This mill was placed at Loudon, Tenn., at what was then the head of the Tennessee river, formed by the junction of the Holston and Clinch.  Since then changes by act of the legislature have been made so that the Tennessee river begins some miles above Knoxville.  It might be said the reason for the change was that Knoxville should have the advantage of government aid in improvement on the Tennessee river.  The mill was a simple one, having only a heating furnace and a scrapping furnace.  One of the men who came to Loudon with Jones was Mr. David Grooves, who was a practical roll turner.  I have no doubt that there are here tonight a representative of both these families.

The three years was up and the transfer of the Loudon mill made to Jones & Co., when the civil war broke out.  The first act after war had been declared was a proclamation issued by President Lincoln forbidding the furnishing of supplies, etc., to the confederacy.  Now came the time to try these sturdy Welshmen who were Americans at heart.  The question was: "What shall we do?" They lost no time in refusing to furnish iron and by reason of their refusal they were compelled to fly between two suns, leaving the mill behind.  It was turned over to a Mr. Mason, who in a short time made the property over to the confederate government.  The mill was operated only a short time before the confederate officials deemed it best to remove the mill to Knoxville.  It was placed on lands belonging to Mr. Sam Atkins, who was himself a union man.  Col. Charlton, who was postmaster in the service of the confederate government, had charge of the property while the confederate forces were in possession of Knoxville.

The mill only ran for a short time before the union forces came to Knoxville and captured it; and it being understood that this property was that of a Union man, the mill was not confiscated, as it would have been had it been otherwise.  For some time, or during the war the mill was operated, it being known as the property of Jones & Co., the company being Atkins & Charlton.  After the close of the war the mill was idle and continued to be so until a deal was made by which this property was turned over to Captain H. S. Chamberlain, David and Jos. Richards and Ths. D. Lewis, who for a time operated under the name and style of Chamberlain, Richards & Co., afterwards changed to what is now the Knoxville Iron Co.  Captain Chamberlain was an officer of the union army of occupation and was at the time quartermaster of the forces which captured Knoxville.

At the beginning, that is, during the years 1866-73, the Richards folks were in the majority as stockholders, and during their time preference was given to the Welsh comers, and these were of the best, being the most of them active in church work, men of the best character, honest, sober and industrious.  Many of them became owners of their homes, and the little Welsh church on Atkin street was the center to which everyone went, not only on Sundays, but on weekdays as well.  We had our literary society, held on Saturday night, at which time many of our young people took part.  In the basement of the church building there was held a day school, to which not only the Welsh children went, but also others, the children of those who lived in what is now known as the Ninth ward, then being a part of the Twelfth district of Knox county.  This school was first taught by Miss Jennie Thomas, daughter of Rev. R. D. Thomas, and again by Miss Lizzy Jeffrys, the first becoming the wife of D. J. Richards, the latter the wife of Mr. E. I. Davis.  There are perhaps present tonight a few of the boys and girls of that day who learned their ABC's in the basement of the little Welsh church.

As time went by, additions were made to the mill and more capital needed and it was not long before the Welsh people lost control, and then came differences as to management, which terminated about the years 73-75 in a scattering of the former workers in the rolling mill, many of them going to Chattanooga and to Portland, Me., and others going to Lynchburg, Va.  From that time may be dated the going down of the Welsh colony, the church and a scattering of the young people, who, because of their not understanding the Welsh language, went to other churches.  Most of these took an active part in the English churches, especially in the singing.  The little church building was sold to the United Brethren, and from that time the only gatherings of what was known as the Welsh folks was that held on St. David's Day, and the greater part of the program was in the English language, in so far as the talks and addresses were concerned, but the singing were the old familiar hymns, such as O Gariad, O Gariad, A'r Fryniau Cearsalem Caer Gweled, Marchog Iseu, Ty Nhad Sydd Wrth y Llew, not forgetting Gwlad Glawd, March of the Men of Harlech, A'r Hyd y Nos, Llynon, etc.