Carol and I met up with Mr. Patterson who resides on the old Patterson farm on Armenia Mountain.
I became acquainted years back when I worked in Park Cemetery and he would come to check the Patterson lot where his great grandfather J.M. Patterson, a Civil War veteran, is buried and other family members.
Mr. Patterson told this story to Carol and me. I have an idea that my thirteen readers will appreciate said tale. His farm dates from 1830 on Armenia.
In those years many farm women would hitch up the horse and buggy and bring eggs or butter to town to sell to the grocers and buy staples like salt, sugar, and cloth.
His grandmother was thus engaged, but just as she arrived by the old white mill a steam locomotive was coming down into Canton on the nearby rail line.
The engineer blew his whistle and it frightened the horse. It reared up and was backing right up to the creek. The creek is still down deep from the roadway.
She had her young daughter with her. A mill hand saw what was about to occur and ran, got a hold of the bridle and pulled the horse forward and calmed him down, saving the mother and child.
I think the child was the mother of this friend of ours. This family still has kindly feelings to the mill.
The present red barn just above the white mill, I have been told, was originally a horse shed where farmers could tether their horse and buggy and walk to town.
I can remember when there were still three stalls with a manger and hay available.