Larry Devore

1860 Spring Mill Village Plat, owners of the area that is now Spring Mill State Park, Lawerance County, Indiana. Timothy Hixon my Great, great grandfather, at one time own the property located on the North half, of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, a total of 80 Acres. The parks INN, sets on the Southwest end of his parcel, and the Nature Center sets on the Northwest end, beginning at the first Shelter house in the Valley, than East 2,640 feet over the Lake and beyond was his parcel of land. Timothy and his sons built and operated a Grist and Saw Mill where the present stream and bridge over the lake sets. They were removed after the State bought the property in 1933, and the family home is now the Cooper's Shop in the pioneer village, the wooden mill was torn down. On the plat you can see the Railroad as a heavy dashed line, the stream from Hamer Cave as a solid line, and the present roadway in 1860 as a double line. Hugh Hamer's family own West of Timothy Hixon Parcel and the Geo Donaldson South of him, James Harvey, North, and Thomas Hall, West. The other Hixons on the plat were siblings of Timothy. He and his wife, some of his children are buried in the Hamer Cemetery.

Photo was taken at the saw mill, just before the state of Indiana aquired Spring Mill village in the mid 30's and convert it to the state park that is there today. Ephraim was the son of Timothy Hixon and Lucinda J. Davis he was born 01 May 1868, Lawerance Co; IN. and died 10 Sep 1960, Washington Co; IN. married Lydia M. Hawk and had five daughters Ethel, Ruby, Alice, Ellen and Edith. The homestead, saw mill and Grist Mill that Timothy Hixon and his sons built and ran is beneath the waters of the lake in Spring Mill State Park near the existing dam, his home was moved to the village and is now known as the Coopers Shop. Ephraim was an exceptional tall man and was said to be over seven foot in height.