The Lewis Mill Uncovered Unusual pre-Civil War grist mill discovered during bridge construction in 1989 The economic development of frontier America was greatly shaped by water mills, especially grist mills grinding grains for consumption. For generations of rural Americans, before the spread of roads and highways and the introduction of new technologies such as the steam engine, water-powered mills had a profound influence on their lives despite a diminished importance in doing the nation’s work. Much of the time spent by early county court judges was in ordering and approving early roads. These trails ran from historic place to historic place in nearly a direct line. Many of these locations were mills. The records, however, do not describe the power source for some of the mills, nor the work done at the mill such as sawing, milling, grinding, carding, grain separating or cleaning, etc. The exact site of some of the places has been lost. The descriptions given, if any, are not clear in current terminology. Courthouse records show 23 grain mills operated in Daviess County prior to the Civil War. Not all of these were water-powered, and few if any mills west of the Mississippi River were like the Lewis Mill. The original mill built about 1855 was rebuilt in 1863 by Eramus Lewis, using an outward flow reaction turbine. Water flow amplified by a 100-foot race tunnel powered a horizontal turbine wheel rather than a traditional water wheel. Despite modifications, the Lewis Mill did not have sufficient power to perform grinding profitably. In 1876 the tunnel caved in beyond repair. In 1878 the mill sold and was refitted but continued in declining use. Eventually, the weathered building fell victim to the torrential waters of an untamed Grand River during the afternoon of May 25, 1899. Silt entombed portions of all three mills which operated at the site until bridge builders (erecting a new bridge using federal grant funds) cut into the timber remains in November, 1989. Bridge construction abruptly stopped. Excavation revealed many mill parts, including a native walnut water turbine wheel still intact.
The following lists 22 mills which once operated in Daviess County, of which little more is known:
1. Taylor McCully Mill 1839 Constructed by Jacob Groomer before 1840. Last referenced in 1860 when it was owned by Mary McCully. The first county trail northwest of Gallatin went to this site. May be the first waterpowered mill built in Daviess County. Located in the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 15 (T60N-R29W) and sold to Taylor McCully in August, 1839.
2. Matthew Patton Mill 1841 First noted on May 10, 1841, when Charles Yates requested a Dram Shop license. In June 1841 a road to the place was requested and approved by the court in December. Last reference in May 1847 when it was called the Sevier Mill. Located on North Big Creek at the old town Pattonsburg.
3. Lewis Watson Mill 1841 On North Big Creek just north of "Dry Deer Lick" at the southeast quarter of Section 16 (T61N-R28W). Sold to Jonathon Watson in 1849, last referenced in 1859.
4. Cypress Creek Mill 1841 Location unknown. Also been called the Whirte’s Mill (when last noted in 1844).
5. Harris Mill 1842 The only reference seems to place it in the northeast part of Daviess County.
6. Hardin Stone Mill 1842 South of Gallatin on Marrow Bone Creek near the trail to Richmond. (See Mill #11)
7. Lenhart Horse Mill 1842 Reported in other records, in Monroe Township.
8. Haptonstall’s Mill 1847 First called Haptins Falls Mill, near a place later called Alta Vista. Also called the Smith Mill, Happenstall Mill, and the Jeremiah Lenhart Mill in 1858 and 1859. Reportedly built by Vincent Smith in 1845 and burned in November, 1860. Probably located on Lazy Creek in Section 19 (T59N-R29W) near an old road to Maysville.
9. Gay’s Mill 1847 On Mill Seat Branch in NW part of the county.
Most unusual was the walnut water turbine wheel (shown above). Apparently the wheel was powered by centrifugal force. The water was channeled into the center of the wheel and forced outward through the open ended water wheel paddles. There may also have been a flywheel apparatus designed to assist the centrifugal forces involved. Apparently the wheel balanced on a center upright spindle and wear was evident on the encompassing timbers. The wheel set clear of the shale bedrock, resting three feet below the top of the walnut floor joists. The wheel was tapered from center to outside perimeter, made of two layers of wood and cross-pegged to add power to the turbine.
10. Barnett Dilley Mill 1851 On Sampson Creek near the trail from old Pattonsburg to Gentryville. May have been built by William Patton in 1850; also called Cooper’s Mill in 1854 and Taylor’s Mill in 1856.
11. Hardin Stone Mill 1851 On Honey Creek south of Gallatin in December 1851 (exact location may be mistaken).
12. Shriver’s Mill 1853 On Grand River known as "Mill Dam." May have been constructed by Samuel Crews, sold to Andrew Shriver in May, 1854. Mapped as the Daviess County Milling Company in 1876; first called the Shriver and Scott’s Mill in July, 1854.
13. Jackson Township Mill 1854 14. Netherton-Isaac Steam Mill 1856
Archaeologist Dr. Gary Rex Walters of Triad Research Services, with State Rep. Phil Tate (1989). The Lewis Mill may have been constructed according to a design by Benoit Fourneyron (1827). This metal tirl (left), with wooden hub, was discovered during site excavation. The tirl spun as water poured downward at a precise angle from a stationary wooden wheel positioned above. The shaft turned by the tirl was probably geared to mill stones in the milling room atop the entire mechanism. This action (reversing the direction of rotation of the water in a downward flow) could generate as much as 125 revolutions per minute, compared to about 60 revolutions of the older wooden water wheel powered by direct stream source.
Archaeologists discovered evidence of a wooden building
From four to nine feet of earth and debris covered the site. The excavation floor was about five feet below the river channel. A cofferdam temporarily diverted water away from the archaeological dig; water seepage required the area to be pumped daily. Here are a few additional notes on what was discovered: >> Authorities almost immediately determined that the site would qualify for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places >> No written confirmation of the Lewis Mill, either by local sources or at the State Historical Society in Columbia, were known to exist when remnants of the mill were accidentally discovered >> New bridge construction work damaged a portion of the mill, but only by damaging it did work crews save it.
15’x40′ on the downstream (south) side of the dam to house gears and power mechanism. A stone wall built along the river bank measured 66 feet in length, typical pre-Civil War construction: parallel walls filled solid with rubble. The dam was still apparent in 1989; a cut once anchored a timber walled spillway. The stone dam probably extended the width of the river. The excavators believe the Lewis Mill was two or three stories tall with the grinding performed on the upper floor. Stone walls indicate the store being the full 66-foot length with some evidence of interior stone walls still evident. Additional use of stone was used for retaining walls. A 16-foot walnut shaft was among the first artifacts uncovered. Archaeologists think it may have been originally positioned vertically from the water turbine’s hub. An opening in the shaft may have allowed for re-positioning of the steel and wooden flywheel as needed. Gears and shafts then transferred the power for various uses elsewhere in the 2-story stone building.
On the west of the southeast corner of Section 12 (T61N-R26W), near John and Harry Netherton’s land in 1859-60.
15. Craig’s Mill 1857 May have been built by Uriah Craig on Dog Creek near Pool Ford (Surface Ford) on the trail from Gallatin to Mirabile.
16. Liarley’s Mill 1857 May have first been called Dave Brown’s Fish Trap in 1856 but known as Youtsey’s Mill on the Grand River in 1857. In 1865 the mill was on the trail from Salem to the Old Union Meeting House. Owned by Solomon "Lierley" who came to Lincoln Township in Daviess County from Illinois in 1856.
17. Weldon’s Saw Mill 1857 Near Haw Branch Ford, south of Honey Creek.
18. Thornton S. Talbot Mill 1858 On the old bed of the Grand River where the trail from "Greasey" to Breckenridge crossed. Last referenced in 1860.
19. Steven’s Mill 1859 On South Big Creek near Grand River.
20. C.E. Morton Steam Saw Mill 1859 Near Honey Creek south of Gallatin in 1859, shown on the William Lewis land Section 4 (T58N-R27W) on the 1876 plat.
21. Hill’s Steam Mill 1860 Reportedly at Auberry Grove
22. Weldon’s Mill 1862 On an old bed of the Grand River at Hobb’s Ferry in 1862. It was at Weldon’s Ford in 1863 and in 1864 Benedict Weldon was assessed for a $300 steam mill (no location given).
These "unknown" mills are in addition to the more widely known mills, such as the David Groom Mill, the Butler-Lewis Mill, and the Robert Peniston Horse Mill. There were also three steam saw mills shown on the 1876 plat pages not included in the list above. Since there were no new mills found in the records up through 1865, research on this topic ceased with 1865. Researched by David Stark, Gallatin; first published in the Gallatin North Missourian on March 7, 1990
Daviess County placed remnants of the Lewis Mill in storage where the artifacts remain today ©2020. All Rights Reserved. Gallatin Publishing Company
HISTORIC DAVIESS COUNTY
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