did a large
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and remunerative business among the farmers of that section. Shortly after 1820 it became the property of Nathan Pennell. In 1826 it was owned by his heirs, and later rented to Mordecai Brown and others. It was finally pur- chased by William McCay, subsequently becoming the property of his son John B., and in 1884 was entirely consumed by fire. In 1862, on the tract of land surveyed to John Kinsman on a branch of Green creek, a saw mill was built shortly after 1750 by Kingsman Dutton. He died with his estate much involved, and the property was sold by the sheriff in 1768. Joseph Talbot be- came the owner of the mill and plantation and the estate descended to his grandson. Benjamin Elliott, who removed the old mill in 1860, as it had been long discarded and had fallen into a state of dilapidation and unsightly decay.
Concord Township Mills .- The first mention of Concord mills, later Lee- dom's mills, was at the court held October 2, 1695, when Concord mills was assessed £10. According to Smith's map of early grants and patents, in 1695. the mills were located on the west branch of Chester creek, and on the tract of 500 acres which was entered by William Hitchcock, September 8, 1681, se- cured to him February 18, 1682, and a patent issued therefor, June 27, 1684. Concord mills was on the extreme castern and lower end of the Pyle tract. The mill was built by a company of which William Brinton, Jr., of Birming- ham, was one of the promoters. The assessment in 1695, giving its appraised value as fio, indicates clearly that it was a frame structure, which was later replaced by a stone building. In 1715, Nicholas Pyle had charge of the mill, for he appears in the assessment roll of that year "for ye mill."
When Concord meeting house was burned in 1788, the mill was used as a temporary place for Friends to gather until the meeting house was rebuilt. At that time it was owned by Thomas Newline, who had acquired title thereto previous to 1780. From 1790 to 1810 John Newlin rented and operated it, be- coming owner in 1817. A short distance below this mill, in 1696, Nicholas Newlin built a saw mill which in 1790 was owned by Nathaniel Newlin, in 1802 by Thomas Newlin, and in 1817 by Benjamin Newlin. From 1810 to 1820 the grist mill was rented and operated by Mendenhall & Pennell, and after the latter year by John Newlin. The grist and saw mill subsequently be- came the property of Casper W. Sharpless, and finally that of George Dray- ton, the latter in 1859 selling thirty-eight acres and the upper mill to Samuel Leedom, by whose son, Emmor S., both mills were held as trust estate.
On September 24, 1683, 500 acres of land was surveyed to Nicholas New- lin, and April 2, 1703, the tract was surveyed to Nathaniel, son of Nicholas. Within this estate a part of the headwaters of the west branch of Chester creek were embraced, and through the lower part, running cast and west, Providence and Concord road was laid out August 15, 1715. In 1704, Nathan- iel Newlin built a stone grist mill on the west branch of Chester creek, later owned by Samuel Hill. In the walls of this old mill is a date stone marked "Nathan and Ann Newlin, 1704." The mill passed from Nathaniel or Nathan Newlin to his son Thomas, and in 1817 was sold to William Trimble as twen- ty-seven acres and the "Lower mill." Thomas Newlin for many years prey-
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ious to that date had been the owner of the "Upper" or "Society" mill, later known as "Leedom's." The lower mill came into the possession of Abraham Sharpless, who operated it several years, and after his death it was sold by Casper W. Sharpless, executor of his father, Abraham, to John Hill & Son, in April, 1861. Upon the death of the senior member of the firm, the junior member, Samuel Hill, became sole owner and operator.
William Trimble, Jr., erected in 1782, on an estate adjoining that of Nicholas Newlin, a saw mill, and prior to 1799 a paper mill, which was oper- ated as such by him until 1813, when it was changed to a cotton factory on the advice of John D. Carter, an Englishman. The factory was four stories in height, and was conducted by Carter until 1826. The Trimble cotton factory at that time contained four carding engines, 1068 spindles, and spun 750 pounds of cotton yarn weekly. The mills after Carter's departure were leased by Jacob Taylor, and later by Joseph Trimble, Charles Cheelham, Callaghan Brothers and others.
In March, 1873, the mills were destroyed by fire, and the property was sold to General Robert Patterson. On July 1, 1884, the executor of the Pat- terson estate sold the site to George Rush, Jr., who rebuilt the burnt mills and therein manufactured the Rush roller skates, of which he was the patentee. Early in the nineteenth century Samuel Trimble conducted the saw mill in the immediate neighborhood of the Trimble paper mill.
On the west bank of Chester creek, in 1785, Thomas Marshall had a tan- nery and stone bark mill, which was owned and operated by him in 1826, but which later fell into disuse. In 1770 Robert Mendenhall was operating a saw mill on the Mendenhall tract, which he conducted until 1788, when it became the property of Stephen Mendenhall.
In 1788, Thomas Hatton owned and operated a saw mill until 1799, when John Hatton succeeded him in the same line, also conducting a currying-shop and tanyard. In 1802, Joseph Hatton controlled the business and did so until 1830. In 1770, John Newlin was operating a grist mill, and in 1774 Cyrus New- lin and Daniel Trimble were following the same business. Abraham Sharpless and Hugh Judge were each running grist mills in 1782, while about 1800, Wil- liam Walter likewise built one, which he operated for many years, the site later being occupied by both a grist and saw mill. In 1788 William Hannum was operating a saw mill on Green creek, where in 1811 his son conducted the busi- ness, maintaining a tan yard in connection therewith. Aaron Hannum built a grist mill in 1818, which prior to 1826 had been changed by John Hannum to a fulling mill and woolen factory, operated by John Jones. After 1848 the business was abandoned and the building's life as a factory ended.
In 1811, Matthias Corliss had a carding and spinning machine in Con- cord, which he operated for a short time. In 1779, Henry Myers owned a saw-mill on Concord creek, which in 1811 was owned and operated by John Myers, and in 1848 by Jesse Myers. At a very early date, William Vernon owned a saw mill on Green creek, near the Bethel line.
Darby Township Mills .- Glen Olden mills, on Muckinipattus creek, are
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erected on the site of an old mill that tradition asserts was erected by Thomas Shipley, a miller, about 1755. In 1797 the mill seat was sold by the sheriff as the property of Charles Davis to John Jones, who conveyed it the same day to Caleb Phipps. In 1799, Hiram Walton was operating the mill, and in 1808 Elisha Phipps, a brother of Caleb, was the lessee. Elisha Phipps was an er- ratie character on whom little reliance could be placed, impulse governing his movements and causing no little annoyance to those who were depending on him. He owned a little sloop, the "Dusty Miller," which he would load with flour at his mill and thus convey his product to a market. On one occasion he loaded with flour and left the little creek bound for New York. Nothing was heard of him for so long that his wife visited New York, but could get no clue of him, the firms with which he dealt not having seen him. She returned home. finally giving him up as lost. One evening at nearly dusk she saw the "Dusty Miller" sailing up the Muckinipattus with the flood tide. As soon as moored. Phipps came to the house, entered, and as was his usual habit, threw his old hat on the floor, as though he had not been away for weeks and was mourned as dead. It seems that on leaving the capes of the Delaware he was struck with an idea that the West Indies was a better flour market than New York, and changed his destination with the impulse of that moment. He made a luck trip, sold his flour at a large profit, then, loading with rum and molasses. sailed for New York, sold out, loaded again with grain, and finally arrived home in safety. On March 21, 1812, Phipps sold to Halliday Jackson, who on February 27, 1828, conveyed the mill to Ephraim Inskeep. At the latter's death in 1876, the Glen Olden mills passed by inheritance to Ephraim J. Ridgway.
In 1867, Richard Thatcher erected a cotton spinning mill on Church run, the mill and machinery costing $65,000. On March 24, 1877, an incendiary fire destroyed the building and contents, entailing heavy loss. These mills, known as Warpington mills, were never rebuilt.
About 1849, General John Sidney Jones established a factory for the man- ufacture of carpets on the southern post road about a mile west of Darby borough, on land which had descended to him from his ancestors, who owned it during the Revolution. Eight tenements were part of the estate, and in these coal fires were prohibited by the owner, who, however, generously supplied his mill operatives, who occupied the houses, with wood for fuel. While operat- ing the mills he and his wife, Fanny Lee Townsend Jones, set the type, edited and printed a periodical, called the "Monthly Jubilee." This, as well as the carpet mills, were later discontinued, the building being later used by John Shepherd & Company as a brush factory. On Friday, December 2, 1876, the mills, together with the mansion house, were destroyed by fire. The carpet making industry has been continued in Darby township by Wolfenden Broth- ers & Chism, who in 1882 erected and placed in operation, a factory manufac- turing body brussels. From 1790 until 1812, John Horn owned and operated a tannery at Horntown, that was discontinued in the latter year.
Darby Borough Mills .- Prior to 1747, the territory now known as Upper
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and Lower Darby, and the borough of Darby was included in one division, known as Darby township. In Thomas' "History of Pennsylvania," printed in 1698, he mentions "the famous Darby river which comes down from the coun- try by Darbytown, wherein are several mills, viz : fulling mills, corn mills, etc." On a draft of the Queen's road from Darby to Chester, made in 1705, these mills are distinctly marked. John Bethel remained at these mills until his death prior to 1708, when they passed to his son John (2), the fulling mill, however, having previously been sold by John (1) Bethel to his son-in-law, Job Harvey, who about 1725 purchased the fulling mill on Ridley creek, later the site of the Media water works. These mills, commonly known as the Darby mills, were owned in 1747 by Joseph Bonsall, who November 3 that year, sold to Richard Lloyd three full parts of five and half acres of land and of the "water, corn or grist mills, commonly known as Darby mills" with the bolting house, bolting mills and other appurtenances. In 1764, Richard Lloyd having died and his widow married to Lewis Davis, the property was vested in Lewis Davis, Isaac Lloyd and Hugh Lloyd, the latter two, sons of Richard Lloyd. From 1764 to 1802 the mills were assessed to Isaac Lloyd, who in 1802 built a saw mill. From 1802 to 1817 they were assessed to Richard Lloyd, and in the latter year passed to Thomas Steel, who held title until 1861, although during his period of ownership he sold them several times, but al- ways was obliged to take them back. In 1826 the mills had a capacity of about 40,000 bushels of grain and from about 300,000 feet of lumber annually. In 1861, Steel sold the mills to Simon Lord, and July 2, 1862, they were de- stroyed by fire. The same year Simon Lord rebuilt mill No. I, which on May 15, 1867, was partially destroyed by fire. Again he rebuilt the mill, which was operated as a worsted mill until sold by the sheriff to John Cattell, who enlarged and sold to William A. Griswold. In 1880, the latter erected mill No. 2, a four-story brick building, which was devoted to the manufacture of silk yarn. In 1882, the Griswold Worsted Company (Limited) was organized, and both mills are controlled by that company.
The Oakford fulling mill was part of the Darby mills property, previously mentioned, from 1695, the date of its erection, until its destruction by fire, March 5, 1859. It passed to the Lloyds and their connections until in 1770. when it was owned by Isaac Oakford, who in 1790 was operating in connection with the fulling mill a print works. In 1826, Isaac Oakford still owned the mill, but it was operated by Aaron Oakford. It later passed to Thomas Steel with the other mills, and in 1854 was leased to John Verlenden, who changed it to a cotton mill and so operated it until its destruction by fire, March 5, 1859. In 1861 the fulling mill, with the other mills, passed to Simon Lord.
A tannery was operated in Darby by Benjamin Oakford, from 1788 until 1810, when he was succeeded by John Oakford until 1848.
In 1846, John Verlenden (mentioned above), in partnership with Mor- ton Farraday, established a small mill on Whiskey run, in Springfield township, for spinning carpet yarn. In 1854, as stated, he leased the old fulling mill (Darby mills) which he changed to a cotton and operated until burned out,
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March 5, 1859. In that year he built a factory on the site of the present Im- perial mills, which he operated until his death in December, 1865. The family continued the business until 1867, when Smith & Verlenden leased and oper- ated the mill three years. In 1870, W. Lane Verlenden and Enos Verlenden formed a partnership, and as Verlenden Brothers began manufacturing in these mills. In 1880, their main mill was destroyed by fire and was replaced by the present Imperial mill, devoted to the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods.
The Arrott mills date from 1848, and were erected by Judge James An- drews prior to that year. They are located at the head of tide water on Darby creek nearly opposite the old Thomas Steel grist mill. Judge Andrews oper- ated them until his death, then his son, J. Charles Andrews, with Isaac Hib- berd operated the plant as the Cedar Hills mills until 1873, when they leased to others. In .April, 1878, the property was sold to William Arrott, of Phila- delphia, who at once began there the spinning of yarn and again converted the plant into an active hive of industry.
In 1875 John L. Knowlton erected a two-story factory, along the Phila- delphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, on land bought from the Sharon Land Association. Here he manufactured machinery specialties until his death, since when it has been used for other purposes. In 1884, Scully & Smith, of Philadelphia, purchased the property and manufactured their wood turning machinery.
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