Henderson Roller Mill 1901 and Overhead Bridge

Henderson Roller Mill - Stack & Beasley photo

"The Henderson Roller Mill began work in July, 1901, the building having been erected and equipped at at cost of $10,000. The capacity of the mill is 100 barrels of flour, 250 bushels of meal and 250 bushels of corn per day. The mills do a large exchange and merchant work. It will have a fine effect on local grain growing. Mr. J.E. Henderson, a mill man of long experience, is the manager and largest holder of stock; Mr. J.R. English is president and Mr. T.C. Lee secretary and treasurer." Stack & Beasley 1902

Joseph Eli Henderson (1855-1930), was the son of Robert Harvey Henderson and Minerva Crowell, married in Monroe in 1853. J.E. Henderson married Margaret Miller in 1877; they had six children: Harriet R. (1877-1962) married Charles Garrison Medlin, Frederick Gustave (1878-1947) married Margie Williams, Walter Alexander (1880-1951) married Bertha Amanda Alexander, Edward Brown b. 1882, Elsie (1884-1885) and Robert McCamie (1886-1889).

"Austin & Henderson, dealers in staple and fancy groceries, do a nice business. V.C. Austin and F.G. [Frederick Gustave] Henderson constitured the firm and they are young men of energy, honesty and popularity. They are on Franklin Street, in the Enquirer building, where bargains in their line can be had. Their goods are fresh and cheap and Messrs. Austin and Henderson are the soul of politeness to their customers." Stack & Beasley 1902

After Margaret Miller Henderson died in 1889, J.E. married Eliza Jane Flow (1861-1940), daughter of George Washington Flow and Mary Carolina Crowell. J.E. and Eliza had six children: Arthur McLees (1890-1971) married Jane Ray, Joseph Virgil (1894-1962) married Estelle Monroe, Myrtle Jeanette (1896-1899), Grace N. born1897, Hattie R. born and died 1901, John Everette (1902-1965).
About 1925, Henderson built a home at 400 W. Franklin Street.

Overhead Bridge

The overhead bridge linked Church Street and Winchester Avenue above the Seaboard Railroad tracks. The business in the center of this picture is Henderson Roller Mill.

Apparently, grain cars delivered the raw material (wheat) for processing and the finished product (flour) was loaded back onto rail cars to the left for distribution across the country.

(John Gulledge photograph - click to enlarge)

“Henderson Roller Mill Co. - Home of Mystic Flour.”

circa 1913 (click to enlarge)

The overhead bridge was torn down in the 1950s 

when the new Skyway Bridge was opened for traffic.