The Richland County – Shelby Chapter
Of The Ohio Genealogical Society
- - - INDUSTRIES - - -
The Shelby Mill Co.

The Shelby Mill Co., is the outgrowth of the business established at this
place in 1876 by C.F. Fish, D.W. Storer and Baker Davis. The Company
was incorporated in 1882 and that year built the present mill, established
at the crossing of Main St. and the C.C.C. & St. L.R.R., M.H. Davis, the
present president and treasurer has been connected with the company
since 1877. His father, Baker Davis, died in 1879. Upon the formation
of The Shelby Mill Co., C.F. Fish was elected President, D.W. Storer
Vice-President and Manager and M.H. Davis, Secretary and Treasurer.
 
In 1883 Mr. Fish died and Mr. Storer succeeded to the Presidency.
Mr. Storer and Mr. Davis continued in their respective offices until 1888,
when D.L. Cockley having purchased Mr. Storer’s interest, became the
president and so continued until 1891, when, having sold his interest
to Mr. Davis, the latter was chosen president and has since continued
in that capacity. In 1892, H.S. Botsford of Cleveland, Ohio, connected
himself with The Shelby Mill Co., and became its secretary, in which
capacity he still continues. Mr. Botsford came to Shelby well equipped
in the milling business, having been secretary of the Newell Bros. Co.,
of Cleveland, afterwards succeeded by the American Cereal Co., for which
latter concern Mr. Botsford had for a considerable time acted as manager
of the Cleveland branch of that business. The other officers and directors
consist of A.M. Barber, of Chicago, Vice-President; J.C. Fish of this city,
William A. Palmer and B.W. Robinson, of Akron, Ohio. The company
has a capital of $150,000 and a surplus of $25,000.
 
Thomas F. Gray, Supt., has had many years of experience in milling
and is exceptionably well qualified for the position he occupies. The volume
of business transacted annually by the Shelby Mill Co., approximates one
million dollars. The output of flour is from 800 to 1000 barrels daily, and in
the distribution of this large quantity of product, the name of the company
has been well established in all the markets of the Eastern states and
throughout the south-east as well as in the large markets of Great Britain
and Ireland. The plant at Shelby consists of several extensive warehouses
and elevators, together with a cooper shop where the company manufactures
its own barrels, this with the mill doubtless constituting one of the best
equipped and largest plants of the kind in the state of Ohio. Other
warehouses belonging to this company are located at LaRue, Marion Co.,
Ohio, from which point many thousands of bushels of wheat are annually
shipped to Shelby, and where the company also handles other grain and
seeds upon a large scale. One of the principle distribution points for the
product of this mill is New York where the company maintain an office at
C.2 & 3 Produce Exchange.
 
Mr. Davis is fairly well known in milling circles throughout the country,
from his connection with the various organizations formed for the
development and extension of the sale abroad of American flour. He has
for a number of years been president of the Winter Wheat Miller’s League,
an organization, embracing the leading millers in seven states, and is
chairman of the Board of Managers of the Miller’s National Association
whose headquarters are at Chicago.


Article contributed by Ruby Bonecutter
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