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N ONE of the most picturesque spots ofthe winding valley ofMuddy Creek, back of Delhi, at a po-int where the turbulent waders of the rushing stream have worn a deep and narrow channel through the rocks of the closely approaching hills, are the ruins of an old mill. Snugly sheltered between abruptly rising hills, the weather-beaten wooden structure stands there in profoundest solitude. MaJAstlc sycamores have tenderly woven a network of interlacing branchesaro1u^ t*le venerable building, now peace-resting in their grateful shade. Nearfully a century has passed since the mill was built In tfe wilderness. It has outlived its usefulness, and is allowedto slowlycrumble away and to decay like so many other historical landmarks, for which this practical and irreverent age knows no respect.Kuehn’s Mill,” as the old structure la called, has an unusually interesting history, and is surrounded by wealth of reminiscences of a time when the proudQueen City was still in its Infancy and scarcely more than an advance post of civilization on its westward march. The history’of that,miU takes us back to the time when the present State of Ohio did not yet exist, but formed part of the great Northwest Territory, the scene of many bloody wars against the roaming sons ofthe wilderness, the brave and warlike redskins. * rThe Builder.The old mill was built by General JamesFindlay, a younger brother of Governor William Findlay, of Pennsylvania (1768-1846). James Findlay came of good stock, and his famLly was at that time one of thetnotft prominent In Pennsylvania He was bom in Mercers burg, Pa., in 1776, and received what was then considered a good education. He was active and adventurous, and his .desire to carve his own future was so powerful that at the age of 18 years he left his home and boldly struck out for the Miami settlement. He arrived here in 1793, and at once began an active life.Five years later he became a member of the Territorial Legislative Council, and took a prominent part in the developmentof the young settlement.The. territory' west of the Great Miami was surveyed by order of the Government in 1799 and 1800, and in the latter year the Cincinnati Land District was created. The influx of settlers was so considerable at that time that the Government found it advisable to establish a land office, with a Register and a Receiver in Cincinnati. Similar offices were opened in Marietta, Steubenville and Chillloothe. .Colonel Israel Ludlow was the first Register of the Cincinnati land office, and General James Findlay, who was then 26 years o!d, wras made Receiver. His office was in “the hotel,” then No. 30 North Front street. The first sales were made on the first Monday in April, 18G1, and the lowest price paid was 12 an acre. Notuntil the following year was Ohio admitted into the Union, and Cincinnati was incorporated as a town. Land was cheap, and the territory around Cincinnati became rapidly settled. James Findlay soon recognized the fact that the country surrounding Cincinnati offered great possibilities to an enterprising man. ' Scores of settlers bought farm lands west of thecity and began to raise grain to supply the growing city. The roads were still iIn a primitive condition, and it was quite fflcult and even risky matter to haula lt;lithe grain to the city to have it ground Into flour. Findlay bought a tract of land, x including the present site of the mill, in what a few years later became Ielhi Township (between 1810 and 1815). ami erected a mill for the convenience of the farmers in the surrounding district.STORICOLDTHESETTLEMENTLTONCOUNTY.THE OLD MILL ON MUDDY CREEK, NEAR DELHI. \MR. AND MRS. VAN BLAJtACUM,/ (Former owners of the mill.) RUINS OF THE WATER WHEELThe Site of the Mill.The site selected for the mill was an excellent one. The narrowing of the val-fcbuyo the mill loaned a kind o£ datnfor the swift waters of the creek, which, at that tirtie. were plentiful at all seasons of the year. Right above the mill Dutch Run, so called because it flowed past a settlement founded by Pennsylvania Dutch, emptied into Muddy Creek, adding to its supply of water, an important factor for a mill In those days.Large jLree# w«ra foiled and cut intotimber for the frame work of the mill. According to the custom of that time the structure was made very substantial, and that accounts for It that even now, after nearly a century, the frame of the structure is solid, although its outside, exposed to the various climatic influences, shows signs of rapid decay. Every beamby hand, and the building of the mill took many a month of hard work. Even the working mechanism of the mill was made on the spot by hand. Iron was scarce, and was used only whgre it was absolutely neoessary. The shafts, even the various large and smallandcogwoodhad to ho sawed or chopped^ Ingenious manner. The working mechauism of the mill is still In a good state ofpreservation, but the large over-shotwheel has succumbed to decay and Is no longer there. The inner arrangement was, of course, very primitive, but the mill served its purpose, and day and night few* many long yearsstones were kept grinding to supply thefarmers of the district, froraCincinnati, with flour. In the upper part of the structure a sawmill was put up, which could be connected with the mill gear whenever hecessary. It was only a simple arrangement with vertically moving saws, but many a fine piece of timber, many a board for the farmers in the vicinity, was cut with it.Findlay owned the-’mill until about 1815.when he sold out to a man named Jones, of whom very i lit tie is known. When the war against Indians broke out In 1811 Findlay, who was General of the militia, took part in the campaign, and at the outbreak of the war of W2 Fidlay served under General Willlaiffiliull as Colonel of the Second Oljlo Regiment. Hewas Included in the unfortucat# ffurrend«cof Detroit, but was soon released and returned to Cincinnati. He filled the post of Receiver of the Government Land Office at Cincinnati until 1was repeatedly elected to the StateIn 1834Legislature. In 1834 he was elected to Congress as a Jacksonian Democrat and served four terms, from 1825 to 1833. In 1834 he was the Democratic candidate for Governor but was defeated. He died in.the month of Decem*ber, 1885.The old mill which Findlay had built was sold by Jones in 1827 to David Van Blaracum, who had come from Pennsylvania In 1802 and, had settled on a farm about two miles from the present mill site. David was born ki Pennsylvania In 1777-, and during the early part of h4s life .lived with his father on a farm. When the news of the promising development of the Miami settfleirient reached his home and many young men of his State migrated West togrow up with the country, David followed their example. He took himselfand bravely started for the new .field. He bought a tract of land back of e present village of Home City and built house on the top of one of the highest hills. The homestead still exists and is .owned by David Biaracum, Jr., the only surviving son of its founder.Became a Prosperous Farmer.David, the elder, became a prosperous flarifier and raised a family of twelve children, four of them sons, eight daughters. In May, 181L he joined the volunteer troops who fought against the Indiana __ Jgnt againiGeneral William Henry Harrison.He fought bravely and returned unharmed in the month of November of the same year. He bought the mill in 1827 Und conducted it successfully to the time of his death. During the las* years of his life David was very decrepit and feeble. When the Civil War was approaching its end, David fell sick and he felt that his endwas near. Many times he expressed thewish that he might Mve long enough to see the war closed. His wish was granted bv Providence, and when David finally d*l*d, it was a few months after the close of hostilities. u , ^After the old man's death the mill, with the land belonging to it, became by inheritance the property of David, Jr., while the homestead and the farm wentbrother Henry, the yodnjeeat nna of old David. After*#ourthe two brothers trackedand David, Jr.. went toto this country with her parents when she was 3 years old. Her family mesttXcdt In the vicinity of Schenectady, N. Y., where her father *died sixty-seven years ago. The rest of the family want West about fifty years ago and first _setdedIndiana, then on a farm on Muddy Creek: not far from the Van EHacarum homestead. Davtd, Jr.. and hi» faithful companion, who is still hale and hearty, were married in January, 1849, and had six children. The latter all died with the exception of one daughter, Claras who da married to a man named Miller and lives with her parents on the homestead.The Present Title,Van Blaracum ran Hie mill aboutwhen he died it becameirfxteen years, and ^the property of a Mrs, Parson, who soonafter sold it to Albert Kuehn, * whoso widow still owns the mill and live® on ’the farm. Albert Kuehn bought the mill in 1885.. but it did not prove a profitable investment. The cutting down of :he tim-c on aider ableecrease in the amount of rain, and consequently a gradual drying up of the small creeks. Dutch Run and Muddy Creek were greatly affected and soon ranthe summer and fall. Only inspring the melting snow yielded enough water to drive the mill. Kuehn boughtan engine and boiler, and for a few _ ran the mill by steam, but when he died his sons made no efforts to continue the milling business, well knowing that it was unprofitable at this age if conducted on a small scale. Since then the old mill was left to Its fate, and is slowly goingto d6c^y* *■The old structure, with its historical associations, is very picturesque, and every year attracts, artists from all parts of Ohio, and even from other - States. Many Cincinnatians have visited it in the few years, and they all agree that thesfold mill is one of the most Interesting
Newspaper Details
Cincinnati Commercial Tribune
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Sun, Jul 25, 1897
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 26 Feb 2023
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