read 1 SAW MILLS AND GRIST MILLS IN MORGAN COUNTY. As early as 1854 Warriner Porter and Sanford Porter Jr. crossed over the mountains from Centerville into Hard scrabble Canyon and built a saw mill there on a stream called Beaver Creek. They carried provisions and the neccessary machinery etc. on pack Mules. This was before there were any settlers in Weber Valley to use lumber, or a road over it could be hauled to market. They built log houses and moved their familes up the following spring. Mr. Ira Porter now of Centerville, was born there in January 1860. On account of the difficulties and expense encountered in constructing the Mill it was not completed untill 1857, and then came the move South in 1858 and they remained in Provo during the winter of 1858 and 59. They returned to Hardscrabble in July 1859. This Mill was very expensive, having cost about $3000.00. It supplied Centerville with some lumber. The first 500 feet was taken there over the mountains on a cart with four yoke of oxen. Mr. Joshua Williams started a saw Mill in Peterson at a very early date. Roswell Stevens also had a saw mill in that vicinity. Mr. MeLean one of the early settlers of Mt. Green built a saw Mill on the Weber River where the Strawberry bridge is Mr. David Coolbearr says that at one time Nelson Arave and George Highley built a flat bottomed boat to cross the river at the Mill. In using it the first time the boat capsized and let all down into the stream. Mr. Coolbear was not able to swim ans very nearly lost his life. He was rescued by Nels Arave. In Milton James Hanson built and operated a saw Mill 2- near his home at the mouth of Line Creek. He was a carpenter and builder. John H. Giles also operated a saw Mill. He drove the last yoke of oxen used in Milton in his saw Mill business. About 1861 three men Abiah Wadsworth a left handed carpenter and his two sons in law George Highley and Kelson Arave and their families came from Mt. Green and settled near where the grist Mill stood. They built a saw Mill there The cottonwoods that grew along the river were cut up into lumber and this greatly helped the new colonists in improving their homes. They floated logs down the river into a pond back of the Hill. this pond covered many acres of ground, and is now being farmed by Clark Bros. About 1866 or 68 Ezra T. Clark of Farmington bought the saw Mill and on the spot where it stood just east of the crossing they built the Weber Valley Flour Mill. About 1892 Thomas and Edward Spackman bought the Clark Mill and Mill site. They tore it down and built the roller mill which was in operation untill about a year ago 'feb 1932) when it burned down. Just east of where the Seminary now stands was a saw Mill in the early days and also a shingle Mill. Mills in Hardscrabble Canyon about 1870 and eastern man William Farrel bought a stream saw Mill into the Valley, and ten expert mill men. He also brought a large number of oxen. They camped in Richville that spring. The Mill was taken up into Hardscrabble Canyon when they cut hundreds of thousands of feet of lumber. The cutting and hauling of the timber furnished employment for most of the men in Porterville and Richville. after using this Mill about a year Mr. Farrel sold it and brought in a larger one. a 60 inch saw Mill, with which he 3- was able to cut a great deal more lumber. His camp supplies he bought direct from the east. Fruits and finer provisions to the value of $1000.00 were brought by him at one time. He had a lumber yard at Richville where the Stanley Rose property now is, which was the largest that has ever been in Morgan County. Mr. Farrel married a daughter of Billa Dickson Nine saw Mills were operated in Hardscrabble Canyon in the early days. Some of these were run by steam and some by water. There were also two shingle Mills. The Mills fartherst up the Canyon was Farrels Mill, which was located on the East fork of Hardscrabble. The timber was brough down the mountain side by oxen. The next was the Standish Mill. It was located on the west fork of Farrel Canyon. The work here was mostly sawing ties. The next was Holdmans water power Mill, which sawed a great many shingles and lumber also. This was located at tge mouth of Standish Fork. Then came Billa Dicksons Mill. This furnished shingles and lumber of all kinds. It was situated about 200 yards down the main Canyon from FarrelIs Canyon. The water Mills ran night and day because that could get more power in the night than day time. Further down the Canyon was Porter and Waltons Mill, and at the mouth of Arthurs Canyon was Jake Arthurs Mill, Josh Williams also owned a Mill in the same Canyon. Lumber was hauled over the mountains from these Mills to Bountiful. Charcoal was produced in the same Canyon. This was shipped to the mines at Brigham for smelting purposes. The lumber business brought a great deal of wealth to the people. The Grist Mill at Richville about 1863, George W. Taggart and two brothers, Morgan and Henry Hinman of Farmingt 4- on Davis Co. commenced the building of a grist Mill in Richville. Owing to the difficulties in those days of obtaining the necessary materials it was not completed untill 1866 The irrigation ditch which the earlier settlers had made was now enlarged into a Mill race. About 1867 a little child of Baltzer Peterson was drowned in this stream. The body being caught against the grates of the Mill. about 29 years after this another child that of John Wood was drowned in the same ditch. Before the completion of this Mill the people were dependent on the lower Valleys for their flour etc. At one time the high water destroyed the road through Devils Gate. The flour supply became exhausted and the people were reduced to extreme want. Not untill the first of August was there an outlet made to the other Valleys. At this time the people were Compelled to make a move, and consequently ten teams, each having from one to two yoke of oxen, made an attempt to cross the mountains in search of Flour. Theteams were hitched to carts and followed Hardscrabble Canyon down to Heber C. Kimballs flour Mills. They were obliged to cross over ten feet of snow, but obtained some flour and returned home much to the joy of the people. So this grist Mill the first to be built in Weber Valley was greatly appreciated by the people, as it gave them the opportunity of milling what little grain thay raised and encouraged them to plant more grain. This Mill was patronized by the people of Coalville and all this upper Country. They would come and camp over night. As many as thirty teams have been there at one time. The Mill remained in operation untill 1890, but some years before that time the manufacture of flour was discontinued The old Mill was torn down in 1913.