EARLY MILLS OF BROOKE COUNTY

 

Waugh’s Mill on Buffalo Creek, Wellsburg

 

In the period from 1783 to 1906, numerous mills were in operations along the Brooke county creek areas and in Wellsburg; grist, wool, lumber distilleries, powder and cider mills. Along with the development of these mills, transportation (notable bridges and tunnels) was improved. The earliest mills flourished during the eighteenth century entrepreneurs having several mills at one location – grist, saw, and distilleries or other combinations. Some restricted their distribution or services to the immediate area, others shipped flour as far east as Baltimore. At least one of these mills is still standing.

 

Cross Creek area seems to have been a favorable sight for eighteenth century mills. Alexander Wells and his son, Bazeleel, operated a fulling mill about 1793. In 1797 the county court granted permission of the erection of the following mills. Thomas Well’s water mill, Jonathan West’s mill, (location unknown), Thomas Hitle and John Rodger’s grist and saw mills, Robert Hartford’s and Peter Peterson’s mills. In the area extending from the mouth o Cross Creek in the Pennsylvania line, seven or eight mills operated. The first was Seth Clark’s grist mill and distillery on what is not the sight of Brooke High School (formerly the Schwartfegar farm). This mill was standing in 1882. Located out over the second bridge out the creek as Hunter’s mill, also known as Saunders or Pfister’s built about 1799 and remodeled in 1859-60. This burned in 1889 and was replaced by one with steam power.

 

Farther up the creek at Virginia Station was Fowler’s mill operated by three generations: William, John and his son, William S., who helped move the mill to Fowlers town on Washington Pike. He operated the mill there until about 1900. When the present Washington Pike was improved in 1933, the building was demolished. Two of the stones used in Fowler’s mill weighed a ton each and were mounted on gears made of cast iron and wood. Wooden pegs in the gears were necessary because the sudden rush of water over the mill wheel would tear out cast-iron gears if used throughout the intricate system. The grinding stones were transported from Maryland and France. The old stone used in the final stage of grinding flour is termed a “French Buhr”. This was encircled with steel or heavy iron bands. The other stones used in the grinding of coarser flour were called “Laurel Hill” and presumable came from Maryland.

 

Others on Cross Creek were McGuire’s mill and farther on was Scott’s Run mill on another branch of the creek. Beyond that was Ewave’s Mill, later known as Kidd’s mill. On the north branch of the creek was Patterson’s mill and on the south branch, Phillip’s mill and Fullerton’s mill.

 

Probably the first mill in operation on Buffalo Creek was the Waugh’s mill, which was built in the late 1790’s  by John Moore who had patented a 400 acre tract of land about 1780. Adam Wilson built this mill. At the time of his death in 1815, Mr. Moore had started a water tunnel, through the hill, for a new mill. Richard Waugh, born 1897 near Independence, Pennsylvania, married Eliza, daughter of John Moore, in 1824, and moved to the Moore property in Virginia. He was a man of exceeding energy who completed the     water tunnel and the stone mill.

 

Source Early History of Brooke county

Waugh's Mill