R. Clarence Adair sold the Cooney tile mill property in Northwest Township, ending operation of the once-thriving business enterprise. Draining and tiling allowed local pioneers to convert heavily forested, swampy acreage into productive farms. Williams County is blessed with abundant clay, providing raw material for numerous local brick and tile mills established in the 1800s. Clay was formed into brick or tile, dried, and baked or “fired” in kilns to create finished products.
Circa 1880, Cornelius P. Taylor established a tile and brick factory, sawmill, and shingle mill on the west side of Ohio Route 49, north of County Road Q, one-half mile north of Cooney. In his 1969 book, “The Hills of Home,” Robert McLain stated that the Cooney tile mill “thrived for many years, producing large quantities of the useful item in several sizes. The operation, obviously, was limited to the non-freezing months, but served as a source of part-time employment for many local men throughout the years.”
Following a number of ownership changes, R. Clarence Adair purchased the industry in 1906 and “continued the production of drain tile until competition and a dwindling market forced the gradual suspension of production, and, finally, the abandonment of operations and the razing of the mill” circa 1915.
This colorized circa 1910 photograph of the Cooney tile mill is from the Kevin Maynard collection. Do you have a Williams County historic photo you would like to share? Email: publisher@thevillagereporter.com.