• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Rockford Area Historical Society

Rockford, Minnesota

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Board
    • Executive Director
    • Volunteers
    • Our Partners
  • Rockford Area History
    • Artifacts/Memorabilia
    • Businesses
      • Rockford Drive Inn
    • Churches
    • Government
    • Greenwood
    • Maps
    • People
      • Memorial Day Spotlights
        • Aaron Sprague Ames
        • Albert E. Hohenstein
        • William Henry Hopkins
        • Armin Christ Lieder
        • Fredrich Mutterer
        • Walter Mutterer
        • Benjamin Smith Parmeter
        • Harvey (Spud) Schulze
        • Lillian Walker
        • Others
      • Stork Family Papers
    • Pop Culture
      • Past Stories – Tidbits
    • Railroad
    • River
      • Bridges
      • Floods
    • Schaar Photo Collection
      • 1880 Photos
      • 1890 Photos
      • 1900 Photos
      • 1910 Photos
      • 1920 Photos
      • 1930 Photos
      • 1940 Photos
      • Unknown
    • Schools
    • Sports
  • Ames-Florida-Stork House
    • Visit the House
      • Public Hours
      • Public Tours
      • Book a Tour
      • Rockford Walking Tour
    • History of the House
      • About the Families
        • Ames Family
        • Florida Family
          • Diaries
        • Stork Family
      • About the Collections
    • The Beginnings
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Donations
    • Memberships
  • Events
    • Privy Dig 2019
    • Thousand Hearts – Crow River Serve Day 2020
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Donations
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Board
    • Executive Director
    • Volunteers
    • Our Partners
  • Rockford Area History
    • Artifacts/Memorabilia
    • Businesses
      • Rockford Drive Inn
    • Churches
    • Government
    • Greenwood
    • Maps
    • People
      • Memorial Day Spotlights
        • Aaron Sprague Ames
        • Albert E. Hohenstein
        • William Henry Hopkins
        • Armin Christ Lieder
        • Fredrich Mutterer
        • Walter Mutterer
        • Benjamin Smith Parmeter
        • Harvey (Spud) Schulze
        • Lillian Walker
        • Others
      • Stork Family Papers
    • Pop Culture
      • Past Stories – Tidbits
    • Railroad
    • River
      • Bridges
      • Floods
    • Schaar Photo Collection
      • 1880 Photos
      • 1890 Photos
      • 1900 Photos
      • 1910 Photos
      • 1920 Photos
      • 1930 Photos
      • 1940 Photos
      • Unknown
    • Schools
    • Sports
  • Ames-Florida-Stork House
    • Visit the House
      • Public Hours
      • Public Tours
      • Book a Tour
      • Rockford Walking Tour
    • History of the House
      • About the Families
        • Ames Family
        • Florida Family
          • Diaries
        • Stork Family
      • About the Collections
    • The Beginnings
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Donations
    • Memberships
  • Events
    • Privy Dig 2019
    • Thousand Hearts – Crow River Serve Day 2020
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Donations

Miller Time: Rockford Style

March 28, 2020 //  by RAHS//  Leave a Comment

Rock Island, Ill[inois] Sat[urday] Dec[ember] 3, 1887

Dear George,

The other night I went to bed the lamp was on the stand Will came in, and shouted, called Jess, and they both had great fun at my expense, and this was what caused it. Florida’s Best, Queen of the Pantry was in large letters over my head. it struck them as very funny. Mama will remember that we did not have room in our trunks for some sacks & I had taken one to throw over my head. I made bread yesterday with the flour you sent us, and it is very fine. I am not as good a bread maker as Mama & don’t have a very good place to keep it I think, but your flour will make good bread if it has any chance…

Letter from Nellie to family in Rockford

Rockford Lumber Mill

The original steam-powered lumber mill, which created building material for the settlers, also contained “one run of burrs” for corn and was built by George Ames, Joel Florida, and their friend, Guilford D. George in 1856.

The mill’s one set of stones for grinding had no system to filter, sift, or create a true flour. The expression, “run of the mill” has it’s origins here, whatever came out, came out!

The mill burned down in 1857 and was rebuilt to use water power from the Crow River. After a sucessful year, the families expanded to a proper flour mill and an increased production from the lumber mill. 

The flour mill stood three stories tall, on the Wright County side of the Crow, built out over the river so the water wheel could catch the current on its way to Hanover.

Just a couple of days before his death in 1878, George Ames sold the mills and the AFS House to his nephew, George Florida. 

Using the new technology available at the time from entrepenuers named Pilsbury and Crosby, George Florida converted the grinding stone operation to a roller mill. Instead of creating a buring heat during the milling process, the pulverizing rollers crushed the grain and produced a fine, white flour, highly desired by bakers.

Above is a page from the financial records, created in 1878.

Rock Island, Ill[inois] Christmas Eve 1885

My Darling George

I will send a tardy thanks for the flour but our appreciation has not been tardy. It does look so good and satisfying to see those great big sacks standing in the corner of the room. I can hardly keep bread enough baked. I asked Mr. Wagner the other day about selling your flour, and he said if you will like to send some he might take some. He told me to ask you what your prices were and what you would think about it.

He says the Millers here use Minnesota wheat, but no Minnesota flour is sold except by Mr. Hawley who is agent for Pillsbury’s Best. There never was a man who more highly respected his business or appreciated the value of what he has on hand, & I think he would be a good man to introduce anything, that Mr. Wagner. He comes to our kitchen door every other morning, and it takes much firmness to withstand his enthusiasm, and when he brings something it proves to be as good as he recommended it to be. We are disappointed in not having Miss Briggs & Miss Platt to dinner tomorrow both were engaged. I did not dare to ask them until I should be ready, & it is always my luck when I wait to be ready, but we will ask the Carter girls to tea Saturday. How I wish you, & Mama & Aunt Sarah could come.

The weather is lovely, sometimes we long for the Blacks, but we are glad they are well. Please remember us to them kindly. We are delighted with your letter to Carrie It was charming, and Carrie & I said we thought you could write as well as Jessie. Please send samples of your skill often and now much love to you from us all and the best of wishes

Your affectionate
Sister
Nellie

Learn More About Minnesota Milling

Category: Businesses

Next Post: Carl Fredrick Kashiemer »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Post Search

Recent Posts

  • July 4, 1900 Rockford Parade
  • Herman Mutterer Farm 1920’s
  • Bridge Street 1935
  • Henry Mack Shoe Store circa 1875
  • Johnson Brothers Bank circa 1905

Categories

  • Artifacts/Memorabilia (5)
  • Businesses (45)
    • Rockford Drive Inn (1)
  • Churches (5)
  • Government (2)
  • Greenwood (4)
  • People (13)
    • Lillian Walker (1)
    • Memorial Day Spotlights (5)
      • Armin Christ Lieder (1)
      • Fredrich Mutterer (2)
      • Others (2)
  • Railroad (5)
  • River (12)
    • Bridges (3)
    • Floods (8)
  • Schaar Photo Collection (9)
    • 1880 Photos (5)
    • 1890 Photos (2)
    • Unknown (2)
  • Schools (8)
  • Sports (8)

Archives

  • January 2025 (2)
  • December 2024 (1)
  • November 2024 (2)
  • June 2024 (1)
  • February 2024 (1)
  • November 2023 (1)
  • October 2023 (1)
  • August 2023 (2)
  • June 2023 (2)
  • April 2023 (4)
  • March 2023 (4)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • December 2022 (2)
  • September 2022 (1)
  • July 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (1)
  • May 2022 (1)
  • March 2022 (2)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • September 2021 (2)
  • August 2021 (1)
  • July 2021 (5)
  • March 2021 (2)
  • February 2021 (2)
  • January 2021 (3)
  • December 2020 (11)
  • November 2020 (3)
  • October 2020 (9)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (13)
  • April 2020 (22)
  • March 2020 (4)

Footer

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2025 • Rockford Area Historical Society. All rights reserved. • Design by Flying Orange.