USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 48
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The property on which was what were later known as the "Todmorden Mills," was leased December 7, 1791, by Jacob Benninghove, a tobacconist of Philadelphia, of Caleb Harrison, and soon after the lease was taken a snuff mill was erected. He owned and operated it until his death, when for a few years James Crowley managed it. From 1816 until her death, Elizabeth, widow of Jacob Benninghove, was in charge. On April 5, 1831, Samuel Bancroft purchased 162 acres of land and the snuff and saw mill then on the property. the land situated in Chester, Middletown and Nether Providence. The fol- lowing year he erected a stone woolen mill 86 by 46 feet, three stories in height. in which he placed 2400 spindles and thirty looms. Ten years later, William T. Crook became the possessor of the property, who held it twelve years, dur- ing which period he built a stone mill 100 by 50 feet, four stories high, install- ing ten sets of cards for the manufacture of blankets. In 1854 the mills and property were again purchased by Samuel Bancroft, who equipped them with 3000 spindles, thirty-five looms, and seven sets of cards.
In 1789 Nicholas Stimmel erected a snuff mill on property on Ridley creek. purchased from Joseph Dicks, later the site of the "Rose Valley Mills." Nicholas Stimmel's son, a tobacconist of Philadelphia, became proprietor in 1794, and operated it until April 12, 1814. when he conveyed the mill property and fifty-three acres to William Smith, who sold it to John White in 1818. The place was named Rose Valley under his ownership, a title which has al-
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ways clung to it. He conducted the snuff mill until 1821, when it was con- veyed to William Yardley, a son-in-law, to be held in trust for two of his children, Catherine Fields and John White. Charles Fields was operating the mill at the time, grinding bark to be used in the preparation of fever medicines. The introduction of quinine destroyed the market entirely, and the property was sold to Park Shee, April 4, 1826. The new owner changed the output from ground bark to paper, and erected other buildings, part stone and part frame. Three engines, a drying machine, and other necessary equipment was added for the manufacture of the new product, and the business was contin- ued until 1850. For eleven years the mills were tenantless, and August 27, 1861, Antrim Osborne purchased what were nearly ruins, repaired the dam and race, erected a three-story stone building, 75 by 55 feet, and made all otlı- er necessary improvements. Two years later he built a stone building with a picker house adjoining, and in 1864, another stone building, forty feet square, was raised. In 1873, an addition of 75 by 55 feet was made to the main mill, increasing that building to a size of 150 by 55 feet ; also a dry house 61 by 40 feet, and picker house 60 by 40 feet were built. The entire equipment at the time was 2300 spindles, 100 looms, and fifteen sets of cards.
Antrim Osborne likewise owned an old unoccupied mill a short distance above the Rose Valley mills, which he used as a store house. Thomas Y. Hutton erected a stone grist mill there in 1840, operating it for five years and selling it September 1, 1845, to Richard Wetherill, who retained it until April 1, 1847, when he sold it to Robert Boyd, who converted it into a turning mill and sand paper factory. Upon the death of Boyd in 1859, James Greer, the administrator of his estate, sold it July 1, 1862, to Edward Borden, from whom Joseph Jackson, a bobbin turner, rented it. The latter purchased it on August 1, 1869, selling it March 1, 1873, to William Pilling, although continuing its management until 1878. Before it became the property of Antrim Osborne, November 25, 1879, it passed through the ownership of Solomon Chorley, John Wildey and Andrew Rankin.
Nathaniel Vernon, in 1764, operated a saw mill on Vernon's run, but dis- continued business about 1770. John Fields erected near the site of the old mill a cotton factory, dye-house, and other buildings, both of which were de- stroyed by fire in April, 1852, the conflagration starting in the dye-house and spreading to the main building. They were rebuilt by Fields, and the business continued under his management until May 25, 1858, when Samuel Bancroft purchased the property, retaining it until October 28, 1865, when he sold the cotton factory and sixteen acres of land to James Jerome. The property later came into the possession of Mrs. Frances M. Jerome, later to Andrew P. Walk- er, who was the owner at the time of its destruction by fire, March 29, 1884.
Thomas Leiper appears on the assessment roll of Nether Providence in 1779, when he was assessed for a snuff mill on Crum creek, in Nether Provi- dence. In 1790 he is recorded as the owner of two snuff mills and 296 acres of land. In 1800 a dry house was added to his plant, and eleven years later at „Avondale he possessed besides the snuff mills a tobacco spinning house known
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as the tobacco factory. At the time of his death he was actively engaged in their management, and by his will, dated April 21, 1824, he devised his real estate to his sons, George G., William J. and Samuel M. Leiper. Until 1843 no division of the estate was made, in which year George G. and Samuel M. Leiper gave over their shares to William G. Leiper. A two vat paper mill was erected soon after Thomas Leiper's death, its water power being diverted from Ridley creek by the same race which furnished the snuff mills with their pow- er. In 1826 the paper mill was managed by John Holmes, and in 1829 George G. Leiper was in charge. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1836. The two snuff mills on the land, with eight mulls and two cutting machines, were oper- ated until 1845, when business was abandoned and they were made into tenant houses for the accommodation of the employees of the cotton mills. After the paper mills had been destroyed, James Riddle rented the estate and on the east side of the creek, in Springfield township, built a cotton mill, using the walls of the ruins of the paper mill for his tenement houses. On June 8, 1844. fire attacked two of the tenement houses and they were burned to the ground. a total loss. James Riddle afterward rented mills at Strath Haven, and con- ducted these, as well as his mills at Avondale, until 1846, when Simeon Lord rented them, and in 1851 is recorded as manufacturing fine cassimeres. In 1861 Simeon Lord purchased Thomas Steel's Darby mills and moved thither. In the sheriff's sale of August 24, 1858, William Leiper's property was pur- chased by Mrs. Helen H. Patterson, the mill property at that time comprising nine acres, a cotton mill, and twenty-two stone tenements. Fire destroyed the large stone factory May 1, 1865, the loss of the machinery falling upon Charles M. Gibberson, the lessee. After the rebuilding of the factory, the property was purchased from Mrs. Helen H. Patterson by Callender J. Leiper, Novem- ber 1, 1870, who sold it to William J. Leiper in 1872. Leiper leased the prop- erty to Callahan & Sharkey, and during their tenancy the mill was destroyed by fire, with a loss of $13,000 to the lessees, and likewise a heavy loss to Mr. Leiper. The factory was once more rebuilt, and until 1878 was operated by John Greer & Company, and until May 1. 1881, by David Brown, of Hadding- ton, at which date the machinery was removed. From 1882 to 1884 the build- ing was used by the Franklin Artificial Stone Company.
In the summer of 1776, the Committee of Safety had contracted with Dr. Robert Harris for the delivery of one ton of powder to the state government every week, his mill being on Crum creek. No traces of the old mill are dis- cernable now. In 1824 Thomas Leiper erected upon its site a tilt- or blade- mill, with Nahum Keys as operator, and in 1826 his yearly output was 200 dozens of scythes and straw knives. Until 1830, George G. Leiper operated the mill, and on the latter date it was changed to a paper mill and leased to Park Shee. When the Leiper estate was divided in 1843, William J. Leiper received this property, almost immediately renting it to James Riddle, and erect- ing a cotton factory thereon. Simeon Lord leased the estate, remaining from 1845 to 1861. On March 5, 1859, Mrs. Helen H. Patterson, daughter of Thomas Leiper, purchased the property, consisting of four acres of land, a
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stone cotton factory, and five tenement houses. On November 13, 1865, dur- ing the tenancy of Mr. Tomlinson, the factory was destroyed, with a loss of $50,000.
On Crum creek, John Pancoast erected a two vat stone paper mill in 1826, a year after the purchase of the land, June 16, 1825. He operated as well as owned it until April 1, 1833, when he sold it to Elizabeth Lewis, wife of John Lewis, who operated the mill until July 30, 1868, when it was purchased by John Howard Lewis. The mill was destroyed by fire April 9, 1882, and again August 21, 1883. The second conflagration was accompanied by a severe boiler explosion, one man being killed and several others badly lacerated and bruised by flying brick and iron. On March 10, 1884, work was resumed in the new . buildings, which were as follows: main mill, two stories, 35 by 125 feet ; engine room, 57 by 97 feet, two stories; rotary room, 31 by 54 feet; rag room, 46 by 60 feet, three stories; five engines, and an output of twenty tons of paper per week. The only spool cotton mill in the township was that of J. and J. Hillditch, south of Idlewild.
Mills of an earlier date and of inconsiderable importance later were as follows: John Hinkson owned a saw mill in that township in 1766, which was operated by David Bloomer in 1774, but is absent from the assessment roll after 1780. From 1774 until after 1790, Job Dicks owned a grist and saw mill on Ridley creek, a short distance below Rose Valley mills. William Pennell was on the assessment roll in 1764 for a grist and saw mill in Nether Provi- dence, when he was likewise owner of a grist and saw mill in Middletown.
Upper Providence Township Mills .- James Wilcox in 1766 was assessed for a paper mill in Upper Providence township, on Ridley creek. At his death the mill became the property of his son, Mark Wilcox, who April 20, 1785. sold it to John Lungren. The latter operated the mill until December 30, 1795, when he conveyed it to William Levis, of Philadelphia, the deed being for the mill and 170 acres of land. From 1799 to 1818, John, a son of Wil- liam Levis, was manager of the mill. In the latter year the paper mill was changed into a cotton factory, being rented by Wagstaff & Englehorn, who conducted it with remarkable success, for in 1821 John P. Crozer states "Only one cotton factory in Delaware county, that of Wagstaff and Englehorn, continued running, and now appeared to be making money." But Wagstaff was a practical cotton spinner from England, and had a consequent advantage. In 1823 the firm had dissolved, but it is evident from items in the "Post-Boy" that Hugh Wagstaff was operating the factory independently. James Ronald- son, January 28, 1825, purchased the factory and twenty-six acres of land, giving the mill over to the management of James Siddall. The equipment of the building at that time was ten carding engines of thirty inches, two draw- ing frames of three heads each, two roving frames, one speeder of twenty and one of ten spindles, 600 throstle spindles, 672 mule spindles, one warper and dresser, and fourteen power looms. Since 1827 John Bancroft had been in charge of the machinery and on July 18, 1829, James Ronaldson sold the property to him. He operated it until 1842, when William T. Crook, of New
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York, purchased it and conducted it until 1857. Samnel Bancroft was the next owner, and after lie had operated it for a few years it was utterly destroyed by fire.
Allen Robinett, about 1685, established a mill on land owned by him on Ridley creek, just above Concord road, and in a deed dated 7th mo. 29, 1687, recorded in Philadelphia, Allen Robinett, of Upper Providence, conveyed to Richard Crosby, of Middletown, a "water mill" in Upper Providence, and about two acres of land, on the southwest side of Ridley creek, and "a little bottom on the northeast side." At the time of the transaction, John and Rich- ard Crosby were operators of a grist-mill and saw mill a short distance down the stream, which they acquired in 1705. There is no mention of the Robinett mill on any assessment roll now on file in Chester county, therefore it must . have been abandoned before 1766.
On the west side of Ridley creek, near the junction of the Edgemont and Springfield roads, Stephen Malin, a direct descendant of the settler, Randal Malin, to whom the tract was surveyed, erected a grist mill. In 1770 David Malin & Company were assessed on a saw-mill, after which date the name, in connection with mills, disappears from the assessment roll.
John Edge, Jr., Jacob Edge, and Henry Miller, in 1717 entered into part- nership to erect a "water corn-mill" en a twenty-acre tract on Ridley creek, land which had become the property of John Edge Sr., June 14, 1696 .. In 1718 they built the mill, naming it Providence mills, which later became part of the Scyamore mills. Just before the building of this mill, the firm purchased about three acres of land in Edgemont to obtain the race and dam privileges, cach partner contributing £5 2s. Sd. On December 17, 1719, Henry Miller purchased John Edge's third interest in these mills, thus obtaining a two-thirds interest, which he devised to his son George by will dated December 17, 1719. George Miller, December 10, 1740. conveyed to Roger Pugh a one-third in- terest in the mill property, who, 5 mo. 8. 1746, deeded it to Lawrence Cox. The following is an extract from the "Sketch of Bishop's Mill," by Wilmer W. James, published in the Delaware county paper, June 27, 1877 :
"Between May 5, 1746, and April 25, 1752, while Lawrence Cox was the owner of Miller's share, the saw mill was erected, doubtless in 1747, or thirty years after the grist mill, for in the latter part of that year he leased it, excepting one-tenth part, for a term of fourteen years, and at the rate of £2 annually, for a term of fourteen years, to Thomas and John Minshall, of Middletown, both of them at the same time coming in for a fifth share each in the grist mill. They sent their flour to the Barbadoes in 1746, and to Jamaica by the brig "Dolphin" in 1748, in charge of their brother Moses, who was a sea captain, and received sugar in part return. Lawrence Cox was then also part owner of the mills. Thomas Yarnall and John Cox were likewise in partnership with the Min- shalls in the saw mill business. There was a curious arrangement made that 'when the grist mill wanted water from the dam, and there was not enough for both, the saw mill was to stand idle,' an excellent contrivance to promote a feud. Cox seemed to have had unlimited faith in his tenants, for in the same year, 1746, he obtained partial possession of the property; he leased one-third of his share to William Hammans for twenty-one years, at an annual rental of £12. In 1757 all the possessions went to his son George."
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John Cox, I mo. 25, 1752, conveyed the property to his son, John Cox, who February 17, 1753, leased the grist and merchant mill with two pairs of stones and three bottling sheets, to the following: John Williamson, Henry Howard, Henry Caldwell, Lawrence Cox, Edward Farr, James Sill, Nehe- miah Baker, Philip Dunn, Robert Register, James Scott, Aaron Baker, Abel Green, Thomas Minshall, John Scott, Jesse Woodward, James Massey, John Baker, Joseph Black, Nathan Lewis, and William Wall. Tradition states that during the seven years that the lease ran, there was no miller in charge of the mill, but that each of the lessees carted his grain thither whenever the opportunity presented itself, and did his own grinding, independent entirely of the others. John Cox, on February 22, 1755, sold to Thomas Bishop his one- third share in the mill, Bishop also leasing the shares of the other owners for a term of ten years. On November 29, 1785, proceedings in partition of the mill property having been completed, the mills were awarded to Thomas Bishop, who after acquiring it built a frame third-story and added an overshot, the eastern end resting on three stone piers. He operated the grist and saw mills until 1802, when Francis Bishop was in charge, although in 1807 Thomas Bishop was once more manager of the grist mill and in 1811 conducted the saw mill, while Amor Bishop had the grist mill. The rolling mill was erected in 1810-181I, a structure 70 feet in length, 50 in width, and one story high. It was four times as large as the building which had previously stood on the site -a plaster mill, torn down in 1810. The product of the rolling mill was boiler plates and sheet iron. The mill was conducted in 1812 by Malin & Bishop. The fuel used in smelting was bituminous Virginia coal, but during the war it was exceedingly difficult to obtain, for vessels loaded therewith were an easy prey for the fast sailing English blockaders, which kept the American ports under strict surveillance. Charcoal was first used to keep the mills running, but its cost was too great, and a sufficient quantity not to be had. The introduction of anthracite coal came to the rescue of the firm, rev- olutionizing the coal industry and freeing the manufacturers of Pennsylvania from their dependence upon the Virginia coal fields. The first report of the Pottsville Board of Trade notices the incident connected with the introduction of anthracite coal in the following manner :
"In the year 1812, our fellow citizen, Col. George Shoemaker, procured a quantity of coal from a shaft sunk on a tract he had recently purchased on the Norwegian, and now owned by the North American Coal Company, and known as the Centreville mines. With this he loaded nine wagons and proceeded to Philadelphia; much time was spent by him in endeavoring to introduce it to notice, but all his efforts proved unavailing. Those who designed to try it, declared Col. Shoemaker to be an imposter for attempting to impose stone upon them for coal, and were clamorous against him. Not discouraged by the sneers and sarcasms cast upon him, he persisted in the undertaking, and at last succeeded in disposing of two loads of it for the cost of transportation; and the remain- ing seven he gave to persons who promised to try to use it, and lost all the coal and charges. Messrs. Mellon (Malin) and Bishop, at the earnest solicitation of Col. Shoe- maker, were induced to make trial of it in their rolling mill in Delaware county, and finding it to answer fully the character given it by Col. Shoemaker, noticed its usefulness
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in the Philadelphia papers, and from that period we may date the triumph of reason, aided by perseverance, over prejudice."
The coal purchased by Malin & Bishop cost $2 a ton. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction among the employees at the mill, who were confident that stones would burn quite as well as the black material they had been ordered to use. Great was the surprise of the fireman at the intense heat created by the "stones" which he had almost despaired of ever igniting. Thomas Bishop in 1826 owned the entire property, and his son Amor was manager and operator of all the works. The grist mill ground from nearly 10,000 bushels of grain, and about 100 tons of iron were rolled and split in that year. Besides this, the saw mill was in operation frequently, although not continuously. Upon the assessment rolls of 1829 the rolling and slitting mill is recorded as not occupied. In 1856 Amor Bishop conveyed the grist and saw mill to his son, Washington, who sold them to Joseph Velotle, the latter passed the title to William F. Lewis, who operated them as the Sycamore Mills. An interest- ing fact, in connection with the Sycamore mills is that four times in its exist- ence its dam has been washed away, once in the great flood of 1793, again Feb- ruary 22, 1822, the third time in the ice flood of January 26, 1839, and last in the flood of August 5, 1843.
Just across Ridley creek, above the bridge at Bishop's Mills, was a nail fac- tory, an outgrowth of the rolling mill. The factory was a frame building owned by Jesse Reece, and was rented to David Register, who during 1812- 1813 employed several men and made iron-wrought nails by hand. The build- ing was carried away in the flood of August 5, 1843, but had not been used as a factory for many years previous.
There is a tradition in Upper Providence township, to the effect that Jere- miah Collett owned a mill in that township, on the east side of Ridley creek. There is one legal transaction on record which gives weight to this belief, for at the court held October 2. 1685, the grand jury, because "the county treas- urer is out of purse," levied a tax to defray pressing obligations, in which doc- ument, signed by the grand inquest, the following appears: "Jeremiah Col- lett, for his estate and calling, £30." In the same paper several persons are named and taxed for their "calling," all of whom were millers, thus giving rise to the conclusion that the calling of Jeremiah Collett was that of a miller.
In 1799 there were only two grist mills in the township, Thomas Bishop's and Jacob Siter's, who that year was assessed for twenty-seven acres of land, a grist-mill, plaster-mill, and a frame smith shop. The exact location of the mill is not known, for on the assessment roll of 1802 his name does not appear in connection with a mill, but it is evident from the fact that he owned forty .. seven acres of land in Marple township, that he lived on Crum creek. Abram Jones, March 23, 1801, purchased a dower right in property on Crum creek, and the following year was assessed as owner of a grist-mill in Marple. The remaining right in the mill property he purchased of the executors of William Hunter, January 25, 1812. The report of Delaware county manufacturers,
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published 1826, states "On Crum Creek in Upper Providence and Marple, a grist and saw-mill head and fall twelve feet owned and occupied by Abram Jones, capable of grinding 25,000 bushels of grain and sawing 100,000 feet of lumber per annum, but not employed to that extent." In 1834, after continu- ous ownership and operation, Mr. Jones sold the mills to T. Chalkley Palmer, who devised them to his son, Lewis.
The folowing mills have been mentioned in the old records of the town- ship, but their location has not been ascertained: From 1764 to 1774, Charles Lynn owned a grist-mill; John Hunter and John Williamson each owned a quarter interest in a saw mill. In 1770, John Calvert owned a saw mill on Crum creek, and in 1788 Samuel Vernon owned a grist mill and a saw mill, and Edward Woodward a grist mill.
Radnor Township Mills .- It is believed that the first mill erected in Rad- nor township was a grist mill built in 1710, on the site later occupied by the mills owned by Tryon Lewis, by William Davis, and in 1712 by Hugh Wil- liams.
The only authentic means of information, regarding the Radnor mills are the assessment rolls of the various years, many of which are missing, oth- ers imperfect and incomplete. The best available record follows :
For the year 1766, Thomas Thomas, grist-mill; Joseph Miles, grist and saw-mills; Adam Siter, tan yard. For 1779, George Fetterman, grist-mill; John Evans, saw-mill; Levi Lewis, grist inill; Adam Siter, tan yard. For 1782, William Bailey, fulling-mill; Abram Evans, grist-mill. For 1788, Benjamin Davis, grist-mill; Adam Siter, tan yard; Levi Lewis, grist-mill. For 1790, Benjamin Davis, grist-mill; John Evans, saw-mill; Levi Lewis, grist-mill; Daniel Maule, tan yard; Simeon Matlock, tan yard. For 1802- 1803-1804. Jesse Brooke, grist, saw and plaster-mills; David Evans, grist and saw mills; Levi Lewis, saw mill; Daniel Maule, tan yard; John and William Siter, tan-yard, bark and saw mills. For 1807, Jesse Brooke, grist and plaster mills; Levi Lewis, grist and saw-mills; George and Simeon Matlock, tan yard; Daniel Maule, bark and tan yard; John Pugh, bark and tan yard; Edward Siter, tan yard and bark mill; William Siter, saw-mill. For 1809, Samuel Colef, saw-mill; Evan Roberts, grist and saw mills. For 1811-12, Samuel Colef, saw mill; Levi Lewis, grist mill; Evan Roberts, grist mill; Jesse Brooke, grist mill; William Siter, saw-mill. Edward Siter, stone, saw-mill, tan-yard and currying-shop. For 1817-18, Jesse Brooke, grist and saw mill; John and David Evans, grist and saw mill; Hannah Lewis, grist and saw mill; Joseph Pugh, tan yard; Edward Siter, tan yard and currying-shop; William Siter, saw mill. For 1820-21, Jesse Brooke, grist, saw and plaster mills; John and David Evans, grist and saw-mills; Edward Siter and Yocum, tan-yard; William Siter, saw mill.
The official report of 1826, regarding the mills and mill seats of Delaware county, mentions Radnor township as follows :
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