Zirkle Mill - History of The Mill

History of The Mill

The American historian George Bancroft writes of contributions made by citizens to relieve "the poor of Boston" during the hardships caused by the blockading of the harbor after the Boston Tea Party. Bancroft specifically mentions contributions made by settlers in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, citing 132 barrels (21.0 m3) of flour being brought into Winchester. The Boston Tea Party occurred in December of 1773 and with the passage of the Intolerable Acts which contained the Boston Port Bill, the harbor was ordered closed June 1, 1774.

In "A History of Shenandoah County", written by Shenandoah Valley historian John W. Wayland, these contributions are cited and Wayland gives his interpretation of Bancrofts' writings, stating that mills of Shenandoah County provided some of this flour. It is family tradition that the Zirkle Mill was one of the sources for this flour. This claim is given further credence by the Shenandoah County Publick Claims which show that in 1781 Andrew Zirkle contributed six barrels of flour to the Continental Army.

The mill is mentioned in a 1784 petition from local residents to build a road from the mill east to the town of New Market, VA. Andrew Zirkle, his brother Michael and other residents signed the petition. The Order Book of Shenandoah County Court lists instructions for Michael Zirkle, Andrew Zirkle, Jacob Neff and Benjamin Fossett "view a way for a Road from Andrew Sircles Mill to Abraham Dusks Smith Shop on the Main Road" and that they report their findings to the next court.

In 1817, Andrew directed the executor of his will to sell the mill and distribute the proceeds among his descendants. The mill was subsequently sold to George Mowrey who was apparently his miller at the time. Mowery was unable to hold onto the mill and it passed through a number of owners until it was purchased by Peter Myers who lived just outside of Forestville, VA in 1853.

War had once again come to the valley as the north and south faced off against each other in the Civil War. After driving Confederate General Jubal Early from the field at the Battle of Fisher's Hill, Union General Phillip Sheridan pursued him as far south as Harrisonburg and McGaheysville, Virginia. There he stopped as he feared Confederate Troops from the Richmond area might move to his rear and trap his army between two forces.

General Sheridan received orders from General Ulysses S. Grant to burn "the breadbasket of the Confederacy." Sheridan then executed a strategic retreat northward towards Winchester and Union troops rode the width of the valley setting fields, barns and mills ablaze.

At the Zirkle Mill, the miller Samuel Hockman climbed the hill facing the mill. In the distance he could see the mills at nearby Moore's Store, Harpinetown and the Myers farm being set ablaze. He ran and got a Union Flag, climbed onto the roof of the mill and hung it there.

He ran to meet the Union Cavalry officers in the road. The flag and his pleadings convinced them of his sincerity and the troops were ordered to leave the mill alone. It was the only mill on Holman's creek to survive that day. The General in charge of the Union Cavalry in this area was none other than George Armstrong Custer. This fantastic tale is recounted in "The Burning: Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley" by Professor John Heatwhole.

After the war, the local people branded Hockman as a Union sympathizer and refused to patronize the mill and soon the owner Peter Myers was forced to sell. Joseph Andrick purchased the mill in 1867 and operated it until his death in 1893. His sons Casper and Charles ran the mill for a number of years and upgraded the mill by installing roller milling equipment. Much of this equipment is still in the mill today.

After the Andrick brothers sold the mill in 1906 it again passed through a number of owners hands each trying his hand at the milling trade. Finally, in the late 1940s, no longer able to compete with modernized factories the mill finally ceased operations after 180 years.