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Spring Mills
History of Centre and Clinton Counties, John B Linn, 1883, p293
"In 1805, Jacob Maize was the miller at Spring Mills. He removed to Mifflinburg in 1812, and kept a noted hotel at that place. George Sidman succeeded Maize as miller. Joseph Gilliland moved from Buffalo valley to Spring Mills in 1805, and lived in a house which stood where R. H. Duncan lately lived. John Kerr, or Carr, a blacksmith, lived on the opposite side of the road, and had a blacksmith-shop close to the big spring. Carr moved to Potter's Mills, and kept hotel there His wife was a sister of Commodore Conner. The Widow Allison, mother of Archibald, lived in a large square log house, on what was then the main road (which crossed Penn's Creek at the head of the dam), and kept a hotel. Near where the church now is was a schoolhouse of round logs, clapboard roof, and paper windows.
The paper used was John Binn's Democratic Press, greased with hog's lard to make it transparent. The school-house was surrounded with pine-trees. Pine squirrels were numerous, and tore out the windows for the sake of the lard, so the windows had to be frequently renewed.-(Recollections of James Gilliland, Esq.)
The first store-keeper was Thomas Huston, who commenced business about 1820. There may have been a store earlier than that, but it is doubtful. The same year the post-office was established, Huston being postmaster. He was succeeded in 1822 by Thomas Duncan, who in 1825 was succeeded by his brother. David Duncan married Susan M. Hayes, of Gettysburg, by whom he had four children. He died in 1855. His son, Robert H., succeeded him in 1852, and during the same year built an extensive grist-mill upon the site of the old one. Robert H. Duncan has held the office of postmaster since 1862, with the exception of four years of President Buchanan's administration, when the incumbent was Maj. J. B. Fisher. Robert H. married Mary L. Dougal, 1855. He has three children,-David W., Alexander H., and Louisa D. Israel J. Grenoble is at present busily employed in constructing a large and beautiful hotel. Its dimensions are one hundred feet long and fifty feet wide, and when completed will occommodate one hundred guests. It is to cost five thousand dollars. It is located east of the village, upon a slight eminence. From its roof one can gain a view of the entire valley. Mr. Grenoble, the projector, is a man of unusual business enterprise. Besides owning a large store, he lately built an extensive planing-mill, and also deals largely in grain and merchandise."
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