Mill Details

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill

Habersham Co. | Georgia | USA
Known Dates: First mid-1800's, this 1931
Township: u/k
Watersource: Soque River.
Location / Directions

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill

Located in the little village of Batesville, which is about 10 miles north of Clarksville on Sr 255. From Sr 255 in Batesville, go east on Sr 197 for 3.1 miles to the mill on the left.




View Larger Map
Verse for Thought
Tho' they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting--Waiting the penitent child to receive. Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe. "Rescue the Perishing" by Fanny J. Crosby 1820-1915
({From the Nazarene hymnal - Sing to the Lord})
Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

The present 2012 building, was built in 1931. It replaced 3 older mills on this same site, the first going back to the mid-1800's.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

A digital copy of one of the Old Hills Mill, built in 1820's on this site.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

A slightly elevated view of the present mill, left side and the same rapids as the vintage photo of the Old Hills Mill. At one time there was an old corn mill upstream, a saw mill at this location, and a furniture factory downstream.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

The Watt's Mill was run by a wooden horizontal turbine or tub wheel. The later turbine was of steel in the picture. The river was dammed several hundred feet upstream by logs and wood. The water came down a 6' x 6' raceway into a 6' wide x 14' long x 6' high penstock (tank). This tank held 10,000 gallons, enough to provide the pressure necessary to turn the wooden turbine wheel in the forebay.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

The stone set or "run of stones". The upper powered stone was the runner or "running stone" while the stationary, lower stone was the "bed rock" or netherstone.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

The netherstone as viewed from under the main floor of the mill.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

A lineshaft in the present mill/store. Early mills in this area were owned by William Daniel Hill and Issac Hill. These were commonly called the "Hills Mills." The present mill was built on the site of one of the Hills Mills. In 1909 owner Ruth Hill, a descendant of the original owners, died. Operations continued at the mill until 1923 when business started to decline. By 1925, the mill was closed.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

An elevator and several chutes, directing corn of grain to desired locations within the mills.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

Water powered all the machinery in the mill: including the Corn sheller, pea huller, hammer mill, ice machine, elevators (used to transfer corn and grain to upper levels), and other machinations.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

More elevator and chute mechanisms at a different location within the mill.

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

An unknown piece of machinery under the mills main floor. GPS: 34D 43.76'N, 83D 35.31'W ele 1,565'/477 meters Clarkesville Quadrangle NE

Grandpa Watts Mill / Mark of the Potter Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 05/05/2012

In 1928 the mill was purchased by Alan and Robert Watts, who got the mill up and running again. In the 1930's, they began working on a new mill beside the Hill Mill. Flooding damaged the Watts mill and closed the mill forever in the 1960's. The mill was sold to John and Glen LaRowe in 1968.Update: Robert Watts died in 1957; but his widow, Leta Watts, continued to run the store and mill for 10 years after Uncle Robert's death. - - Robert Watt's great niece, Lynn Taylor-09/26/17.

 
Upload Pictures
I want to upload picture(s) at this time.