Pence Fruit Farm

In 1900 Elmer Pence purchased 100 acres from Enos Marshall and established a fruit orchard. This became a prosperous business. At his death in 1917, it was taken over by his sons, Edgar and Owen Pence. In 1923, James Young, an uncle, joined them. The orchard continued in business until 1950.

Mink Ranch

From 1950 to 1959, the late Francis L. Laughlin, son of Annie (White) and James Franklin Laughlin, was involved in mink farming, having over five hundred animals the last year. These he pelted, and sold cured pelts to Hudson Bay Company at New York City.

Creamery

The building, which housed the Leatherwood Creamery, was built by "Woodsmen of the World" for a lodge building.

On April 27, 1898, it was deeded, by Leatherwood Stockholders, to Frank H. H. Knight, who established a creamery. Also the same year, 3 additional acres were purchased from Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Laughlin, by Mr. Knight, and he was granted rights to construct a dam on Leatherwood Creek, to cut, collect and remove ice from said dam.

Herman Fox, Merle Magness and Edwin Emhoff were some of the men who gathered cream from the farmers and delivered it to the creamery. The cream was hauled, by bob-sleds and wagons, drawn by teams of mules. Mr. Fox gathered cream from the Curllsville area. Mr. Emhoff and his father, John, worked several years in the creamery for Mr. Knight.

Ed recalls one winter, as he was traveling his route between the George Mohney and Gene Burns farms, the sleds stuck in the deep snow and even the mules had to be "shoveled out." Once when they were mining the ice on the dam, the horse fell through the ice. It was rescued, doctored with hot tea and survived.

Mr. Robert Gates operated the creamery for a number of years for Mr. Knight. In 1930, he sold the business to Arthur Yingling. Mr. Yingling manufactured his own ice, bought milk from local farmers and made ice cream. This he sold with his other dairy products. In 1937, it was deeded back to Frank Knight.

In 1946, the building was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Francis Laughlin from Robert Knight; son of Frank Knight, Mr. Laughlin used it as a store and an apartment building.