 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
History By 1811 Peleg Spencer had built a wooden dam on the South Nation River and constructed a sawmill on the south bank to serve the settlers in the backwoods of Edwardsburgh Township. When Peleg’s son David acquired the business in 1822 it included a saw and gristmill. In 1850 David built a carding and fulling mill on the north side of the river. Nine years later a disastrous fire completely destroyed the mill. In 1862, he sold the property to his daughter Mercy and her husband Robert Fairbairn.
Robert and Mercy’s son, David Fairbairn, only had possession of the mill for two years before fire again gutted the building in 1884. After the interior was reconstructed, it was sold to Thomas Bennett who had several partners before becoming sole owner. Upon Bennett's death in 1903 Hatch and Barnard rented the property. One year later J.F. Barnard became sole proprietor. In 1912 J.F. Barnard purchased the mill and adjacent stone house for $4,600. He became the first registered manufacturer of calf feed in Canada producing poultry and livestock feed under their trade name “Grow or Bust.”
The South Nation Conservation purchased the mill in 1985 and transferred ownership to the newly created Eastern Valley Heritage Foundation. In 1999, this Foundation was renamed The Spencerville Mill Foundation. |
By 1864 Robert Fairbairn had built a stone gristmill on the north side of the river and installed a steam engine to allow the mill to operate year-round.
In 1927, J.F. Barnard’s sons Percy and Walter became involved, increasing hydraulic power with the installation of a new turbine. They also became wholesalers and distributors of farm merchandise. A hardware store was added in 1955 shortly after Percy’s sons Morgan and Ted became involved. Ted Barnard continued to run the family milling business until it closed in 1972.