Upstream:Snow Camp Woolen Mills
Holman Mill
This dam still stands 250 feet upstream of Holman Mill Road on Cane Creek. The foundation of the ruined mill is easily seen from the road.
L L Polk (1878) says that the Clover Orchard Factory was put in operation in 1840 and had 1200 spindles in 1878 and had a flour and grist mill, a saw mill, a cotton gin, a wool carding machine, etc.
The Cane Creek Farmers and Mechanics Manufacturing Company obtained a mortgage in Chatham DB AK, pg 293 (1857) on 190 acres in Chatham and Alamance Counties on Cane Creek. The deed of trust mentions the existing cotton factory, mill dam, "and the steam engine" as well as various other equipment. The mortgage is signed on behalf of the company by Alford M. Lindley (President), Job Stout and William M. Mcpherson.
Cane Creek Manufacturing Co was foreclosed upon shortly thereafter as shown in Chatham DB AL, pg 264 (1859). The high bidder was H A London who immediately transferred the property to the Clover Orchard Manufacturing Company (apparently headed by H W Willard per The North Carolina Standard 9/2/1863). H A London was a prominent Pittsboro businessman and lawyer. H W Willard was a cotton mill operator who also owned the mill at Willardville on the Eno River in Durham County.
This mill is shown on Spoon's Map of Alamance County (1893) with the Holman name. Swain (1899) describes Clover Orchard as having been shut down a few years earlier, but having still a rock dam of about 17 feet in height standing about 300 yards above the factory.
Downstream:Allen Mill
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