Delaware’s Lum family millers: The unsung heroes of the C&D Canal

The Lum Mill’s Role in Delaware Canal History

A small brick house and a dam changed the course of American commerce in 1736.

Samuel Clement built a simple grist mill on St. Georges Creek in Delaware, not knowing it would one day help power a nation.

The mill passed first to Isaac Allman, who kept it busy with wheat, rye, and corn, then to three generations of the Lum family.

When the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal opened in 1829, John Lum’s millpond became vital – supplying water to America’s most important commercial waterway.

His son later sold more land to the canal company for a tidy sum of $575.

The ruins of this historic mill still stand at Lums Pond State Park, where water once turned wheels that helped build a young nation.

Samuel Clement Built a Mill That Changed American History

Samuel Clement bought land in southern Pencader Hundred from Andrew Peterson in 1724. He built a small brick house and got to work changing the property.

By 1736, he dammed St. Georges Creek and set up both a gristmill and likely a sawmill. This small start grew into a business that lasted over a century.

Clement’s mill served local grain processing needs and later played a key role in America’s transportation growth.

British Troops Camped at the Mill During War

British General Charles Gray picked the mill house as his quarters on September 2, 1777. The spot near Cooch’s Bridge worked perfectly for military operations.

Just one day later, Gray’s forces fought William Maxwell’s light infantry in the only Revolutionary War battle on Delaware soil.

The mill sat along key travel routes, making it useful for both business and military needs. This small family business got caught in America’s fight for freedom.

The Allman Era Began After the Revolution

When Samuel Clement died in 1783, Isaac Allman took over the property. He ran the mill for nearly twenty years until his death in 1802.

Under Allman, the mill stayed busy and kept its place as a key local resource. His family-based ownership style continued for generations.

Allman grew the mill’s customer base while America found its footing as a new nation.

Grain Stores Proved the Mill’s Success

A detailed list from December 1804 shows how busy the mill was.

Isaac Allman’s estate had 145 bushels of wheat, 247.5 bushels of corn, 15 bushels of rye, and 5. 5 bushels of buckwheat stored at the mill.

These big numbers show the business did well even after Allman died. Local farmers trusted the mill with their valuable grain crops.

The large inventory shows the business stayed strong through ownership changes.

Three Generations of Millers Shaped the Business

After 1802, Isaac Allman’s son-in-law John Lum took over the property. This started the Lum family’s long link to the mill.

The pond created by the dam soon became known as Lum’s Pond. Later, the second John Lum (Isaac Allman’s grandson) took over the growing business.

The family brought new ideas to the old business, setting it up for its biggest role yet. Their name stuck to the place forever.

The Old House Got a Major Upgrade

John Lum made the modest brick house much bigger after 1809. He turned the original one-story, three-bay building into a larger two-story home.

These changes showed how well the mill business was doing. The family clearly planned to stay and keep growing the business.

The bigger house worked as both home and office for the milling operation that became central to the local economy.

Early Canal Dreams Faced Many Setbacks

Maryland and Delaware teamed up in 1802 to build a canal, but the first try failed. Workers did many surveys across the Delmarva Peninsula looking for the best route.

Money problems and technical issues stopped these early efforts. Meanwhile, the mill pond at Lum’s property grew more important.

The pond’s spot and water supply made it more valuable as canal planners kept trying to connect the Delaware River with Chesapeake Bay.

Uncle Sam Chose Lum’s Mill Pond For the Canal

The federal government joined the canal project in 1822, giving the money needed to move forward.

Work started in 1824 with 2,600 workers digging the route using only hand tools. This big project needed states, private investors, and the federal government to work together.

Engineers chose Lum’s millpond as the perfect water source for the canal’s highest section. The small family business was about to join America’s transportation revolution.

Water from Lum’s Pond Powered America’s Trade Route

The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal opened to boats in 1829, measuring 10 feet deep and 66 feet wide. Its highest section stretched nearly nine miles at 16-20 feet above sea level.

Lum’s millpond gave the crucial water needed to keep this raised section filled and working. The simple mill suddenly became part of national infrastructure.

A family business that started grinding local farmers’ grain now helped move goods between major American waterways.

The Family Sold Land and Adapted to Progress

Isaac Allman Lum sold part of his property to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company in 1838 for $575.

He completed more land sales to the canal company in 1841. Instead of fighting progress, the family found ways to profit from the changing industrial landscape.

The Lums showed good business sense by knowing that sometimes selling assets is smarter than keeping them. Their flexibility let them benefit from America’s growing transportation network.

A Century of Milling Came to an End

The mill operated continuously for about 100 years, producing wheat flour and cut lumber for the surrounding community.

The Lum family successfully navigated the shift from purely agricultural services to supporting industrial development.

Operations eventually ceased as transportation patterns changed and milling technology evolved. What began as a simple gristmill became a crucial piece of national infrastructure through three generations of family ownership.

Visiting Lums Pond State Park, Delaware

Lums Pond State Park at 1068 Howell School Road in Bear preserves the ruins of the Lum family’s three-generation milling operation that helped supply water to America’s key commercial canal.

You can explore the historic mill ruins along the Little Jersey and Whale Wallow Loop trails.

The park costs $4 for Delaware residents and $8 for out-of-state visitors from March through November, but it’s free in winter months.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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