History of Oakland County, Michigan.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

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About 1837-38, Mr. Howard leased the trip-hammer shop to Petty & Wallace,
who put in machinery and operated it as a planing-mill for about two years.
The distillery was operated by Elisha Beach, after Colonel Mack's death, for a
number of years. Mr. Howard also carried it on in connection with his old
flouring-mill for two or three years, when he built a new one where the large
flouring-mill was afterwards erected. This second distillery was afterwards burned.
H. N. Howard, Orson Bartlett, and Amasa Andrews built a dam on the river,
where the Parsons dam now stands, and dug a race across the Peninsula to where
the old gas-works stand, where they erected a machine-shop. Soon after, Howard
purchased the interest of -his partners, and changed it to a grist-mill, which was
long known as the " old red mill." He put in two run of stone, and with his
six-feet fall did a good business for several years, when the mill was destroyed by
fire. The race or canal from the dam to this mill passed through the premises
now owned by J. Ten Eyck, Esq.
The old Mack distillery was used as an ashery about 1846.
When H. N. Howard first came to Pontiac he rented a room of Dr. Chamberlin, and opened a general country store, which he continued for several years
before he engaged in the milling business.
He also built an ashery on Huron street, on the bank of the river, with the view
of engaging in the manufacture of pearl-ashes, but the oak timber would not produce them; the manufacture of potash was carried on instead. This branch of
business he carried on for several years. Messrs. Howard, Draper & Lull had a
general store in connection with their mill.
PADDACK S WOOLEN-MILL.
David Paddack erected a woolen-mill, as near as can be ascertained, about
1829. At first he put in only one set of machinery, which he operated for
some time, and then added two more sets. He did a general custom and carding
business, and manufactured fulled cloth, flannels, and yarns, for the market.
This mill went into operation in 1830, and continued until Mr. Paddack's
death, in 1856. Subsequent to that time his son Hiram carried on the business
for twelve or thirteen years, when J. P. Paddack purchased the property and
operated it for four or five years, when he sold the machinery to a stock company
recently formed in Pontiac, who placed it in a large building on Lawrence street,
where it was operated for a short time by steam-power, when the company
dissolved, and the machinery was sold to parties who took it to Vassar, on the
Detroit and Bay City railway.
FLOURING-MILL.
David Paddack erected the flouring-mill still known as " Paddack's mills" in
1845, and operated it until his death, when his son, H. L. Paddack, carried on
the business for about five years, and then disposed of two-thirds of the property to Messrs. Baldwin & Thomas, who continued the business for seven years,
when J. P. Paddack purchased the one-third interest belonging to his brother
Hiram, and within the year purchased the remaining two-thirds and became sole
owner. He continued the business for some eight or nine years, when he sold to
G. B. Mathews, from whom it passed to the control of the First National Bank
of Pontiac on a mortgage sale. The bank recently sold the property to Messrs.
Kelly & Jewell, the present owners.
The mill contains four run of burr-stone, and has a fall of eleven feet on the
river, making one of the best powers in the neighborhood.
LEGAL-TENDER MILLS.
This establishment has passed through a great number of hands. The waterpower was sold by Elon Farnsworth, trustee of the Pontiac company, to Sarah
Macomb, September 24, 1827, who disposed of the same (known as outlot No.

9) to Colonel Calvin Hotchkiss, June 1, 1831. Colonel Hotchkiss sold to Barber Egleston and M. N. Robinson, in May, 1850. Egleston & Robinson probably built the grist-mill about this time. A dam and saw-mill were constructed
by Hotchkiss & Egleston previously, Colonel Hotchkiss furnishing the means,
and Egleston doing the work. Egleston sold his interest in the grist-mill to Marshall N. Robinson, and the title seems soon after to have been in P. Champlin,
who soon sold to M. E. Crofoot, and the latter to Barkham, in 1855. In 1863,
Barkham sold to Charles Dawson", and he to Proctor & Rowley, in 1865. A man
by the name of Green Freeman was taken into the firm in 1866, to whom Proctor
& Rowley sold in 1867. Freeman sold to A. Rust in 1874, and the property
fell into the hands of Proctor & Rowley on a mortgage in 1877. These parties
immediately sold to Guy Kimball, the present owner.
In 1867, Green Freeman expended some twelve thousand dollars in repairs and
improvements, adding two run of stone, enlarging the mill, etc.
The mill contains at the present five run of stone, and has a capacity of turn

ing out one hundred and twenty-five barrels of flour daily. The power is excellent, furnishing a fall of fourteen feet.
The old saw-mill which was built at the dam about 1848 has ceased to exist.
A cooper-shop, owned by George Green (who is also doing a large business near
Saginaw street, in the city) is connected with the mill.
THE LAWRENCE STREET STEAM FLOURING-MILL.
This establishment was originally erected for a plaster-mill in 1862, by Messrs.
Fox & Smith, who carried on the business for four years, when it was changed
into a merchant flouring-mill, with three run of flouring-stone and one run- for
grinding plaster. Fox & Smith conducted the business until 1870, when Henry
W. Lord purchased the property. Mr. Lord was special partner with Messrs.
Fox & Smith. Lord sold to G. A. Hall & Co., the present proprietors.
When first put in operation a twenty horse-power engine was used, but it was
afterwards taken out and one of sixty horse-power substituted. The last engine
has been since taken out by G. A. Hall & Co., and material changes made in the
mill. The original cost of the property was about twenty-five thousand dollars.
It is a first-class mill in every respect, and capable of doing a good business.
The original flouring-mill erected by Colonel Mack, in 1820, was turned into a
plaster-mill about the time the Pontiac mills were built, and has continued to be
used in that capacity until quite recently. At present it is used for the storage
of wool. It is a venerable relic of the early days of Pontiac.
DAWSON S MILLS.
These mills were erected by Charles Dawson in 1852. The building is thirtytwo by forty-four feet in size. At first only two run of stone were put in, but a
third was added in 1855. The long head-race which supplies the mill with waterpower was constructed at the time the mill was built. The " head and fall" is
about eight feet. Mr. Dawson has continued to own and operate the mill to the
present time. The business has been and still is mostly merchant work, and the
market principally a home one.
This is the first water-power below the lakes, and the mill has the whole stream
and a very large reservoir for a feeder.
The original dam near the Orchard Lake road and a saw-mill (now in ruins)
were constructed as early as 1833 by one John Jenkins, who operated the mill
until the power was purchased by Mr. Dawson, as above stated.
In June, 1833, Robert, John, and Thomas Garner, who had just settled in
White Lake township, purchased lumber at this saw-mill to build a shanty with.
Mr. Dawson purchased the water-power and saw-mill about 1849. The saw-mill
was operated until as late as 1870, or as long as there was timber to saw.
Mr. Dawson was originally from Clackmannanshire, Scotland. He came to the
United States and stopped with a brother in Massachusetts for a few months, and
arrived in Michigan in the spring of 1832. He first located in Wayne county,
west of Detroit, and removed to Pontiac in 1843. He was at one time owner of
the " legal-tender mills."' Mr. Dawson purchased the farm now occupied and
worked by him in 1855. His sons are at present carrying on the flouring-mill.
There are four of the Dawson brothers living in Oakland County at the present
time,-Charles, Robert, proprietor of a brewery in Pontiac, and John, all living
in the city, and Richard, in Troy township, the latter a farmer.
FURNITURE.
Moses Fifield and Orson Bartlett had a small shop, where they manufactured
by hand previous to 1840. Fifield afterwards sold his interest to Bartlett. In
March, 1840, Colonel William G. Page opened a shop on Saginaw street, below
the Hodges House, and carried on the business for some years. He died of
malignant erysipelas in February, 1845. John G. Crombie carried on the business by hand for two years succeeding the colonel's death, when he purchased the

stock, and continued the business until 1854 in the old shop, when he removed
to the Peck block, where he fitted up a fine shop and salesroom, in which he carried on business uninterruptedly for twenty years. In 1865 he erected a frame
shop on West Lawrence street, and in 1868 built a new brick shop, and put in
extensive machinery and a fine steam-engine of twelve horse-power.
Mr. Crombie is doing a general manufacturing and upholstering business in
all grades of furniture, including parlor and chamber suites, and in addition conducts the undertaking business, to which he has given special attention for thirtytwo years. His facilities for transacting business and the character of his work
are unsurpassed. He employs from eight to fifteen hands.
About 1840-41, Petty & Wallace opened a furniture-factory, which they
operated for some five or six years. It was located at Mathews' mill, and used
water-power. It closed up about 1846. Mr. S. Dart also engaged for several
years in this branch of business, employing one or two hands. Alfred T. Fritz
was also engaged in the same business for a short time.