Kern's Mill / Sutherlin Roller Mill Site
Halifax Co. | Virginia | USA
Watersource: Upper Double Creek or Barker's Creek.
Kern's Mill / Sutherlin Roller Mill Site
Located eleven miles east of Danville, Va.on US 58, turn left on Sh 656 go about five miles, cross bridge over Mill Pond and the take first left. The mill is at the end of the road.
Considerable controversy abounds about the date of Kern's Mill. The first mill was built supposedly in 1792 on Upper Double Creek. This creek, at the Pittsylvania Co/Halifax Co line dosen't appear to have any roads nearby; much more, it is several miles north of the site of the Sutherlin Roller Mill/Kern's Mill near the millpond at Sutherlin on Barker's Creek. William Richardson built this mill, operated it for 24 years, then sold to Joseph Dodson & Thomas Towler for $300 in 1816.
The water wheel was located on the backside of the mill. Thomas Bouldin owned it in 1820; but, in 1821, Eustice Hunt sold to Thomas & Timothy Stamps. In 1847, William Stamps sold a mill to Elisha Dodson at this location. The mill was owned by Lindsey & Fallen during the War Between the States; then, the mill was sold to James Norman and Major Wm. Sutherlin, the towns namesake, in 1868 for $3,000. The mill did well and in 1884, Alfred & John Anderson purchased the mill and fifty-one acres for $12,000.
Maris Vernon Kerns and his son, Hiram Owens Kern Sr., became millwrights for the Sutherlin Roller Mill prior to the takeover by the Andersons. A.O.Kerns Sr. was born in Lancaster Co., Pa on Dec. 14, 1852 to Maris Vernon Kerns and Emma Jane (Lefevre) Kerns, both sides of the family tracable back to gentlemen landing in Pennsylvania in the company of William Penn. Maris built mills in eleven states prior to settling in Halifax Co; where, he entered into milling, foundry work, and banking. In 1895, Kerns Sr. bought the Sutherlin Mill, having purchased the foundery part in 1884 from Sutherlin.
Hiram sold the mill in 1913, to his two sons, Hiram O. Kerns Jr.(Oscar) and Trevilian Augustus Kerns; who,operated the mill using one overshot wheel for flour (which later changed to steam, then diesel power), and a second overshot wheel for corn, which stayed water-powered until the mill closed in 1968. Oscar bought out Trevilian's share and ran the mill until 1965, retiring at age 72. A son-in-law, Robert S. Norfleet, continued to run the mill another 3 years, dying in 1968.