PAMONROE-L Archives

From: "Sue Maxwell" <>
Subject: Washburn, Silence & Jesse at Brinkers Mill PA 1763
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 14:13:17 -0400

For those that connect to Silence & Jesse WASHBURN of Northeast
Pennsylvania...............

In September 1763, 18 men and their families, Jesse WASHBURN being one,
were "held up" for protection from the "savages" in Jacob BRINKERS Mill,
located on McMichael's Creek, Northampton County Pennsylvania (present
day Monroe County).

An open house will occur at this OLD MILL on Sunday October 3rd, 2004
between 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM. It is advertised as being "operational".
Located on Business Route 209 and Neola Road, Sciota, Pennsylvania
(Hamilton Township, Monroe County)
The Old Mill is about 15 minutes south of Rt. 80 or about 30 minutes
north of Easton, PA.

I just visited this Mill this past Saturday. A steel bridge immediately
behind the Mill was restored in 2000, and a beautiful park setting
surrounds the mill along the creek. My hope is to find the actual land
Jesse & Silence WASHBURN owned along McMichaels Creek.

The original LOG Mill was replaced with a stone mill in 1800.

Citation
[ Subject - Petition for soldier protection, Jesse WASHBURN Sr. ] Page
159 Petition of people at BRINKER's mill to Mr. HORSFIELD, September
1763 (page 183):
Petioners: "the neighbors that are now living or rather staying here at
this present time"
Petition: for soldiers to be placed at the Jacob BRINKER's mill; the
people have been
driven from their homes, "to our desolate habitations," so they could
use the mill and almost forgot their woes but now, every day they are
exposed to "the unmerciful hands of these savages just at our backs;"
only one-half have guns, barely one charge of powder or lead; only God
protects us; please place soldiers at the mill
Signed:
George HARTLIEB
Joh. Jacob STERNER
John LEARN
Johannes MARGRETS
Jacob SCHMIDT
Felix WEISS
Jacob ZEWITZ
Peter BOSELT
Lorence RAMEE
Peter HUSSSCHMITH
Conrad JUNG [YOUNG]
Jesse WASHBURN
Michael BUCH
Johannes MENNIER
Johannes EIDGEIER
Johannes KUNEL
Bartel SCHEIBLE
Jacob BRINCKER
[end]

The Mill is also known locally as the Fenner-Snyder Mill, the last
families to own the mill while still operating.

The information below is found on the Hamilton Township web site.
THE OLD MILL AT SCIOTA, PA

Brinker's Mill, a log structure, may have been built as early as 1729,
according to a news feature in the Stroudsburg Daily Record for April
16, 1954. Jacob Brinker was listed on the tax rolls of Hamilton Township
as early as 1764.

The mill assumed prominence in 1779, when the Sullivan Expedition was
dispatched by Congress "to chasten and humble" the Iroquois Indians. The
Expedition left Easton on June 18; the mill served as a storehouse and
advance post for this unit of some 4,000 men.

From Jacob Brinker the mill passed into the hands of John George Keller
about 1790. With the passing of time the log mill had deteriorated. It
was replaced in 1800 by the present structure, built by Bernhard Fenner.
The mill, with its overshot wheel, was a sophisticated operation for its
day, producing various types of flour as well as feed for stock. The
services of two separate millers were required.

From the Fenner family the mill passed to a relative by marriage, George
Snyder; then to Romanous Snyder; and from him to William Snyder. It
ceased active milling operations in 1954.

The mill was next acquired by Eugene Haller, who sold it to Karl Hope.
In 1974 Mr. Hope and his wife presented it to Hamilton Township with the
stipulation that it should be "held and maintained. for historical,
cultural, and/or governmental purposes." The Hamilton Township
Supervisors appointed an advisory body, charging them to make
recommendations for restoration and future use of the mill. This body -
the Old Mill Restoration Council, PO Box 285, Sciota, PA 18354 - meets
on the last Wednesday evening of each month at the township building.
Visitors are welcome.

Some salient features of this mill are apparent at a glance - the
architectural lines of its stone structure, for instance and the
weathered two-part "Dutch" door. The interior is filled with old pulleys
and other milling gear, though some of the original works were sold,
years ago, for a restoration at the Jenny Mill at Plymouth,
Massachusetts. (The office fireplace is a 19th century addition.)

Other features may be less immediately obvious - like the fact that the
mill dam is still intact, a condition true of few un-restored mills.
Moreover, the flow of water entering the mill is strong enough to
activate either an overshot or an undershot wheel.

The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May
1976. To make the grade for such placement, tradition is by no means
enough; one by one, hard facts and actual facets of history must be
ferreted out, verified, and documented. Original ownership; subsequent
chain of title; payment of taxes; the kinds of grain ground (this was
both a "flouring" and a feed mill); local, township, and county maps,
plus recorded property surveys; all references in early books and
newspapers; old pictures -- all these were called for. (The earliest
relevant picture discovered in this case is one of Henrich Fenner, born
in 1801, a member of the family who rebuilt the mill in 1800.)

State recognition of the historic importance of the mill came in 1975,
when placement was granted on the Pennsylvania Register of Historic
Places. To commemorate the occasion, a flag was presented and raised by
the Sciota Minute Men in an appropriate ceremony on August 19, 1975.

In 1989, Hamilton Township received a sizeable contribution from the
Robacker Estate for the restoration of the mill. The Hamilton Township
Supervisors engaged Gus Roof, a millwright, who restored the millworks
to a working 1700's condition.

Improvements that have taken place for the enjoyment of the public are:
plexi-glass viewing windows placed in the main floor; a spiral staircase
to the third floor; a walk-way to the basement level for the physically
challenged; park benches were placed on the grounds; windows have been
replaced; outdoor and indoor lighting was added; some of the stonework
was replaced; an iron grate was placed at the archway at water level;
the addition of the Clark property; and the donation of land from
Anthony Greco and family.

Ken Maxwell

(WASHBURN - Erna Jean, Russel Dearl, Reuben Daniel, James Daniel, Enoch,
Caleb, Jesse & Silence)

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• Washburn, Silence & Jesse at Brinkers Mill PA 1763 by "Sue Maxwell" <>