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Watsontown History by Major Fred H. Knight, 1915 |
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 26 April 2005 |
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Page 3 of 17
The next year the Railroad went into operation and the future of the town was secured and industries began to thrive. The first of these was a lumber mill built by Moses Chamberlain and William H. Follmer on the Canal at the western end of Fourth Street, which was then entirely out of town. This was the beginning of what was afterwards popularly known as the "BILL MILL."
In 1858, Joseph Hollopeter, who afterwards became the most important factor in the development of the community, took an interest in this Mill enterprise and in 1859 Mr. Chamberlain retired from the business. On November 3, 1860, it was entirely destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and business continued under the firm name of Follmer, Hollopeter & Chamberlain. In 1863, Hollopeter retired and in 1865 it was purchased by Robert G. Cook, Joseph Hollopeter, Enoch and Enos Everitt, and in 1867 R.G. Cook and Ario Pardee became sole owners, who not only continued to conduct the saw mill but established in connection therewith a match stick factory, which employed a large number of men and boys, and no doubt many of the visitors today are short a finger or a piece of finger by reason of having been employed in this industry. In 1820, this Mill fell into the hands of J.H. Wagner and J.L. Higbee who continued to operate it until lumber became scarce and the West Branch Canal was abandoned. The Mill was dismantled and Elm Street extended in a southerly direction and today some of the best dwellings of our Bourough take the place of the old "Bill Mill," and doubtless many of the Old Timers who are visiting the town this week will have some difficulty in locating the former site of saw dust and match sticks.
No history of this, the first industry of Watsontown, or no sketch of Watsontown, would be complete without a passing note of the tragedies in the lives of two of the men who fostered this enterprise. William H. Follmer, at the very zenith of his usefulness, while swimming his horse in the Canal near the old "Bill Mill," slipped from his horse and was drowned. Thus ended what promised to be a most useful career. Joseph Hollopeter who it will be seen was prominently identified with almost every industry from the time of his coming to Watsontown until the time of his death, passed from us in his old age almost unhonored and unsung, having given his money and his energy to promote this community, and today his remains rest in our Town Cemetery.
The operation of the "Bill Mill" brought new families to the town and in 1857 E.L. Piper, who became the owner of the lands which subsequently comprised the town, (having purchased the same from the estate of his deceased brothers-in-law, David and John Watson), laid the land out in lots, and offered many inducements to prospective purchasers.
This era was marked by the erection of the Cooner Hotel by William Cooner, which from that time to the present has been known by that name and has been continuously and efficiently conducted by him and later by his sons, for a period of fifty-seven years, the present proprietor being the genial William S. Cooner.
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Watsontown History 
