Ellicott's Mills and Bonnie Branch mill 1907

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

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mills at work both here and at other points along the river, though steam power has to some extent supplemented and superseded the water power.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