Our Yesterdays

Jacob Wimer settled in the vicinity of Richland in the year 1839. He proved to be the most valuable accession which had been made to the little colony. He was a practical millwright. No one man did more to advance the interests of the early settlers, and to develop the resources of the county. Soon after arriving, Mr. Wimer set about the work of mill building. The first mill in the county was commenced by him in June, 1842, and located on South Skunk River, near the confluence of the two streams. It was completed in the following February. The mill was built about five rods west of the boundary line of the original Black Hawk purchase. In selecting the site he found that he could not erect the mill to advantage unless he put it on the Indian side of the line. The trespass was but a few steps, and he supposed that it would work no injury to the red man. But the red man came and pointed out to him the line between the Che-mo-keman and Mus-qua-ke. Mr. Wimer was apparently too dull of comprehension to understand the import of the Indians’ protestations, and went on with his mill. The red skins had learned too much of freedom in their own wild forests to be thus encroached upon, and regarded in a diplomatic manner a trespass of fifty years as equal to the inundation of the whites to the very center of their hunting grounds. The consequence was that they appealed to the United States authorities, and a troop of dragoons was dispatched to drive Mr. Wimer off the forbidden ground and burn his buildings. One morning, shortly after the completion of the mill, these epauletted gentlemen bore down upon Mr. Wimer. This gentleman, however, was not altogether taken by surprise, as he had certain intimations of the raid upon his premises. He had, accordingly, prior to the arrival of the dragoons, removed all vestiges of the boundary line, for several miles on either side of the river. When the dragoons arrived they rode up to the side of the stream on the south bank of the river, and there hitched their horses. Thereupon the whole squad crossed upon the ice, each man having girded at his side an immense sword, which trailed on the ground, at his side. The officer, in a very pompous style, started up to Mr. Wimer and said, “Do you know, sir, where you are?” Mr. Wimer met his gaze firmly and in a very decided manner, replied, “I think I do, sir.”

The officer than stated to Mr. Wimer that the mill was on the Indian’s land, and his instructions were to destroy it, and his imperative duty was to obey. This was a critical moment for the millwright. He had invested all his means in the mill, and looking at the building and then at the officer, scarcely knew what to say. He could not for a moment entertain the thought of years of toil and labor should be in vain, and that this structure which represented that toil and labor should be demolished merely to satisfy the caprices of a few savages, and that too at a time when it was known that they would, as they did, sell out as soon as a treaty could be concluded. After exhibiting his machinery to the party, and making himself as agreeable as his unsafe condition would permit, he cooly requested the dragoons to accompany him about one hundred yards west of the mill, where, pointing to each side of the river, he called attention to marks and notches on trees, and turning to the commander remarked, “You see, sir, I knew where I was, and we need not disturb one another. Do you comprehend my meaning?”

Whether the dragoon captain believed this to be the true line or not, at least he pretended that he did, and venting a few oaths upon the swarthy faces for causing them a cold and needless ride, called off his men and departed, to the great relief of the mill owner.

Soon after this circumstance Mr. Wimer sold the mill to Mr. L.B. Hughes, and removed to a mill site on the North Skunk River, where he began the erection of what was afterward known as the “Whisler Mills.” After these mills were completed, he sold interest in them to Mr. J.B. Whisler. After that, he moved on to Mahaska County and erected Union Mills on the North Skunk, finishing them about two years later. He sold this mill and returned to Keokuk County and built what was known as the Wimer Mill on the South Skunk River. A sawing attachment was put up in this mill by Mr. Abrams soon after.