September/October 1981
Ann M. Matthews
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The Watkins steam engine. The Gardner beltdriven governor is on the upper right and the large flywheel is visible in the background.
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Site Administrator, Watkins Mill, Rt. 2, Box 270M, Lawson,
Missouri 64062
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In 1860 Waltus Lockett Watkins built a steam powered woolen mill
on his farm in western Missouri. He had moved to Missouri from
Kentucky where, as a young man, he had apprenticed in cotton mills
and eventually became foreman of a mill in Frankfort, Kentucky. It
was in Frankfort that he had his first experience with steam
engines. He reported in his autobiography that 'I assisted in
the building of the first locomotive and car that ever moved on a
railroad in America by steam power.' This was the engine built
in 1828 by Joseph Bruen and Charles Lewis.
Watkins moved to Liberty, Missouri in 1830. In 1839 he settled a
farm about twenty-five miles north of present day Kansas City where
he became quite successful as a raiser of mules and shorthorn
cattle. By the mid-1850s he had a 3600 acre farm complete with a
sawmill, flour and grist mill, and brick kilns. He then decided to
build the first woolen factory west of St. Louis.
This three and a half floor mill was designed to produce
fabrics, yarn, and blankets for use by local farmers. The power for
the mill was supplied by the J. T. Dowdall & Company of St.
Louis who's letterhead proclaimed them to be:
J. T. Dowdalll & Co. Dr. WASHINGTON FOUNDRY
Engine and Machine Shop Corner of Second & Morgan Streets
Manufacturers of steam engines and boilers, saw and grist mill
machinery, muley saw mills, tobacco screws and presses, lard
kettles, lard screws and cylinders, wool carding machines,
Young's patent smut machines, building castings, etc.
The original agreement between Dowdall and Watkins states:
Mr. W. L. Watkins:
We will furnish you our Engine 12 x 36 Cast Bed = Double Slide
Valve - also Balance Valve = Flywheel 10ft diam - cast arms to
weigh about 8000 lbs - Pipes and Pulleys complete with Governor
-Boiler 30ft long - 46' diam = 5 flues 2nd hand first in good
order - Boiler Castings complete - Breeching for Stack all to be
complete for the sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2000) = Pulleys -
Hangers & Boxes we will make at nine (9) cents = Payments =
$1000 with acceptance in Clay Co. payable at Branch Farmers Bank at
Liberty Mo c Bo Ds = $1000 c. bms payable some places
Very Respectfully and also furnish every thing necessary to have
said engine complete & said engine is to be made in an approved
stile & in a workmanlyke manner and to be shipped forthwith,
(sic)
J. T. Dowdall & Co.
I accept the above proposition
W. L. Watkins
There is no existing record of shipment on the engine and
flywheel (which is a sectional wheel 16 feet high, not 10 feet as
stated in the agreement), but there is a very handsome and
decorative shipping bill on the boiler. It is a printed form with
blanks for filling in the particulars and space below to itimize
the cargo.
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