LAWRENCE COUNTY, OHIO MILLS
Luke Kelley’s Reminiscences #3
Submitted by Bob Davisson
Ironton Register August 10, 1854
Our readers will probably thank us for continuing the reminiscences of Rev. John Kelley–not perhaps for their great intrinsic importance, but because of possessing interest in those acquainted in this region.
MILLS
Our information regarding the mills of Lawrence County, Ohio, is not as extensive as we could wish; we have a few facts from Mr. Kelley.
In 1798-99, the settler pounded their grain, or as in the case of the Kelley family, made use of a handmill.
In the winter of 1799, a floating mill propelled by the river’s current broke loose from its station, at Raccoon, below Gallipolis; coming down, the Kelleys caught it and made it fast at their landing. The owners followed it and, rather than take it back, sold it to Luke Kelley for $100. This was the first grist mill in Lawrence County, or nearer than Raccoon.
The mill’s stones were originally brought from up the Monongahela, and the mill itself was placed upon a flatboat. It was stationed at the head of Ferguson’s Bar, immediately above Union Landing, in the current of the chute, and made fast to the shore with grape vines. A canoe on the shore side of the boat was placed, the wheel running between the boat and the canoe, one end of the shaft resting on each.
To increase the rapidity of the current at some stages of the water, a dam was built out into the stream; some portion of the logs of the dam yet remain and may be seen at this low stage of water. The meal made by the mill was very coarse but filled the wants of that early day. In times of demand, the mill was kept running day and night, and the usual quantity ground in 24 hours was about 24 or 25 bushels, a bushel an hour, although, at a favorable stage of the water, 30 bushels could be ground in 24 hours. This mill was in operation for some four or five years and ground the grain of the country far and near.
Next, there was an apology for a mill, for two years, at the falls of Little Sandy, over in Kentucky; and for one year, there was no mill.
John Kelley was then, given the public wants, persuaded by his friends to build a horse mill, which stood until 1817 or 1818, just below Union Landing, using the stones of the old floating mill. When the old stones were worn out, a new set was procured from up Monongahela. Mr. Kelley also procured a bolt [sieve(?)] from Chillicothe and made the first flour in this region.
People came to this mill for flour for several years, from up Big Sandy and down to Portsmouth.
Mr. Kelley built his second horse mill about 1817, on the ground of the old mill and, after running it for two years, was induced, from some cause, to apply steam power–the first use made of steam power in Lawrence County. After the application of steam power for about three years at the mill below Union Landing, from the cause of salt crusting in the boilers when the water of the well ran low, a third mill on shore was built on the bank above Union Landing, a portion of the building, additions having been made. Parts have been taken away yet remain on the bank between the road and the river.
Finally, Mr. Kelley sold his mill to Scott, who took the stones, engines, boiler, and other machinery down to Manchester, Adams County.
As we have mentioned before, the first water mill in this part of the State was built by Emanuel Traxler on the Little Scioto. Major Charles Kelley built the first water mill in this part of Lawrence County, to wit: “Kelley’s Mills” of the present day. The first water mills in the county were on Symmes creek. The first one built, we believe, was by a man named Miller.
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