The Bondsville Mill
By Michael Pillagalli
Originally published in 2017
Just south of Guthriesville, you will find the Bondsville Mill. The area encompasses 47 acres of regional history and years of industry with a network of public trails throughout the acreage. As one looks at the mill today, one can see the building’s framing has seen renovation utilizing as much of the original materials, such as beams and structural supports, as possible and a newer cedar shake roof has been applied to protect the structure from overhead elements.
Surprisingly, the supports were constructed with old materials but using new building methods to have the weight of the building not rest on the 18th Century walls but on the support system that incorporated the old, reused materials. Next to be restored and or renovated are the flooring, windows, doors, and masonry work to keep it weather tight and to close in the building.
Upon completion, the Mill will be used as a welcome center and the centerpiece for the park where artifacts from the Mill, its history, as well as its industrial purpose for the area will be highlighted for visitors to the Mill. Falling pretty much into ruin, East Brandywine Township purchased the acreage and buildings in 2004 with the intent of providing visitors with the area’s historical roots and also to provide a natural area of trails and walking areas to let pedestrians appreciate and understand the flora and fauna of this part of Chester County.
As you drive by or stop at the Bondsville Mill, you should be able to imagine the area in its prime time serving the Chester County community. In the 18th Century, a grist mill was established and used there by the local inhabitants and it was an integral part of Bondsville until fire struck. In 1841, the mill was repurposed as a textile mill where it expanded and grew well into the mid-20th Century. The additions to the original mill are typical of added structures as the oldest area (Building A) is on the left side and the added mill areas traverse to the right hand additions dating to the late 19th Century. The restoration work that one sees has the materials supplied by the township and the work done by volunteers.
It was an ideal spot for a mill as it sat on the banks of the Beaver Creek. The creek powered the mill which in turn created a small village for the mill workers to reside in, all under the management of the early miller, James Roberts, who ran the operation for 25 years. The small village had its own post office and general store both owned by James H. Whitley, who kept the whole complex until 1895, when he sold both post office, general store, and the mill works to Hannah Brown.
There is documentation that an earlier mill was erected in the 1770’s by a Mr. Whitaker who commuted back and forth from Philadelphia, which we know was a day’s ride by horse and carriage. The Bondsville Mill and Village name came from the third owner, Abraham Bond, when he operated the mill as the Bond Woolen Factory which produced Kentucky Jeans, probably an early prototype for today’s Levi‘s or Lee jeans.
Mr. Bond kept the mill until 1848, when he sold it to William McFarland, who in turn resold it in 1864 to James Roberts. Jeans were still made and they added the additional products of beaver cloth, cassimere, (a variety of poor man’s cashmere) and buckskin. They were also an integral part of the uniform system for soldiers of the Civil War as they supplied textiles to be incorporated into the soldier’s uniforms.
It was under Mr. Roberts that the mill expanded and more housing was created for the factory workers in the small village. He owned and managed the mill for eight years, and when he died his children inherited the business. It was his daughter, Eliza, who stepped up to the plate as manager for the family when her brothers found they were not interested in the business. Under her auspices, the mill was producing thousands of pounds of wool, cotton, cotton warp, and coal.
Eliza kept the mill until 1864, when she sold it to Patton Trading Company who in turn sold it again to Fred Pearson in 1906. Mr. Pearson was excited to own the mill as he believed the pure waters of the Beaver Creek would enhance his dying process for the textiles. It was sold again in 1927, to The Collins & Aikman Corporation who manufactured automobile fabric which was used by Fisher Body Works. They even operated successfully during World War II producing fabrics for Air Force jacket linings. The corporation closed the mill, relocated it and removed as many as 64 of Dobbin Looms; it was then used as a manufacturing site for sofa beds for a period of time before it went vacant.
With manufacturing all but vanished, the small burg of post office, general store, and school house which may have as well served as a place of worship on Sundays closed up as people moved on toward other spots of work. The restoration continues on the large parcel and the buildings and as you visit during the tour this year, realize the importance of local manufacturing as needed for American economy, and places for those workers to live and shop.