Now all gone, one mill on the Bonnie Branch river was preserved in photos and described in this 1907 article. Wooden gears are also described from the Ellicotts' Gwynn Falls mill, and the problems they had with Oliver Evans, 200 years ago.
from American Machinist NY: Nov. 21, 1907. "Early Mill Machinery, the Ellicotts, and Oliver Evans" by Paul Vincent
from American Machinist NY: Nov. 21, 1907. "Early Mill Machinery, the Ellicotts, and Oliver Evans" by Paul Vincent
The article at page 672 regarding the "Young Millwright's and
Miller's Guide," by Oliver Evans, part of which book was written by Thomas
Ellicott, has attracted my attention, as I have some acquaintance with the
scene of the early labors of the Ellicotts. I believe a few facts relating to
their work and the relation of Oliver Evans to it will prove of interest.
Ellicott's Mills
To all readers of the early history of railroading in America, the town
of Ellicott's Mills, Md., is known by name at least; it was the first important
point reached by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, upon which cars were drawn
by horses. This town, now known as
Ellicott City, which is nearly 15 miles out from Baltimore along the railroad,
had its origin in the purchase in 1772 by the brothers Joseph, Andrew and John
Ellicott of a tract of land on the Patapsco river, which afforded them
excellent water power for the mills which they built for grinding wheat, corn
and other grains, and had ready for operation in 1774. The Ellicotts were men
of great intelligence, foresight and public spirit, and they and their
successors played an important part in the development of Maryland. Machinery
combining the inventions of the three brothers was embodied in a flour mill 100
feet long, erected in 1774, which, however, was destroyed by fire in 1809.
Other mills were subsequently built; but most of these early structures were
destroyed by the flood of 1868. There are still several mills at work both here
and at other points along the river, though steam power has to some extent
supplemented and superseded the water power.
Old stone mill building of 1800 on the Patapsco at Ellicott City
Fig. 1 is a recent view of one of the old stone buildings which still
remains standing; it was built in 1809, as can be seen on the stone in the
upper left-hand corner. In "modern times" it was enlarged at the ends
and on top by the addition of the frame structures shown. The road in the
foreground is the old Frederick turnpike. There is still standing on the other
side of it from the building shown, another old stone building with the date of
1789, which is used as a storehouse by the present owners of the mills.
The extensive improvements made by the Ellicotts to their land cost a
great deal of money, and they were assisted financially by "Charles
Carroll of Carrollton" (as his famous signature to the Declaration of
Independence reads), who acted as a banker and made loans upon mortgage.
Old Ellicott Safe
Fig. 2 is a picture of an old relic from Ellicott's Mills, which was
probably in use in 1780 and is still in possession of the Ellicott family. It
is a safe, cast in one piece (except, of course, the door), 18 inches wide, 16
inches deep and 28 inches high.
Improvements in Mill Machinery
The Ellicotts were already experienced millers, having been engaged in
that occupation near the Delaware river in Pennsylvania before coming to
Maryland; they made many inventions in mill machinery, and in their
Pennsylvania mill used "elevators" and "hopper boys," as
early as 1761. Their generous public spirit, however, led them to a course
which proved unfortunate for the family in the long run. In order that other
makers of flour should have a free opportunity to use their inventions they
declined taking out patent rights from the legislature. But a man came along
who, after annually accepting the hospitality of the Ellicotts and spending
some time at Ellicott's Mills, where he was free to inspect the inventions in
use there, did not scruple to go before the Maryland legislature and represent
himself as the inventor of the elevator and the hopper boy, in order to obtain
patent rights on them. This man was Oliver Evans. Before the adoption of the
United States constitution, it appears that only three patents had been granted
by Maryland, one in 1784 to James Rumsey, for a new boat for ascending currents
in rivers; another in 1786 to Robert Lemmon, for improvements in carding and
spinning machines; and a third in 1787 to Oliver Evans for the elevator, hopper
boy and a steam carriage, for 14 years, with the exclusive right of making and
selling within the State. After this treachery, the Ellicotts ceased their
intercourse with Evans, and paid no attention to him, being peaceful Quakers
and averse to litigation. However, in 1812 or 1813, he had the effrontery to
bring suit against Ellicott & Co. for using these inventions in the mills
on the Patapsco and Gwynn's falls. At this time the original members of the
first Ellicott company were all either deceased or had withdrawn, the firm
being then composed of their sons.
Evans vs. Ellicott
The trial of the case attracted much attention. The Ellicotts plainly
proved the claim of their father to the inventions, so the other side resorted
to the argument that the rights of the Ellicotts had expired and that Oliver
Evans had a claim because of having combined the inventions together.
Apparently the jury did not consider that the Ellicotts had the right to give
the use of the inventions to the public free forever, as the case was decided
in favor of Evans, a 'decision which has been severely criticized. At any rate,
Evans took full advantage of it and made much money thereby.
Introduction of The Vehicle
Brake
A device now in universal use was, it is said, first made in this
country in the workshop at Ellicott's Mills, in 1815; this is the brake for
vehicles, which was seen in France and Belgium by young James Brooke Ellicott,
who sent a drawing of it to John Ellicott. Before the use of the brake, wagons
were checked when going down hill by locking one of the wheels by a strong
chain.
Another of the Old Mills
Tyrrell’s Mill on Bonnie
Branch, near Ilchester
Fig. 3 is a view of another one of the old Patapsco Valley mills,
being, located on a small stream known as Bonnie Branch. The picture gives a
slight idea of the pretty country in this region.
Interior of Bonnie Branch Mill. Third Floor
Fig. 4 is an interior view on the top floor of this mill, showing some
old parts, the exact age of which I cannot at present state. The vertical shaft
on the left side, which is a line extending the whole hight [sic] of the
building, is of wrought iron, about 3 inches square on the second floor and 2
5/8 inches square on the third floor, where the picture is taken. The gear
wheels are fastened by wedges on all four sides, mostly iron and some of them
wood. The shaft is, of course, turned down for the bearing. The octagonal
wooden shaft to the right is 5 ¼ inches across flats.
Details of the Old Wooden Gearing
The following account of some of the old machinery in the mills on the
Frederick road on Gwynn's falls, near Baltimore, is furnished by a descendant
of the Ellicotts, who states that he was well acquainted with the upper one of
these three mills built about 1800. The original gearing in the mills built by
the Ellicotts was of wood. The master wheel on the water-wheel shaft in this
mill was about 10 feet in diameter and had on its side cogs about 4 inches
square and of about 6-inch pitch, gearing into a pinion which originally had
wooden cogs, later replaced by iron. This pinion drove a horizontal
countershaft of wood, which had on it a wheel about 6 feet in diameter with
wooden cogs of about 4-inch pitch, gearing into the "trammel head" on
the bur pinion. There were three water wheels in this mill, the lower one driving
one pair of burs, the middle one two, having two countershafts and sets of
gearing, and the upper water wheel driving one bur and the other machinery of
the mill. The upright shaft of wood for the upstairs machinery was geared on to
the upper master wheel with wooden cogs and ran 28 revolutions per minute. The
only iron gearing was on one of the sets of rolls, and drove the wheat cleaning
machinery, which was mostly modern.
©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD
©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD
Can someone share some insight on exactly who Bonnie Branch was or what the claim to fame was?
ReplyDeleteBonnie Branch refers to the stream itself, a bonnie branch with waterfalls. The name is in keeping with the town of Thistle, started by the Scotsman who opened the mill nearby.
ReplyDelete