Monteville Roberts owned and operated, with the help of family, the combined business establishment of a mill for grinding corn into meal and wheat into flour, a blacksmith shop, and general repair shop, all of which were vitally essential to the people. The combined enterprise, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, provided a flourishing business a home that was considered “fine” at the time.
Monte was talented as a mechanical engineer and could design or build anything anyone wanted him to make. He made many original creations. One of the things he was famous for was his ability to design huge waterwheels for generating power to be used in old mills. He was also an excellent gunsmith with a widely established reputation. In fact, he served the Confederacy by repairing guns for the soldiers of the Army of Tennessee, when they were camped in the area where Monte lived.
Signs of the old mill can still be seen today. From Ringgold Hwy. 151, go north to the Tennessee state line to Hurricane Creek Bridge. Take the 1st right. At the bridge is a big, nice house, with a fence that goes into the creek. Foundation stones with green moss can be found there today. The old mill stones are in front of a house at East Brainerd Road, one to two miles; the stones are on the left side on a high bank of the road.
From the book Roberts and Allied Families by Tolva Roberts Whitehead (the daughter of Monteville’s son, Loranza).
