WEAUBLEAU MILL
St. Clair County, MO History, 1883, page 1042-43:
Polk Township - Albom D. Ashton, William Gardner and Joseph Bollinger all came
before 1840 and the latter owned a mill site on Weaubleau Creek. It was the
northwest fractional quarter of section 19, township 38, range 24. On this same
site a mill was built in 1845 by Mr. James Gardner. It was a grist and sawmill,
the former having two runs of burrs, and was probably the second mill erected in
the county.
It stood for ten years and then the booming waters of the muddy Weaubleau took
it into an affectionate embrace and delivered it to the swelling bosom of the
beautiful Osage.
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St. Clair County, MO History, 1883, pages 956-957:
THE FIRST MILL
The first water mill was put up in 1841 on the Sac River, southwest from Osceola
about ten miles. It was known for miles around by the name
of Ritchie Mill. It was, with one exception, the only mill of the kind in the
county for several years. It had two runs of burrs and did a good business.
The next mill that is remembered was put up in 1845. James Gardner, one of the
first Justices of Peace in the county, erected a mill on
Weaubleau Creek in Polk Township. It was a grist and saw mill and had an
extensive patronage, especially east and south. The mill stood for about ten
years when high water carried it off.
Samuel Martin put up a mill on the Weaubleau in 1873 in the corner of Doyal
township and it was kept running for four years. It was then
sold and taken to Roscoe.