Two Centuries of Muddy Creek Millls
from "Old Nick", August, 2008 - submitted by Editor Bob Chope
Photograph by Tom da Silva (released into the public domain on Wikipedia)
The photo shows a mill originally constructed and operated by Nicholas Davies (Old Nick). It is situated on Muddy Creek on land owned by Old Nick prior to his move west to his large tract of land in Albemarle County (now Amherst and Bedford Counties). According to Mr. Elmer Smith, author of "Grist Mills of Early America," the mill seen today appears as expanded in size in 1885 and reflects changes made by its 23 owners over the course of its history.
Mr. Smith places the date of the mill's initial construction in 1753, which would have been immediately before Old Nick moved west to settle "Pebbleton" in Bedford County. The mill is located on Muddy Creek about a mile from the James River. In addition to the grist mill, the site is believed to have had a lumber mill, a blacksmith shop and a cooperage either when Nicholas owned it or soon thereafter. The structure has some unique features. It has Flemish-bond brick, native stone lower levels and double-tier dormer windows, and heart of yellow pine flooring. (Smith, pg. 30) The dormer windows were a late addition to the structure.
Remarkably, ancient mills along Muddy Creek, including Nicholas', ground corn meal and flour until 1969. In 1969 Hurricane Agnes caused flooding along the James River and its many tributaries that severely damaged many long established homes and mills. In the case of Nicholas' old mill, it flooded up to the ceiling rafters of the first floor, but was restored following the flood.
Elmer Smith gives the year that Nicholas constructed the original part of the mill 1753. Based on the information our family has uncovered in its research of Nicholas Davies, he and his second wife, Catherine Whiting (Clayton) Davies, relocated to Albemarle County in 1754. Therefore, if Mr. Smith's date is correct Nicholas built the mill no more than one year before he left Muddy Creek. His vacating the Muddy Creek property in 1754 does not mean that he sold the mill or any of his Muddy Creek property at this time. Nicholas could have hired people to operate the mill and supervise the working of his land in his absence.
We also know that Nicholas built a modest mill along Muddy Creek in 1737. There is no way of knowing whether the 1753 mill was in addition to or replaced the mill built in 1737. Nicholas accumulated significant acreage along Muddy Creek, starting in June of 1734 with the purchase of 1,500 acres lying on the east side of Muddy Creek and on the south side of the James River, 400 acres adjacent to this land from Mr. Bradly and 500 acres of waste land between the lines of Powel's and Bowler's property. By 1754 Nicholas owned 13,100 acres along Muddy Creek. It is quite possible that he owned more than this for which records have not been found.
It is difficult to determine when Nicholas sold his Muddy Creek land, if he ever did sell it. Only the occasional entry in the deed books examined indicate that Nicholas sold a parcel, lost it by legal challenge, or entered land exchanges, as occurred when he exchanged some land along Muddy Creek with his stepson for his interest in Nicholas' large Albemarle County tract. We do not have complete knowledge of all of Nicholas' land transactions and, sadly, probably never will.
Source: Smith, Elmer, "Grist Mills of Early America," Applied Arts, c. 1978.
The Muddy Creek Mill is located about 40 miles west of Richmond in Tamworth, Virginia.
Click here to link to a Wikipedia page that includes the photo and a paragraph about the mill.