The mill was built originally about 1796 by Isaiah Shipman, then sold in 1814 to Abraham Whitmore.

Whitmore's heirs released the mill to Peter Paul Jr. in 1840. The storeroom of the mill became a voting pecinct for the small community of Paul's Mill/ now Ottobine by the first half of the 1840's.

Ottobine never took off with any growth spurts, having only a poulation of 60 in 1912. The first Peter Paul home, a log structure, is still standing; the Driver residence owned by Wayne Driver and is one of the oldest homes in the county.

The mill produced flour using water power via a flume from Beaver Creek. Some early flours were: Big Otto Corn Meal, burr ground by water from selected corn; Paul's White House Flour, manufactured from Pure Valley Virginia Wheat; and Ottobine's Best Roller Choice Patent Flour.

The mill was named for Peter Pauls son, the 2nd Peter Paul. This Peter Paul was drowned in Dry River in 1878, the river being not very dry at the time. The unfortunate Peter Paul's son, John Paul, was a well known jurist and Congressman during President Chester A. Arthur's administration.

The mill contiued to operate until 1958, grinding livestock feed for the area farmers.