Lancaster County, PA workers establish Eshelman Feed Mill in 1920s

By Carol Esbenshade

Back in the late 1920s there were a number of men from Lancaster County, PA working in Circleville to establish a new feed mill in the town.� While the plant was located on South Court Street in Circleville, these men were employed by Eshelman Feed Mill of Lancaster, PA.� Many years later this mill was bought by Purina.

While the men were in town Vesta (Walker) Heath, my grandmother, found a way to earn extra money by providing a delicious, home-cooked evening meal to some of the men.� They also rented rooms in private homes in Circleville as there weren’t many hotels or restaurants nearby.

My mother, Pauline Heath, was a teenager at the time and helped her mother with grocery shopping, preparing and serving a meal every evening to this group of men. It didn’t take long for a romance to blossom between Pauline and one of the young men, Musser Esbenshade of Lancaster County, PA.

After a short courtship the two were married in Circleville in 1930, and they had two young sons.� With the possibility of war looming in 1939 Musser decided it would be prudent to move his young family back to Lancaster County, PA to be closer to his roots.� The two young boys stayed with Grandma Heath in Circleville for another year until Musser and Pauline found a home and were established.

In 1945 Musser and Pauline were blessed by the birth of a daughter, which is who I am.

Life was good in Pennsylvania, but we still looked forward to our annual visits to Circleville to reconnect with aunts, uncles, cousins and especially grandma.� Likewise they always enjoyed their visits to Lancaster County, PA!

While many of those beloved Ohio relatives are interred at Forest Cemetery in Circleville their wonderful memories live on!

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Most images supplied by Carol Esbenshade.
Image of Eshelman Feed Mill was by Ben Shahn in 1938.