MEETINGS
August 8 and September 12 at 7 p.m. - these two meetings will be at the Mill.
October 10, November 14 and December 12 meetings will be at 7 p.m. at the Freeport Community Center.
Please come, and bring a friend who might like to join.
NEWS OF THE MILL
Much work has been done at the mill
so far this summer. Did you see the dust and dirt flying?
A small, but energetic group of members have spent several evenings
and the occasional Friday or Saturday morning working. The grass
has been cut and weeds whacked. What seemed to be a ton of debris
has been swept out of the mill - all 3 floors of it. Some linseed
oil has been applied to some of the vertical wood. Screening
has been placed on some windows to allow for light and to permit
some air to circulate. It isn't all work - we do have lots of
laughs, too. No particular talent is needed - just a broom and
some elbow grease.
Board of Director Frank Craig is doing an outstanding job in gathering information for the restoration and preservation proposal needed to obtain grants. Not only does he gather the information; he is using the computer to present it in a very professional manner. Other members, including Robin Bennett and Gordon Brenneman, have been working to get bids for work that has to be done and work we'd like to have done. Frank, Robin and Al Bannett and Don and Bonnie Collar have done some research at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. These same people also visited the mill at St. Vincent and the monk in charge took them through. This mill is still in operation and the tour was very informative.
Things are starting to happen in a big way - there is a clear vision and an obtainable goal for the future of the mill - don't you want to be part of it?
PLEDGES
We are moving right along. Pledges
stand at nearly $6,000 and about $2,000 of that amount has already
been paid. Since the last newsletter, these great supporters
have made pledges:
James E. Huckestein
Bill Rittelmann
Ronald and Janet Bennett
REPRESENTATIVE JEFF COLEMAN
Jeff did visit the mill in June. Mother Nature cooperated by sending some major rain. He was able to see the urgent need of a new roof - water was pouring in and standing deep on the floors!
HEIRLOOM RECIPES
Homemade Mayonnaise
1 C. sugar ½ ½ ½
½ ½ `1/2 C. vinegar
1 heaping T. flour ½`1/2 C. milk
1 t. dry mustard 1 T. butter
1 egg
Mix sugar, flour and dry mustard. Beat egg and milk together.
Add egg and milk mixture and vinegar to dry ingredients. Add
butter, bring to a boil and stir until thick.
In memory of Carrie Rowley
NEXT NEWSLETTER
The deadline for articles for the next Newsletter is September 20. If you have an old letter, picture or an article that would be appropriate, please contact us - Don, 295-4635, Carol 353-2527, or Email to pchale@salsgiver.com. We welcome your input.
FROM JOHN SHOOP'S WEATHER BOOK
1848 - 1870
Nolf lumber Boats went out Nov (..) 1858 …The first snow that lay on the ground in the fall of 1858 was Nov 15 the Edy frose over on the Night of the 19 Nov 1858…The freeport canel packets stoped runing on the 24 Dec 1858…the river was ver hi on the 15 Dec 1858…I went to Pittsburgh in the canel Dec 20 1858 ^ was there on 21…Cristmas 1858 was the most butifull day I ever saw for Cristmas clear & worm no snow on the groujd nor ice on the river…On New Years Day 1859 was a very worm day & no snow on the ground no ice…S. M. Hosey Died Januaruy 1, 1859…on the morning of 10 Jan therom stood at 2 degrees below zero & cold all day…the river rased 1 foot 6 inches Jan 29 1859…there was about 3 inches of sno on the 3 Feb 1859 it was a little co…the 2 Day of Feb 1859 was Candelmis day the ground hog did not see its Shadow it was cloudy all day no son shined that day…Harrises House cot fire 10 Feb 1859…There was tolerable good slaing 12 & 13 Feb 1859…The river closed on 14 Feb 1859 for the first Time this winter & broke the same day…the ice boats went out Feb 22 & 23…the first Steme Boat came up Feb 23 1859 there were 2 came up…the first mettle Boat & the first raft came down Feb 23 1859.
Editor's Note: Spelling, punctuation and grammar are as written by John Shoop.
COUNTY FORMED IN 1800 BY LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Another article written by Vernon Ross and published in a local newspaper in about 1956.
In 1800 - a year after the death
of George Washington and 9 years before the birth of Abraham Lincoln
- an act of the Pennsylvania State Legislature established Armstrong
County.
The new county included portions of Allegheny, Lycoming and Westmoreland
Counties and was named for Colonel, later General, Armstrong of
Indian Wars fame.
The boundaries were roughly the Allegheny and Kiskiminetas rivers,
Toby's and Buffalo Creeks, and Westmoreland, Butler and Allegheny
Counties.
Toby's Creek was later named Clarion River. The land along Red
Bank Creek, south of the present Clarion River, was detached by
an act of the legislature in 1839 and annexed to Clarion County.
The act which established Armstrong County also selected "the
place for holding the courts of justice…at any place on the
Allegheny River at a distance not greater than 5 miles from the
old Kittanning town, which may be most beneficial and convenient
for the same."
NEEDED
We urgently need old maps, newspaper articles, journals, drawings, pictures, etc. from the early days of the Mill. Some of the history we have, but more is needed and it would be helpful in getting grants. Please check your attics!!
Q & A
Q. Jim Elliott asks "What does anyone know about "Stinky Smith"?
A. Mr. and Mrs. Amos Smith lived on Franklin Street in Freeport; they had no children. He was a businessman, a blacksmith by trade. He did not have a shop, he worked from his home. Around 1910-1915 he had a photography shop and did portraits of families, couples and individuals.
His next venture was a fish market. He sold various items, including penny candy. Of course, with the fresh fish, there was also a "fresh" aroma! One day a young boy entered to buy some sweets and said, "Stinky, I want to buy some candy." Mr. Smith said, "What did you call me?" The boy replied "Stinky…that's what everyone calls you!" With that remark the lad was told "get out of here!"
During the 1930's Amos had an ice house on second street and delivered ice around town from his truck. His customers had a card to put in the front window of their homes designating either 25 or 50 pounds needed for that day. He also hauled coal to homes that had coal-burning furnaces. When electric refrigerators and gas furnaces became popular, the coal and ice business ended.
His last business venture was selling fruit and shade trees and shrubs from Stark Brothers Nurseries.
No obituary could be found so the dates of his birth and death are unknown.
MILL OPEN HOUSE
Valley Mill was open to the public
on Saturday, July 27. The mill had a nice turn out and the visitors
were really interested in seeing and learning about the mill and
its history. Visitors donated or bought books, etc., to a total
of over $340.00. Around 100 people visited the mill. Two visitors
formerly worked at the Mill and were able to share information
with us. Most of the visitors were from the general area.