History of Flour Milling at Pine Grove

Written by unknown author in 1946 

As far back as we can trace this old flour mill one of the oldest still operating in Canada. It was built by John Smith (Schmidt) in 1828.  This Mr. Smith moved to a point on the east branch of the Humber River which is now Pine Grove from his farm lot.  On the fifth concession of Township of Vaughan he sold his farm to Mr. John Dalziel of Lanarkshire Scotland, and the Dalziel family still own and operates this farm at time of writing 1946.  It was with great pride Mr. J.W. Dalziel brought in 1945 to the mill a sample of wheat which his grandmother had prepared into a small bag of home made linen from their first harvest 1829. Mr. Schmidt had sowed a field of fall wheat before the sale. The following spring he sold the wheat in the ground to Mr. John Dalziel for 2 pounds sterling, from which field the family reaped 100 bushels.  Mr. Schmidt three years later built a store on Pine Grove which still stands.

              Mr. John Gamble was the next owner of the big white dovecoted grist mill at Pine Grove and also owned the farm, the white framed belfred store and occupied the white framed handsome home opposite the mill door.       Then Alfred Gooderham purchased the mill around 1860 from John Gamble and Mr. W M Hicks who had been superintendent of Sandhouse Mill at Bolton and Rowntrees Mill at Thistletown came to Pine Grove as miller.  Alf Gooderham carried on a thriving business for over twenty years and then sold to his miller W M Hicks and son has Charles had learnt the milling trade from his father. W M Hicks carried on the business with his sons has Albert & Fred until 1906 and sold to John Nichol in 1906 who only stayed two years when Fred W Hicks purchased for himself and ran the store for 17 years and was postmaster for 32 years until war broke out in 1914. 

             Herb McLaughlin purchased then from F Hicks and changed name to Pine Grove Milling Co.  Things did not go as well and the mill was idle for one year in 1918.  Then F Hicks took possession again and operated as Hicks Flour Mills until 1935 when two young men (Eddie & Harold Hayhoe) who had never seen inside a mill before purchased from F Hicks and set out in the milling business as Hayhoe Bros..  In two years they found the old building not suitable for modern milling machinery and built a new mill to the north almost doubling capacity.  In 1945 four large cement elevators were added increasing storage capacity to 50,000 Bu.  Many acres of land surrounding the mill are closely linked with the mill history.  Mr. Alfred Gooderham also owned and operated a farm, distillery and a sawmill in on South Side and a general store.  He disposed of farm in 1883 to Richard Willis.  Of course with horse & wagon transportation in those days a large stable was necessary and stood north of the mill and east of lead race.  A store shed and cooper shop also was in close relation with flour business in those days as all flour was shipped in barrels so this was built near the stable.

      In M Hicks time they delivered flour as far as Toronto, Richmond Hill & Thornhill by team.  Joseph McLean drove a team for W M Hicks for many years then came inside and worked in all at the mill for 45 years.  Mr. Hicks said “He was a good faithful man”. They sold one store in Toronto at 666 Queen St. E. and delivered a load three times each week.   Rising at midnight Mr. McLean would feed horses and hitch and leave about 1am and not get home until 6pm.  This was considered a good days work.

 The mill was first run by the burr system with French Burrs.   These were round stones with burrs cut out to cut the grain.  In 1886 they changed to steel roller system with a reel.   A plan sifters was installed in 1908 which was a great improvement. In the early days they made bread flour out of local wheat as the land was stronger Mr. F. Hicks said about 1902 there was a very well season and most of wheat was sprouted and from that time bakers found flour made from hard spring wheat more satisfactory. Some wheat was brought in by railway and teamed from CPR.  Woodbridge 11/2 miles away considerable flour was shipped by Railway too and had to be teamed back.  In those days a carload was 15tons or 150 Bu. The mill still uses some water power 1946 at time of writing and in first days this was only power available originally the water ran level in wooden flume dropped down a steel pipe 33 feet to the outside water wheel which was under water in tailrace. In 1908 the old water system was replaced and from head race runs down a 30’ pipe to enclosed water wheel installed in mill, this is 21 feet below head water level and 12 above tail water level.

Mr. FW Hicks built cement block house beside mill in 1909 which is owned and occupied by present owner Harold Hayhoe.