Grist06

Waupaca County Post

February 16, 1928

Robt. Faulks, City, Remembers Early Grist at Old Mill

Robert Faulks, this city, can recall the first grist his father took to the Crystal River grist mill in the autumn of 1855.

His father, John Faulks, a Civil war Volunteer, was in 1855 living on the farm now owned by Charles Rasmussen, town of Waupaca. That summer flour and meal was largely shipped in from Berlin, over 30 miles away. When their wheat was ripe his father prepared a threshing floor in the wheat field and when two bushels had been threshed by flail the grist was taken by ox team to the first grist mill in Waupaca, the building later used as woolen mils and later by Proctor Brothers and Bowers for a felting mill and standing where it still stands, on the bank of Crystal river on Federal highway No. 10.

Mr. Faulks’ uncle, Thomas Faulks, worked as carpenter and wheelwright during the building of that first grist mill and installing the machinery. He recalls that later his uncle built the addition that served as an office for the successive business enterprises that have thrived in the oldest factory building now standing in Waupaca county.