The Quasqueton Mill

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William Bennett, the first settler in Buchanan County, in 1842, was attracted to the area by the rapids and swift running water of the Wapsipinicon River. He realized it was a great mill site and immediately began building a log house at the foot of what is Walnut Street in Quasqueton, for his wife and children.

In 1843, Edwin Fulton, a merchant from Davenport who had loaned Bennett the money to construct the dam and mill, came to town and secured possession of the land claimed by Bennett. In the meantime, a feud had developed between Bennett and William Johnson who had started a settlement halfway between Quasqueton and Independence. After an altercation between them, Bennett was forced to depart, going first to Delaware County and then on to Wisconsin.

By then, William Hadden had gained possession of the land and the mill. In 1844 he enlarged the mill and installed corn and wheat buhr stones and other machinery. It was then called a "Custom Mill" or one that ground grain for individual customers. Two years later, another entrepreneur, D.S. Davis, became a partner of Mr. Hadden and they constructed a saw mill just below the grist mill. People came from Independence and settlements as far as 60 to 80 miles away to have their corn and wheat ground into flour and to have their logs sawed into lumber. For a short time during this period, corn, wheat and pork were taken to Dubuque by horse and wagon to be sold.

By 1852, the mills became the property of J.G. Hovey who made further improvements and was in the milling business for several years. In 1856, J.M. Benthall came from Dubuque and he and the Lewis Brothers became the new owners. They proceeded to tear down the older mill and build a new one below the saw mill.

By 1870, both mills were being operated by George Boone, but in 1871, the saw mill and the grist mill were purchased by the Independence Milling Company. In 1878, the saw mill was carried away by high water and three years later, in 1881, the flour mill was consumed by fire on New Year's Day. Soon after, the Plank brothers rebuilt it and stayed in business until February 16, 1910, when the wooden dam was crushed and taken out by two-foot-thick ice and carried away by the high water, leaving them without power.

Reo Adams, who owned the dam, decided not to rebuild. The buildings were used for various things until J. H. Buchanan purchased them in the 1930's. He dismantled the mill, selling parts of it. He moved the building, used previously for a creamery, to his home on North Water Street, using it for his feed business until it was razed in the 1980s.

References for this history were secured from the 1881 and the 1914 Buchanan County History books, along with the 1967 Quasquicentennial History Book, several copies of the Winthrop News and the Independence Newspapers. Information originally submitted by Edna R. VanEtten.

**If you know someone that has a photo of the mill during this time encourage them to submit a picture. **

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