Chain of Title
It all began with an innocent trip to the local historical society to learn more about the old grist mill Christopher Scott had recently converted into his home. At the time, the author could never have imagined he was about to embark on a two-year adventure to uncover the property’s heritage. A trail of clues led to dozens of libraries, archives, and historical societies across the country and around the world.
The historical facts of the property’s legacy of ownership are brought to life as a colorful cast of characters enter and exit the old grist mill’s 350-year narrative. Tales of passion, intrigue, and scandal abound as a large stone grist mill is constructed in the frontier of early colonial Pennsylvania, and immigrants escaping persecution in Europe triumph as they realize the great American dream in a true rags-to-riches story.
Paralleling the fascinating story of the old grist mill’s history, is the equally compelling account of the author’s personal journey of discovery. He is initiated as an amateur historian who learns the importance of tracing leads to their primary sources and navigates his way through a vast assemblage of historical evidence tainted with misinformation, biases, and flawed oral traditions. In the end, virtually every preconception about the old grist mill would be turned upside down by the facts, as a new and unexpected history is revealed.