Buckingham Nuggets: Baber Mill
Slate River Ramblings is launching a new category, Buckingham Nuggets.
Almost weekly, while looking for something else, I bump into a piece of information that adds to a previous post (or two) and deepens our understanding of Buckingham County history.
This week, while studying the 1887 Land Tax Record for Buckingham County, a line stood out:
Robert L. Baber, 268 acres, Rock Island Creek
“For so much of the lands of the grantors as may be submerged by the raising of the said Baber’s Mill dam an additional allotment [?] of two feet.”
Other evidence indicates that Baber’s Mill (both saw mill and grist mill) was in place and serving the neighborhood before 1860. Did the dam wash out and a new one was constructed c. 1887?
Baber’s structures, valued at $1,340, indicate a substantial building.
For a larger view of the tax record, click on the image.
For more about Robert L. Baber and his mill: Baber Mill
slate river ramblings . . . . 
This is great too know; did Beesville later became the Well Water community?
Is there any information about the post office at Alpha? When I was growing up (now 68), Miss Lillian Harris was the postmaster (postmistress.) One of her descendants still living in Buckingham is Glenda Harris. We lived across the road from H. B. (Beecher) Thomas’s store, so we walked the mile and a half or so to the post office and store. My brother and I would collect soft drink bottles along the way until we had enough to trade for one Dr. Pepper and one or two “Johnny Cookies.)
Thanks for your thought about Beesville. Well Water was founded by F.N. Maxey and was a different place. They existed at the same time. Thanks, too, for your question and memories about the post office at Alpha. I look into it. I know about Dr. Pepper. You’ll have to explain “Johnny Cookie” to me. Joanne
Joanne, kudos for finding information on Baber’s Mill. I am thrilled to see my gg-grandfather, Jacob Agee Baber, on the list. Thank you!
Carole, I’m delighted you are thrilled! I look forward to learning more about the mill and the neighborhood. Joanne
Isn’t it possible that the dam is being increased in height? And it seems to be altitude instead of allotment?
Yes, I like that interpretation! Next question… Why would you need to increase the height of a dam?