The Mill was built in 1925 by Andrew Jefferson Ely (1881-1967) Known as "Old Man Ely", he was a Yale law school graduate, a practicing Tennessee lawyer and a printer. Disenchanted with city life after the death of his wife, he bought this 25 acre tract in an effort to live a healthy life. He preached against smoking and strong drink--coffee, tea, alcohol--along with the evils of various foods: milk, salt, white bread, and "store-bought" food. He advocated eating fresh vegetables, bananas, buttermilk and lots of spring water. For years, the old Lines Bakery made a special bread from his flour. There was no subject he felt lukewarm about, be it politics, taxes, marriage, youth, religion, or the like. It's been told that if he liked you he'd talk for hours, but if he didn't approve of you, he'd take the whole afternoon off just to tell you so.
