Handbook N-P - Fulton County Public Library

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establishment of the Indian mill that was built in accordance with the treaty with the
Pottawatomies to grind the corn that they should bring to the mill. For years, this mill was a
landmark of Fulton County. In 1835, a saw mill was built just below the Indian Mill on Mill Creek
and in the following year a grist mill was attached to the saw mill. In 1840 the “Old Flouring Mill”
was built. It was a two stone plant and was run by a spiral water wheel, a type that was very
popular at that time. This mill was remodeled in 1846, an overshot wheel being substituted for the
other. In the fall of 1858, the Pottawatomie Mills were built on land adjoining this mill and for
many years this was one of the most flourishing businesses in the county. The mills fell into disuse
for several years, but in 1875, they were remodeled and cunducted successfully until they were
destroyed by fire in the nineties.
[Henry A. Barnhart, An Account of Fulton County From its Organization , Dayton
Historical Publishing Co., 1922 - Indexed and Reprinted by Wendell C. Tombaugh, 1981]
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WATER MILL IN ASHES
Just after midnight, Wednesday morning a train crew on the C. & C. discovered a bright
light in the second story of the Pottawatomie flour mills, at the north end of Main street, and their
engine screamed a signal of distress. This attracted the attention of the electric light crew and they
too saw the flames and pulled their steamboat whistle wide open. This soon aroused the town and
the fire company was rushing pell mell to the fire.
By the time the hose carts arrived the flames were all through the second, third and fourth
stories and far beyond control. But the “laddies” turned the streams on and tried to save the engine
house, located near the mill and the C. & E. bridge and pump station, but the heat became so
intense the firemen were driven back, and mill, enginehouse and pump station all went up
together, the railroad bridge being saved by liberal dashes of water. The heat was something
frightful and houses in the vicinity were so hot it seemed they surely would take fire, but they
were carefully guarded and none were damaged.
In a talk with Mr. W. J. Leiter, of Leiter & Petersen, owners of the mill, we learn that
there was about ten thousand bushels of wheat in the mill, fully seven thousand of which was
stored and nearly all uninsured. Besides this there were two car loads of middlings stored in the
mill ready for spring delivery and considerable custom wheat and chop feed. The firm carried
$10,000 insurance on the mill and machinery and $3,000 on stock, which is scarcely half the value
of the mill and its contents.
The Pottawatomie mill was built 37 years ago, and was the most extensive flour mill in
all this section of the country. The history of Fulton county says “Hamilton & Taber and Anthony
F. Smith, in 1857, commenced preparations for the erection of a mill in Rochester on a more
estensive scale than had ever before been attempted in this section of the state. The land for the
site, the mill race and dam and the building and machinery cost $30,000 and the new mill was
named the “Pottawatomie.” The investment, however, was not a profitable one, and the doors were
locked and the mill stood idle for several years until W. J. Leiter and Clark Hickman purchased
the property in 1875, and remodeled it and opened it for business.” They did a successful business
for about twelve years, when Fred W. Petersen purchased Mr. Hickman’s interest, and three years
ago the mill was again refitted with new process machinery thoughout, and did a large business.
The firm has not yet decided what they will do, but it is likely another mill will be built
on the site as the water power is very valuable.
[Rochester Sentinel, Friday, February 15, 1895]
POTTOWATTAMIE MILLS [Rochester, Indiana]
[See LAKE MANITOU, LAKE MANITOU’S EARLY HISTORY - Rochester Sentinel,
Saturday, March 11, 1922]
Flouring mills, built in 1858, located at SE corner of Erie RR and Main.