Call Number:

02

Repository:

Dabbs Woodfin Library and Archives at Newlin Grist Mill

Extent:

55.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1959-2013 (bulk) and 1834-2013 (inclusive)

Creator:

Nicholas Newlin Foundation

Abstract:

Newlin Grist Mill was built in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1704 by Nathaniel Newlin, a Quaker settler who came to Pennsylvania in 1683 with his father Nicholas. It changed hands and names several times before ceasing operations in 1943. E. Mortimer Newlin, a descendant of Nicholas and Nathaniel Newlin, purchased the mill in 1956 and began renovating it; in 1960 he established the Nicholas Newlin Foundation, a nonprofit corporation which took title of the property and opened it as an historic site. The Nicholas Newlin Foundation records, 1834-2013 (bulk 1959-2013), consist largely of paper documents with information on board and staff members, financial information, information on buildings and grounds, on public relations and programming, and other aspects of the organization. There are also photographs, negatives and slides; maps and architectural drawings; three dimensional art works; and publications and reference materials from other organizations collected by Newlin Foundation. There are also a small number of original documents pertaining to the history of the mill, such as deeds and business correspondence from when the mill was operational, and Newlin family genealogy.

The Newlin Grist Mill was built in 1704 by Nathaniel Newlin, a Quaker settler who came to Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1683 with his father Nicholas. Nicholas had purchased 500 acres of land in 1683 and left his son Nathaniel the land at his death in 1699. Nathaniel Newlin would acquire hundreds more acres of land during the course of his lifetime. The Newlin family owned the Newlin Grist Mill until the early 1800s. In 1817 the mill was sold to William Trimble, and [consequently] sold to the Sharpless family. In 1896 the mill was sold to John Hill whose son Samuel N. Hill operated it as the Concord Flour Mills. The mill had many names during the two and a half centuries of its operation: the Lower Mill, Society Mill, Markham Mill, and the Seventeen-O-Four Mill. Concord Flour Mills ceased its operation in 1943.

In 1956 E. Mortimer Newlin, a descendant of Nicholas Newlin, purchased the mill and began renovating it. In 1960 he established the Nicholas Newlin Foundation, a nonprofit corporation which took title of the property. In 1984 the mill was recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. E. Mortimer Newlin and his wife, Elizabeth Battles Newlin, developed the mill into what it is today; an historic site with insights into the vanished life of the rural eighteenth century, a public park and wildlife refuge for the community to share, and an organization focused on the education of its community.

The Newlin Grist Mill site, as it is today, consists of many buildings. Among these are the mill itself, the Archives/granary, the Miller's House, the Trimble House, the Markham Train Station/office, the log cabin, the barn and a spring house. Newlin Mill Park consists of 150 acres and includes a fishing pond. Several waterways flow through the park. At one point, the YMCA Toland branch was located at the park.

This collection is mainly comprised of the Nicholas Newlin Foundation's organizational documents with information on board and staff members, financial information, information on buildings and grounds, on public relations and programming, and other aspects of the organization. There are site and non-site photographs, negatives and slides of the Newlin Grist Mill (under 500 photographs and under 500 slides). There are also about 70 oversized items including maps, architectural drawings, and three dimensional art works. There are publications and reference materials from other organizations collected by the Newlin Grist Mill in the collection as well. A smaller portion of the collection consists of original documents pertaining to the history of the mill, such as deeds and business correspondence from when the mill was operational, and Newlin family genealogy. About 13 compact discs (CDs), 15 floppy discs, and 9 cassette tapes are in the collection.

The collection is arranged into the following series: 000.200 Organizational Documents: This portion of the collection focuses on the Foundation's purpose statement, bylaws, policies and procedures, long range plans, director's reports and histories of the Newlin Grist Mill. The long range plans were given the sub-number 000.200.01, while the director's reports were given the sub-number 000.200.02, to accommodate future incorporation of plans and reports into the collection at the Archives. 000.201 Board, Committee, Staff: This portion of the collection focuses on information on said members, such as staff and board lists of members, with committee meeting and board of trustees meeting minutes. The board of trustee minutes were given the sub-number 000.201.01 to accommodate future incorporation of minutes into the collection at the Archives. 000.202 Buildings and Grounds: This portion of the collection focuses on restoration projects, building studies, environmental studies and property contentions. The sub-number 000.202.01 was given to paperwork on the sewage plant dispute between Newlin Grist Mill and Concord Township Sewer Authority. 000.203 Publications: This portion of the collection focuses on publications of other organizations. 000.203 focuses on magazines in particular, such as History News Magazine and the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. The sub-number 000.203.01 was given to the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM); 000.203.02 to the Society for the History of Technology; 000.203.03 to Early American Industries; 000.203.04 to the Spinning Wheel; 000.203.05 to the Society for Industrial Archaeology (SIA); 000.203.06 to The International Molinological Society (TIMS); 000.203.07 to the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM). 000.204 CDs, Floppies, Cassettes: This portion of the collection focuses on three dimensional digital recorders that consist of a variety of subject matter but are housed together due to their physical material. 000.205 Slides: This portion of the collection focuses on photographic slides, particularly slides with images of individual nature specimens found at Newlin Mill Park. 000.206 Record Books: This portion of the collection focuses on record books and ledgers, particularly stream fly fishing and pond fishing records. 000.207 Negatives: This portion of the collection focuses on film negatives of Newlin Grist Mill buildings and grounds and non-site events. There are also some glass negatives of windmills. 000.208 Oversized items: This portion of the collection differs from the rest of the collection in that various types of items were given the same number and housed together (in map case drawers) due to their physical properties (i.e. size) as opposed to their subject matter. There are scrolled items, maps, posters, deeds, architectural drawings and plans, blueprints, etc.. 000.209 Scrapbooks: This portion of the collection focuses on scrapbooks, mainly of Newlin Grist Mill events. 000.210 Reference: This portion of the collection consists of reference materials related to the Newlin Grist Mill, such as environmental studies of local creeks and adjoining properties. There is also information on railroads, specifically the Markham Train Station. Additionally, there is general information on Concord Township and Delaware County. 000.211 Grants: This portion of the collection focuses on financial aid and grants sought/awarded by the Newlin Grist Mill. There is a lot of information on the grant awarded to install the mill exhibit. 000.212 Nicholas Sellers: This portion of the collection is a sub-collection of documents of board member Nicholas Sellers and was not separated. 000.213 Bill Newlin: This portion of the collection is a sub-collection of documents of board member Bill Newlin and was not separated. 000.214 Public Relations: This portion of the collection focuses on public relations and consists of Newlin Grist Mill brochures, information on educational programming, and events hosted by Newlin Grist Mill on an annual basis, such as Sheep Shearing and Crafts Festival, Fall Harvest Festival, etc.. These events are sorted chronologically by year. The sub-number 000.214.01 was given to the Newlin Grist Mill publication "Grist From the Mill" to accommodate future incorporation of newsletters into the collection at the Archives. 000.215 Programs: This portion of the collection focuses on programs such as the Mills Project, the SPOOM Conference, the Tricentennial etc.. 000.216 Exhibit: This portion of the collection focuses on the mill exhibit "Change Upon the Land: The Impact of a Mill". It mainly consists of plans for the layout of the exhibit and the exhibit labels. The sub-number 000.216.01 was given to the Stuckert papers: paperwork from consultant Caroline Stuckert who did work for the mill exhibit. 000.217 Correspondence: This portion of the collection focuses on correspondence between board members and staff from the 1970s ? present. 000.218 Photographs: This portion of the collection focuses on photographs of people, events, buildings, and grounds at Newlin Grist Mill. It is organized into the following subseries: Buildings, Collections and Research, Grounds, People, Programs and Events, Projects, and other Sites. A list of sub-subseries is available on-site. [000.219 Empty Series] 000.220 News clippings: This portion of the collection focuses on news articles relating to Newlin Grist Mill. 000.221 Original Documents: This portion of the collection focuses on original surveys and deeds done of the property, wills of the Newlin family and neighbors, other original documents 000.222 Paintings: This portion of the collection focuses on large artwork, specifically paintings done by artist Russell Hoover for the 1993 mill exhibit and paintings done in 1985 by John Botkins. 000.223 Financial Records: This portion of the collection focuses on Newlin Grist Mill's financial records which must be permanently retained, such as annual financial reports (audits), taxes and financial ledgers. The sub-number 000.223.01 was applied to financial ledgers, 000.223.02 applied to annual financial reports and 000.223.03 applied to taxes to accommodate future incorporation of financial records into the collection at the Archives. [000.224 Concord Mill records: Materials removed to a separate collection.] Small Objects: This portion of the collection focuses on small institutional objects that are to be housed in the Archives, such as commemorative pens and pins, etc.