When you visit the St. John Barn to look at the the quilt square, be
sure to also make a visit to St. John Mill - Tennessee's oldest
business!
The St. John Milling Company has a history of over
200 years continuous operation in the Watauga area of Washington County,
Tennessee. Today, the St. John Farm includes Tennessee's oldest
business, St. John Milling Company, and the Stone Manor, one of
Tennessee's two oldest homes.
Jeremia Dungan, the original owner
of the mill, purchased a deed for the mill, stone manor, and 400 acres
of land from the Watauga Association in 1778. A master stone mason by
trade, Dungan built the original foundation of the mill from
hand-chiseled stone and hand-hen timber. The stone manor and stone mill
foundations are still standing 200 years later, attesting to his fine
workmanship.
The original mill was powered by a sixteen-foot
high, wooden, overshot, water wheel. This wheel was connected by
dogwood trunnel- Head gearing to two fifty-four inch diameter stone
buhrs - one stone for grinding corn and one for grinding wheat. Beef
and mutton tallow were produced on the farm to lubricate the gears and
bearings.
The mill passed on to the Dungan heirs until 1866, when
George W. St. John, great nephew of Jeremia Dungan, purchased the mill
and farm. The Watauga valley was very prosperous, having been spared
damage from the Civil War. Milling continued to flourish as it had for
the past century and the area became known as "The Bread Basket of the
Southeast". Railroad and water transportation were an asset to the mill
and goods from the St. John Mill were shipped all over the region. In
busy seasons, wagons lined up overnight to grind their grain. No one
seemed to care about the inconvenience, because they enjoyed camping and
visiting with their neighbors.
In 1904, James St. John inherited
the mill and farm from his father. For many years, James operated the
mull supplying the large stores in the area with flour and grain and
doing custom milling on an individual basis. His son George St. John,
an electrical engineer by profession, purchased the mill and improved
the operation by converting the power source from water to electricity
and modernizing the equipment.
Today, the mill is owned by George
St. John's daughter and son-in-Law, Elizabeth and Ron Dawson, who are
continuing the family business. The emphasis of the mill operation has
changed from a general feed and milling business to a feed and seed
store. The mill now specializes in all aspects of farm needs, from feed
grains to pet food and veterinary supplies. The St. John Mill has
existed for over 200 years, and with the support of the family and loyal
customers, the business will continue into the next century.
