Lexington Mills

From "Lexington" by Mary Wilson and Sharon Y. Asher, published sometime after 1975.

MILLS

Mill sites were particularly in demand in the early pioneer days of Lexington. A grist mill where corn was ground was essential to any family and such a miller was assured of continuous patronage as every family had to have flour and meal for their daily bread.

The grist mill in Lexington was located on Town Creek by the B & 0 Railroad on Main Street. A saw mill also joined tbe gristmill. Martin Getty operated these two mills. After his death C. C. James owned and operated the saw mill for several years and Sam Hall was his head sawyer.

FLOUR MILL

Around 1915 Lee McHenry owned and operated a flour mill which was located approximately two miles west of Lexington on the Vienna Road.

SAW MILL

James Hall and his family moved to Lexington from New Jersey in the late 1800's. He established a saw mill on the corner of Locust Street in Lexington.

MIDDLETON BROTHERS MILL 1922

In 1922 the Middleton brothers (Fred, Walter and Irving) operated a saw mill across the road from C. C. James' old mill on Town Creek close to the railroad. After Irving and Walter dropped out of the business, Irving returned to work for Fred as head sawyer. Fred continued in the business until his health gave out around 1942. Six men were employed in the mill. Two drove horses and wagons to haul the trees from the woods to the mill to be sawed.

WOOLEN MILL

The woolen mill in Lexington, operated by C. Foster, was located on the corner of Hill and Locust Streets in a two-storied frame building.

It was painted dark red and on the north end was painted, in white letters, the words "Lexington Woolen Mill." Individuals brought wool, which they had obtained usually from their own animals and cleaned, to the mill to have it carded, As there were few mills, this process was in great demand and thus expensive and one usually had to wait his turn before having it done, sometimes waiting as long as six weeks.

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