Gordon's Ramblings: Old Mill In The Lumber Yard

Old Mill In The Lumber Yard

Compiled by Gordon Merritt

Old mill in the lumber yard, Medina, New York

“During those early days a sawmill was built on the south side of the canal by William Hedley. Logs were floated to it along the canal and the pioneers of the surrounding country hauled the logs from their forests to this useful mill. It was in steady operation until 1877 when it burned and in its place was erected a stone planning (sic) mill. Mr. Hedley erected an addition to this mill which he conducted as a custom flouring mill. It was burned in 1884 but was repaired and operated as a machine shop.”

Medina NY Daily Journal, Western New York Historical Edition, Published in Commemoration of the 117^th Anniversary of the founding of Medina, and the 20^th Anniversary of the Medina Daily Journal, “Early Times In Medina” page 9, 1922

Erie canal and a spillway from old mill

Hedley Mills in 1875, before the 1877 fire. Beers, Atlas of Niagra and Orleans Counties. 1875

It is interesting to note that the saw mill burned in 1877, had an early turbine powered by a water wheel to provide power to another nearby grist mill in 1875. “Byron A. Gilbert, has made a contract with William Hedley for power, to be transferred by cable from his saw mill to the the former’s flouring mill. A mamouth wheel is being cast at O. K. Johnson’s iron works.” The Medina Tribune, Thursday, July 28, 1875, pg.1.

A listing of mills authorized by the legislature: “Wm. Hedley, south of canal at Medina, grist and planing mill, and plaster mill, three run of stone. Total power, 130 horse power.”

Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Volume 4

By New York (State). Legislature. Assembly,1880. P.48.

Feb, 1886; Digital Sanford Insurance Map, present mill is next to the planning mill. It was used for apple storage. There are wooden? wheel houses built onto the ends of the of the mills.

In 1915 the mills were still there, and the canal had been widened in 1913.

On some early insurance maps… dated 1886, 1904 & 1909, only two stone buildings are shown on this property. The planing mill appears to have been the one that stood north and slightly west of the present old stone building in the lumber yard. This planning mill took its power through a spillway from the canal rather than from the mill race.

William Hedley came to Medina in 1849, and built a house in 1855. His son Charles helped run his businesses; he moved away in 1892.

“EARLY INDUSTRIAL CENTER

By Russell J.Waldo

Originally Publish On June 12, 1941

The razing of the buildings on East Center street which until recently housed the

woodworking plant of S. A. Cook & Co. delves deep into the early history of Medina for

it was in this hollow near the waters of Oak Orchard Creek which could be used as a

source of power and the transportation facilities offered by the Erie Canal that much of

Medina’s first industry was born.

The first to avail himself of the advantages of the site was William Hedley who

built and operated a saw mill here. The mill was erected on the banks of Oak Orchard

Creek. Soon afterwards Justus Ingersoll built and operated a tannery on a site just a little

to the west of the Hedley mill. It was in this same location that a grist mill was operated

during the Civil War period.

Mr. Hedley was the owner of extensive land in this vicinity. He was in

possession of a considerable tract south of the New York Central tracks. Hedley Street

received its name from his family.

Associated with Mr. Hedley in business was his son Charles and upon the death

of the father the son continued the business.

The Hedley family also engaged in the lumber business on practically the same

site as that now owned and operated by O’Donnell Bros. The building now occupied by

O’Donnell Bros. as an office was built by Charles Hedley.

Old office of the lumber yard, built by Charles Hedley in 1870’s. In 1977 it was moved to Cobblestone Society Museum

One of the buildings now owned by O’Donnell Bros., a stone building in the northwest corner of the yard was used by the Hedley firm as a planing mill. A plaster mill near Oak Orchard Creek supplied the requirements of the village and surrounding territory. John Bland of West Center

Street, as a boy, was employed by the Hedley firm. [he was a “slab boy”]

At that time East Center Street was much lower than it is at the present time…

O.K. Johnson

The year 1887 found O.K. Johnson making a threshing machine along with Charles

Hedley, Andrew Spencer and James H. Crabil of Waterloo, Iowa. About a year later J. O.

Spencer purchased all interests and continued the manufacture of threshing machines by himself

until 1889 when Charles Bidwell moved his bean thresher manufacturing equipment from Albion

and joined with Spencer on the rear of the present O’Donnell property. The firm manufactured

176 bean threshers in 1894 and in 1901 sold two to Germany. Soon after this the plant was

moved to Batavia where the Batavia Chamber of Commerce made extensive inducements to

them. The company ceased operation about five years later.

It is interesting to note that J. O. Spencer in 1887 purchased the manufacturing equipment

of the Medina IronWorks and used this equipment for his expanding business.” [Waldo, Russell J., Medina Hitching Post days.]

1927 Sanford Insurance map showing stone mills, at top, in blue. The Newell shirt making operation and laundry were operating in the old mill and wood addition. The addition later burned.

“On November 21, 1941, a blaze broke through the roof of a “stone structured sawmill” [planing mill] on the property of O’Donnell Brothers Lumber Yard (now Somerset Lumber at 305 E. Center St.). Firemen battled the fire for four hours in a cold wind. Adjacent buildings were ignited but saved, while the old mill was completely destroyed. The Tribune of Nov. 27^th, reported dense smoke visible for miles.

Quoting from the Tribune, “The building destroyed by the fire and those damaged are one (sic) of Medina’s oldest landmarks. …The saw mill was operated by Charles H. Bidwell, inventor and manufacturer of the well known bean thresher. Still later the firm of Beach, Newell & Neill took possession. --- It was there that the present Robert H. Newell Co. --- began business.” [pages 254-255, Ed Grinnell, Medina, Here’s to Our Heritage.]

So the current old mill in the lumberyard apparently had been built in 1877, burned in 1884 and repaired, and partially burned in 1941. It had been a flour mill, grinding grain to order. It was an apple storehouse and machine shop. It was a shirt factory and laundry. It was used by the lumber yard for storage. The current owner is Tom Snyder, of Medina Lumber and Hardware, L.L.C., 305 East Center Street. He has been restoring the building by replacing damaged window casings with period wood that has recently been milled to make new window casings. Hopefully the old mill will be restored and will see use again, perhaps as retail store. It is a picturesque reminder of the old industry in Medina along the Erie Canal. People value this view and are buying postcards showing the canal and the mill.