Mill on Bladens Brook

During the greater part of the nineteenth century there were areas of Woodbridge that had “factories” producing an amazing variety of products. In addition to the normal blacksmiths, gristmills, lumber mills, and cider mills, there were mills where everything from candle sticks to matches; wool to fishing reels; whistles to melodions; clocks to spinning wheels, and more, were fabricated. Much of this industry utilized the power of water to run the machinery that made the items. Thus, these businesses were often located along rivers such as the Sargents, West, Racebrook and Bladens in Woodbridge.

Here on Bladens River are the the beautiful remains of one these mills. It may have been built by Thomas Sanford of friction match fame as it was sold by him to Rodney Clark and Martin Carrington in 1856; then from Clark and Carrington to Mark Sperry in 1861, and finally, from Sperry to Catherine Coney in 1864.

The land deeds describe the building as a saw mill, but by 1865 William Coney is paying property taxes for a “Building used for Manufactory” and for “mechanic’s tools”. Likely, William Coney converted the mill from a sawmill to the production of corkscrews. On the Beers Atlas map of 1868, it is shown as a “corkscrew factory”.

Furthermore, look at the trail on which you are now walking. It is probable that it is the old road that serviced this very “factory”.