Ebenezer H. Stedman came to Franklin County from Scott County sometime after the 1830 census was taken.  In 1834, he purchased the old abandon mill from Amos Kendall. Together with his brother Samuel, work began to bring the mill back into operation.  In 1835 the old dam was rebuilt, a  stable, store and houses were begining to spring up and the Frankfort Paper Mill was in operation. The mill supplied the area with paper for printing newspapers throughout Kentucky for more than thirty years. The little village that grew as a result of the mill was called Stedmansville for the Stedman brothers, however later acquired the name of Steadmantown.

Enduring three fires, without insurance, Samuel Stedman decided to retire from the business in 1852. Ebenezer managed to continue his paper mill and in 1861 he filled an order from the Confederate Government for paper to print confederate notes. However, this large order was not enough to enable Stedman to recover from his financial loss at the mill. Forced into bankruptcy along with the death of his wife, Ebenezer decided to move to Texas to join his daughter, Nellie and her husband, Cornelius Cox.

Sources:
History of Franklin County, Kentucky, by L. F. Johnson
Forks of Elkhorn Church, by Ermina Jett Darnell
Frankfort 200 Celebration 1786-1986,FHRC

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