The Squatter and the Mill: Early Village Life
Category: Early Hartford | Added by: Museum53027 Admin | Added: March 28, 2026
When Timothy Hall bought his land, a Canadian squatter named Jehial Case was already there. Case had built a cabin and was living off the land. Meanwhile, John Thiel and Nicolaus Simon, German immigrants, surveyed the area and determined that the Rubicon River would be ideal for a water-powered mill. They built a dam and sawmill, which became the nucleus of the village. The community soon added a general store, blacksmith shop, and a schoolhouse (built in 1845).