Another mill has been found to still exist! When I published my book Mills of Lancaster County, I listed the Chickies Valley mill as a mill site. But a reader of my book, Greg Lintner, pointed out that the mill building is still standing and has been made into a residence. After consulting the deed records, I was able to confirm that the house next to the creek is in fact the old mill.
The first mill on the site was built around 1769, before the American Revolution. The first mill was a three story, stone structure. According to the tax records, Henry Musselman was the owner from 1769 until 1780. The next owner was George Gambler who rebuilt the mill in approximately 1790. This new mill was a two-and-a-half story stone and frame mill which is apparently the structure that is still standing today.
Another Henry Musselman (1798-1875) assumed operations of the mill in 1820. He rented it from Christian Rohrer at first but became the owner in April of 1821. He leased the mill to Christian Hershey in 1826 and sold it to John Newcomer in 1827. The mill went through several owners until it came into the hands of Eli Barr in 1864. Eli and his wife Susan sold the mill to Joseph Bender, Sr. in 1870. From that time on the mill was known locally as “Bender’s Mill”.
In 1904, Joseph Bender and his wife granted right of way to the Lancaster, Rohrerstown, and Mount Joy Railway Company to build a trolley line between the dwelling houses and the mill. The L. R. and Mt Joy railway later merged with the Conestoga Traction Company. The remants of the trolley line can still be seen next to the mill.
Joseph Bender, Sr, died in 1906 and the property passed to his sons Joseph R. and Samuel R. Bender. An unrecorded deed conveyed the property to Joseph’s daughter Mary and her husband, Raymond Davis. Raymond and Mary Davis sold the mill to Henry H. Eby in 1923. Henry Eby was the president of the First National Bank and Trust Company of Mount Joy.
Milling operations ceased in 1946. After Henry Eby’s death, the property transferred to his daughters, Florence Eby Herr and Kathryn Eby Herr. Today the mill, which has been converted into a residence is part of the Meadow View K Farm across the street. The mill dam on the Chiques Creek still remains as well.
More information on this mill may be found on this website at https://donaldkautz.com/mills/chickies-valley-mill/