Balls Mills, Lycoming County Pennsylvania

 

This mill at Balls Mills was one of the last standing.  It was torn down in 1969

Balls Mills, Hepburn Township, Lycoming County Pa

According to Wikipedia:

"Balls Mills is an unincorporated community on Route 973 in Hepburn Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.[1] It is located seven miles north of Williamsport on Mill Creek, which flows southwest into the Lycoming Creek. English immigrant John Ball founded a saw mill in the village in the 1790s and, after he drowned, his son Bill Ball opened a wool mill and named the place Balls Mills with the apostrophe omitted.  Blooming Grove Road provides access to Williamsport, where it becomes Market Street. The village uses the Cogan Station zip code of 17728"

Postcard labeled "Balls Mills Dam"

John Ball came to the area from England in 1793, settling near Hillsgrove Pa.  There he built a saw mill. He drowned that same year, leaving behind a wife and 4 children, including a son named William.

William, born September 21 1788, married Catherine Weisel.  In 1818, the couple settled at Balls Mills.

William was one Lycoming County’s earliest rural industrialists, operating  a fulling mill, clover mill, woolen factory and a sawmill in Hepburn Township.

The mill that was dismantled in 1969 was constructed by William's father in law, George Weisel.  Erected in 1811, completely out of hand hewn wood timbers.

  No nails, nor metal of any kind, was used in the construction of the gears.  in 1815 his son in law William Ball took over the operation. 

From "Blooming Grove" by Joseph H McMinn, 1901

William Ball's son Samuel invented a grain cradle, in 1847.  

An example of a Grain Cradle

(This one hangs at Blooming Grove, and may very well be a Ball Cradle)

"In 1866 he made his first shipment to St. Louis. In 1867 he built a cradle factory, and in 1868 he shipped thirty dozen. After this he always made his largest sales in the West, but he also sold cradles in smaller numbers all over the country.

 Ball died in December, 1890, aged almost seventy; he was born, January 23, 1821. He passed away within sight of the house where be was born. The cradle shop of forty years ago is now a large and well equipped factory. Many of the best and most useful devices in the establishment were of his own invention. Mr. Ball served not alone his own interests during his lifetime, but faithfully served the community as well. He was a member of the school board for eighteen years, most of this time acting as secretary, and contributed much to build up the excellent public schools in the township." - Meginness

In 1900, A Balls Grain Cradle cost $3.25 (About $114 today)

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The "Balls Mills Naval Academy"

“Of course there’s the Balls Mills Naval Academy,” Thomas said with a laugh.  He guessed around World War I a resident of Balls Mills attended the United  States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  “(His friends from Balls Mills) wanted to make sure he wasn’t too big for his  britches, as they say, so they created a sign that said ‘The Balls Mills Naval  Academy,” Thomas said with a laugh. He pointed out the absurdity that  anything having to do with the United States Navy would be in the landlocked  Central Pennsylvania."

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The Schultz Farm in Balls Mills Pa

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Breaking ground of the new Balls Mills Church

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From Meginness History Of Lycoming County:

"Thomas Fry, son-in-law of Samuel Ball, found in Mill run a few years ago, near where it empties into Lycoming creek, a fossil stone about three and a half by one and a half feet in size, which had been washed out by a flood. It has the initials of one of the Hull family that lived near Ball's Mills cut on it, and the date "1776.""

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From Meginness History Of Lycoming County:

Ball's Mills. - This settlement has been a noted landmark for years. The history of its founder and his family may be briefly stated. John Ball came to this country from England in 1793 and settled near Hillsgrove. There he built a saw mill, but was accidentally drowned the same year while bathing. He left four children: Anne, the eldest, married a Mr. White and settled near Hillsgrove; John, the second, located at Hughesville and his descendants still live there; William was The third, and Mary, the fourth, died young.

William Ball was born, September 21, 1788, and died, July 8, 1866. He married Miss Catherine Weisel June 20, 1811. She was born, August 13, 1793, and died, December 25, 1869. They had nine children, viz: Isaac, George, John, Samuel, Elizabeth, William, Mary Anne, Joseph, and Sarah Jane. William settled at Ball's Mills some years after be was married. In 1818 he commenced to build on what is known as the "Home Site, " at Ball's Factory, and the next year be settled there. The same fall he started a fulling mill. Some years afterwards he built a clover mill and ran it four or five years. In 1838 the woolen factory was erected, and in 1840 he built a saw mill for his oldest son Isaac at Ball's Mills, two miles and a half above the "Home Site." Before this, in 1831 or 1832, he built the saw mill at the old home. He said that the clover mill paid the best of any of his investments. He owned at one time 8SO acres, but at the time of his death be only had 400, and his descendants own all of it at the present time.

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READ MORE

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Blooming Grove (Blumengrofe)

A History of the Congregation of German Dunkers who Settled in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1805, Together with the Origin of the German Baptist Church in America, 1840

By Joseph H. McMinn · 1901

1904 Farm Implement Buyers Guide