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N ONE of the most picturesque spots of the winding valley of Muddy Creek, back of Delhi, at a point where the turbulent waters 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. Majestic sycamores have tenderly woven a network of interlacing branchesaround the venerable building, now peace-fulflfres-ting in their grateful shade. Nearly a century has passed since the mill was built In the wilderness. It has outlived its usefulness, and Is allowed to slowly crumble away and to decay like so many other historical landmarks, for which this practical and Irreverent age knows no respect.“Kuelhn’s Mill, as the old structure 1s called, has an unusually interesting history, and is surrounded by a wealth of reminiscences of a time when the proudQueen City was still In its infancy andscarcely more than an advance post of civilization on Its westward march. The history’of that, mlW 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 of the wilderness, the brave and warlike redskins. AThe Builder.The old mill was built by General Jamesa younger brother of Governor William Findlay, of Pennsylvania (1768-3846). James Findlay came of good stock,and his family was at that time one of thetnowt prominent In Pennsvlvania, Hewas born In Mercersburg, Pa.*, In 1775, 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 nom® 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 development of 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 Chill icothe. .Colonel Israel Ludlow was the firstRegister of the Cincinnati land office, and General James Findlay, who was then 26 years old, was 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, 18Q1. and the lowest price paid was $2 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 the city and began to raise grain to supply the growing city. The roads were still In a primitive condition, and it was quite « difficult and even risky matter to haulthe grain to the city to have it ground into flour. Findlay bought a tract of land, N including the present site of the mill, In what a few years later became Delhi Township (between 1810 and 1815). ami erected a mill for the convenience of the farmers in the surrounding district.The Site of the Mill.The site selected for the mill was an excellent one. The narrowing of the val-STORICOLDTHESETTLEMENTLTONCOUNTY.Va it 11ST-**/p»esm% ITHE OLD MILL ON MUDDY CREEK, NEAR DELHI. \MR. AND MRS. VAN RLARACUM,/ (Former owners of the mill.) RUINS OF THE WATER WHEEL.above the mill formed ag or vkindfor 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 Dutfch, emptied into Muddy Creek, adding to its supply of water, an important factor for a mill in those days.Large jiree# wore felled 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 beam,every hoard had to ho sawed or choppedby 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 where It was absolutely neoessary. The shafts, and even the various large and small cog wheels, were made of wood in the mostIngenious manner. The working mechaaism of the mill is still In a good state ofpreservation, but the large over-shortwheel 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 for many long years the four large stones were kept grinding to supply thefarmers of the district, froru Cheviot toCincinnati, with flour. In the upper part of the structure a sawmill was put up, which could be connected with tne mill gear whenever hecesaary. 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.owned tho-’miU until about 1815,icmity,Findlaywhen he sold out to a man named Jones, of whom very * little 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 til2 Fidlay served under General WilliaiffiHull as Colonel of the Second Ohio Regiment. Heunfoiof Detroit, but was soon released and returned to Cincinnati. He filled the post of Receiver of the Government Land Office at Cincinnati until 1824, and during that time vras repeatedly elected to the State Legislature. In 1824 be 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 December, 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 gite. David was born in Pennsylvania In 1777; and during the early part of h4s life .lived with his father on a farm. When the newsof the promising development of the Miami aettfleirient reached his home and many young men of his State migrated West to Ohio, to grow up with the country, David ‘followed their example. He took himself a wife and bravely started for the new .field. He bought a tract of land back of the present village of Home City and built a house on the top of one of the highest hills. The homestead still exists and is .owned by David Blaracum, Jr., the only ‘surviving son of its founder.Became a Prosperous Farmer.David, the elder, became a prosperous Carrher and raised a family of twelve children, four of them sons, .eight daughters. In May, 181L he joined the volunteer troops who fougnt against the Indians under General 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 last 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 the wish that he might Uve long enough to see the war closed. His wish was granted by Providence, and when David finally ad-ed, it was a few months after the dose of hostilities. rT,After the old man's death the mill, with the land belonging to it, became by inheritance the property of j David, Jr., while the homestead and the farm went to his brother Henry, the yoUnge-st of the four sons of old David. Afterrfour year* the two brothers traded their and David, Jr., went to live or homestead: which he still owns. At the age of 28 ne married his wife Elizabeth. She Was bom In London hi 1827, and came to this country with her parents when she was 3 years old. Her family sesttledf In the vicinity of Schenectady, N, Y., where her father *dled sixty-seven vearsppst r»f thft familr went W„ The Wmm . _about fifty years ago and first settled In Indiana, then on a farm on Muddy Creek not far from the Van Dlaoarum homestead. David, Jr., and hi® faithful companion, who is still hale and hearty, were married in January, 1849; and hid six children. The latter all died with the ex*, ception of one daughter, Claras who , ia married to a man named Miller and lives with her parents on the homestead.The Present Title.Henry Van Blaracum ran the mill about sixteen year®, and when he a ted it becamethe property of a Mr®. Parson, who soon after sold it to Albert Kuehn, • whose widow still owns the mill and lives on *the farm. Albert Kuehn bought the mill In 1885,. but It did not prove a profitable Investment. The cutting down of The tlro-(noanrtbtsecrease lrt the amount of rain, and consequently a gradual drying up of the small creeks. Dutch Run and Muddy Creek were greatly affected and soon ran dry during the summer and fall. Only in spring the melting snow yielded enough water to drive the mill. Kuehn bought an engine and boiler, and for a few years 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 d6Cy ifThe old structure, with Its historical associations, is very picturesque, a,nd every year attracts, artists from all parts of Ohio, and even from other - States. Many Cincinnatians have visited It in the last few years, and they all agree that the old mill is one af the most Interestingwas included In thertuoat 9 surrender
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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