Lydia, the only daughter of Peter Weddell, was orphaned in early childhood by the death of parents and, along with her brothers ,was raised by her grandmother Prichard. when she was 26 years of age she married James Montgomery, who was 12 years her senior. They received, either by purchase or by inheritance, a part of the Prichard farm lying along Saw Mill Run where they built their home.
James was a shrewd business man who could see that the water power of his run was more valuable than his acres. So he built a saw mill, from which the run took its name, and, after the nearby timber was exhausted, built a dam, race and grist mill. This run was a very small stream and the water flow so limited that the mill could he operated only during the rainy seasons of the year. Fortunately this was usually after the wheat and corn crops had been harvested, and the people of the community were able to get their grains ground into meal and feed for their winter subsistence in good time. Father told me about going to is mill, or its successor, when he was a boy, going on horse back with a sack of grain in front of him and another behind him. Then he would wait his turn, sometimes half a day, before he could get his meal ground. Late comers often were turned away when the water power had been exhausted. There was no money changed hands for the service, the miller taking his pay in meal or feed.
How well James made out as a miller we do not know but we ore inclined to think he made more by selling the mill than by operating it. When there was plenty of water and trade brisk someone would come along and want to buy it. Presently the waters would dry up, the new owners become discouraged and James would have the mill back again. Court House records show that he sold it at least six times but it ended up as part of the Montgomery property. Grandsire Joseph Prichard Weddell was one the owner, briefly.
The Montgomerys had six children, a boy and five girls, and, as was usually the case in those days, the property descended to the son and the girls found homes elsewhere.
Westmoreland Court Record, 12 September 1796:
Lydia Weddell and Joseph Weddell minor children of Peter Weddell late of said county deceased being above the age of fourteen years come into court and chose James Montgomery Jr. to be guardian who is approved and appointed by the Court.