C. R. Cooley

    C. R. Cooley, senior member of the firm of C. R. Colley & Sons, and founder of the Hartford City Mills, was born in Bennington, Vermont, May 1, 1826, a son of William and Jane (Rainey) Cooley, the former born March 4, 1800, and the latter May 1, 1804. His father was but a boy at the time of 1812, and witnessed the fight at Plattsburgh.

    When our subject was about seven years old the family removed to Washington County, new York, and in August, 1837, settled in Muncie, Indiana, and there established a woolen manufactory, which had been his business in the East. This was the first establishment of the kind in Muncie, and was carried on by William Colley a number of years. He subsequently engaged in farming south of Muncie, and while a resident there he died, his death taking place September 17, 1876. His widow is still a resident of Delaware County, and is yet hale and active in spite of her eighty-three years. She now enjoys her second eyesight, and reads without the aid of glasses.

    C. R. Cooley, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood in Delaware County, at Muncie and vicinity, and his younger days were spent in assisting his father in his woolen mill, and in fact he operated the first woolen cards for his father in Muncie. He was thus engaged until coming to Blackford County, in 1851, when he established a woolen mill in Hartford City, being the pioneer of this industry in Blackford County.

    He was united in marriage December 6, 1855, to Miss Catharine B. Brugh, a native of Blackford County, and a daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Spangler) Brugh, her father being a prominent man in his day in this part of Indiana. He served his district in the House of Representatives and Senate of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Colley are the parents of three children -William B., Addie, wife of Judson Jaqua, of Portland, and Edward, the sons being partners with their father in the mill. The elder son, William B., is a partner in the grain business and bakery with his father, in Hartford City, and in the grain line they handle on an average 200,000 bush3els yearly, and ship to eastern points, mainly Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Pittsburgh and Toledo, owing to the state of the markets in these places.

    In 1853 Mr. Cooley gave up his woolen manufactory, and established a saw-mill near the site of his present mill, which he operated as a saw-mill until 1858. From that year until 1870 he operated the three departments of grist, saw and planing-mill, this being the first grist-mill run by steam in Hartford City. In 1870 the plant was destroyed by fire, after which Mr. Colley erected his present mill, which was then a burr-mill. In 1885 his sons became partners, and in the fall of that years the firm put in a full roller process, the work being done by the Richmond City Works. The mill building is now 95 x 40 feet in ground area, three stories in height, and is operated by an engine of 122 horse power of the automatic pattern, manufactured at Cleveland, Ohio. The mill operates in both custom and merchant work, and has a capacity of 100 barrels every twenty-four hours. Six men are employed in the various departments of the mill.

    March 10, 1887, the firm introduced natural gas as fuel in their mill which gives entire satisfaction, being automatically controlled, and requiring no regulation, the steam and gas regulating each other. The mill, in the character of its machinery, will compare favorably with any in this section of the county, and their flour stands at the head wherever handled, and they find a ready market for all they can manufacture, principally in Indiana and Ohio.

    In politics Mr. Cooley is a Republican, and has been a member of the town board. He belongs to both the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodge, and has represented his lodge in the grand lodge of the State, and has also represented the encampment in the grand encampment.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.