Fairview Woolen Mill

    Ok, let's move on to the last part of our trip through the park. It starts at the Scout Camping Area. If you have driven, park your car on the opposite side of the road, across from the entrance of the Scout Camping Area.

    Starting here at the lower bridge walk upstream on the right side. Just as you arrive at the small shale cliff there is a large flat sandstone boulder lying next to the stream. Take a close look at the side facing the stream. Do you see the notch that was cut from the rock?  This held one end of the dam that was used for the "Fairview Woolen Mill". During periods of low water, the sandstone blocks that are laid into the bedrock of the stream can still be seen. On the opposite stream bank, a pile of sandstone blocks are covered with moss. I hope this seems to be an unlikely spot for a dam to provide the woolen mill with power. After all, the mill is down stream a half mile and on the other side of the hill. That's right, the story about a tunnel through the hill side is true! Walk down the stream and take a close look at the side of the hill. If your eyes are sharp, there are four depressions just above the bank level. One or all of these might have been entrances to the tunnel. Sorry, no digging is allowed in the park. I will let someone else that has permission to dig, figure out this part.

    In case you are wondering why the tunnel was needed , take a  look at the thumbnail to the right. That is quite a large building and I bet it had a lot of machinery inside. The tunnel through the hill provided a greater water drop, thus more power the run the machinery. On the right side of the building is the water wheel with the outlet of the tunnel above. Notice the bridge, the road on the right side of the building, and the sandstone cliffs behind the woolen mill. These will help you pinpoint the location of the mill at the Scout Camping Area.

    Upon entering the Scout Camping Area, follow the dirt road and bear to the left. Toward the lower edge of the field there is an old hand water pump and a sealed off oil and gas well. Now, if you face the highway above and the sandstone cliff, you should notice a rather large depression in the ground with a small spring above. Water from the spring is trickling down to the depression. The scouts have a trail leading up to the spring. Go on up and have a closer look, get real close, bend over and clear away the leaves. How about that! You just found the outlet of the tunnel. It is lined with cut sandstone. Take another look at the photograph and the water wheel. Only the upper third of the wheel is above ground. The large depression left in the earth today is where the wheel spun. The water that turned the wheel exited through cracks between stones which formed the road bed on the right side of the hill. The spot where this water exited to the stream can still be seen today.

    Tracing the ownership of this mill has been difficult to say the least. Here is what I have found so far.

    The blue italics are from an e-mail by Jeff Pugh, whom I met on Roots Web.  This  is a result of his research on the Pugh surname.

    Mary A. (Mick) Pugh (b. February 14, 1828), in the name of her husband, Peter Davis Pugh (b. November 1820), purchased the mill from J.H.Cochran the Sheriff of Hancock County, for $81 on August 18, 1857. Peter Davis Pugh was the son of David Pugh (b. Abt. 1779; d. April 20, 1855) and (Mary (Snowden) Pugh (b. February 1, 1792, d. November 10, 1878). The sale was the result of the death of David Pugh, the previous owner of the mill. He died in debt to Samuel Allison and the courts ordered the sale of the mill.

    The next transactions took place on October 11, 1861 when John C. Pugh (b. May 16, 1838), the son of David Pugh and Peter D. Pugh's younger brother, sold his 1/10 interest in the mill to Samuel Huff for $100. Hannah (Huff) Pugh (b. February 8, 1843) was John C. Pugh's wife and Samuel Huff was Hannah's father. Samuel and his wife, Nancy Ann, then sold their 1/10 interest to Peter D. Pugh for $100 on October 19, 1861.

    On September 18, 1866 Mary (Snowden) Pugh, the widow of David Pugh, sold one hundred and eighty acres of the Pugh Mill Tract to her son Peter D. Pugh for $100. Then on April 9, 1868 Peter D. and his wife, Mary, sold the woolen mill with forty acres and thirty perches of land for $2000. The new owners were John S. Walker and James E. Stevenson.

     Finally, due to Chancery Court rulings, Estate of Walker vs. Stevenson, on September 8, 1874 James E. Stevenson was ordered not to use, occupy, run, or keep in his possession " Fairview Woolen Mills". John Wilson the Sheriff of Hancock County was to keep the mill insured for $4000 to $6000. Stevenson was to loose the mill and the Sheriff was to advertise sale of the mill for 30 days. Stevenson was allowed to remove personal possessions, finish work upon raw material now there and complete manufacture of any unfinished articles therein. March 7, 1878 Stevenson was to pay Peter D. Pugh $2957. 37. March 2, 1875 Peter D. Pugh regained ownership of the woolen mill and land. It appears that John S. Walker and James E. Stevenson received $5200 for their troubles. The deed for the woolen mill and land was made out to Peter D. Pugh on April 13, 1880.

    After this date I could not find any mention of either the "Fairview Woolen Mill" or "Pugh's Woolen Mill".

Back to the Entrance or Hartford's Grist Mill