Witt Flour Mill at Minnora Early 1900's
(Photo Courtesy of Kathryn Witt Holiday)

Richardson Mill Early 1900's
(Photo Courtesy of Calhoun County Historical and Genealogical Society)

By Bob Weaver

The early mills were driven by water, followed by steam and gasoline engine. Here is a list of early Grist and Feed Mills during the 20th century, as compiled by Harlan Stump of Millstone, with some add-ons.

Harlan F. Stump (grist/feed) Top of Millstone Hill, Rt. 16

John Fogle (grist/feed) Above Riffle Run, Russett

John Barr (grist/feed) Lower end of Russett

Whitt Stump (grist/feed) Old Teeter place, Russett

Corel Poling (grist/feed) Russett at junction Sycamore Road

Alexander Stump (steam grist) Mouth of Snake Root, Steer Creek

W. Elsworth Stump (grist) Apple Farm on Rush Run

Levi and Brad Gainer (grist/feed) Sassafras Ridge

Levi Barr/Teeter Family (steam grist) Big lower end of Charles Robinson farm

Zany (Zani) Yost had a grist mill at Big Springs. This mill operated until the early fifties.

John W. Sharps (water grist) Russett, below Rev. David R. Polings

John W. Sharps (water grist) Yellow Creek

John W. Sharps (water grist, flour and feed) Richardson

Battel and Blaine Poling (steam grist) Left fork of Sycamore above "the forks"

Alvin Vannoy (grist) Mouth of Wolf Run on Steer Creek

Nicholas Poling (grist) Sand Ridge

Willie Poling (grist) Mouth of Hog Run, left hand of Sycamore

Fielden Allen (grist/feed) Located at L. H. Trippett Store, right hand of Sycamore

Thomas "Watt" Everson (grist/feed) Millstone, Mt. Zion Ridge Rt. 16

Clyde Allen (grist) Nitz Fork of Daniels Run

Russell Everson (grist) Rocksdale, mouth of Henrys Fork

Peter M. Booher (steam grist) Booher Fork of Daniels Run

Arthur Offutt (grist) Head of Nitz Fork, Daniels Run

Roy Morgan (grist/feed) Altizer, mouth of Sinking Springs

"Chip" Crawford (grist) Crummies Creek

Homer Norman (grist) Beech Fork of the West Fork

Kenny Wayne (grist) Mouth of Leatherbark

French King (grist/feed) upper end of Arnoldsburg

John Cottrell (grist) Head of Frozen Run

Oscar Chenoweth (grist/feed) Nicut PO and store

Russell Carter (grist) Left Hand of the West Fork near Braxton line

Walter Farrar (grist) Walnut Run, right fork of West Fork

C. A. and Homer Witt (grist/feed/flour) Minnora, bought Huffman Bros., Grantsville

Huffman Bros. (grist/feed/flour) Grantsville

Lora Stevens (grist) Upper Pine Creek

Everett/Harley McCoy (grist) McCoy's Store at Hur

William Sturm (grist) Will Sturm Store at Hur

Harless Mace (grist) Right fork of Millstone, US 33/119

Ralph Mace (grist) Sassafras Ridge

Harley McKown (grist) Beech Fork of West Fork

Claude Jett (grist) Orma

Orville Norman (grist) Sand Ridge

Albert Poling (grist) Mouth of Rowels Run at West Fork

Braddus Moore (grist) Milo

Alvin Laughlin and George Bennington on Beach just above the Beech Church.

Homer Norman on Beech up the road just above the Wayne Cemetery.

ADDITIONS AND NAME OF CONTRIBUTOR

Homer Riddle (grist) Fairview Ridge at head of Wolf Run off Rt. 7. Submitted by Hazel Collins Knotts.

George Downs (grist?) Neck of the Big Bend (census and Boyd Stutler papers). Submitted by Norma Knotts Shaffer.

Leonard Mathess (grist) Leading Creek below Freed. Submitted by Donald Dawson.

Charter Badgett (grist) Milo. Submitted by Missy Badgett Cunningham.

Julius Mollohan (grist) Stinson. Junction of Stinson Creek and the West Fork. Submitted by William Horton.

Silas H. Simers (grist) at White Pine. Operated until 1937 when it was washed away. Submitted by Rose Grimm Campbell.

Causey Whytsell, near Liberty Hill on Rt. 33 and U.S. 119. Submitted by Leo E. Craddock.

Andrew Craddock, Adam, near Craddock School on West Fork. Submitted by Leo E. Craddock.

Henry Sidwell operated a grist mill at Booger Hole. Submitted by Denise Rexroad.

There was a grist mill at Altizer in the early 1900's. Altizer at that time was at the Edgar Lynch farm. Submitted by J. Lynch.

Lora Stevens operated a grist mill on Pine Creek up to one year prior to his death in 1981. Submitted by Lyle Kerby.

Mel Westfall operated a Grist Mill at White Pine during the 1920's through the1940's. "I visited the mill many times in my youth." Submitted by Roy Kight

Several other grist mills were at White Pine, Big Bend, Rocksdale, Ayers, Freed, among others.

Lawrence Jarvis says Lawrence Hicks had a grist mill and black smith shop across the road from the old house that washed away in high water and Ezra Metheney had a grist mill at the Clay-Calhoun line.