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| Our Company |
| At Thomas Feed Mill & Windber Agway we’re kind of
proud of who we are. |
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John Thomas’s Mill is recorded as a “Grist Mill” on the
property of John Thomas in 1836. But we believe it was
built a few years before that by someone named “J.
Rock”, who started its construction and left it
unfinished. John Thomas bought it from him (family
legend), and Mr. Rock worked for John.
John died in 1876 and his youngest son Moses Thomas
operated the mill until his death in 1907. In 1895 the
mill burned to the ground. It was a windy night and
it’s believed that ashes raked out of the
newly-installed steam boiler blew around and ignited the
blaze. The next morning, Moses, his son Levi who was by
then running the mill, and Levi’s five sons gathered
around the breakfast table and decided to rebuild.
Under Levi’s direction the mill that stands today was
constructed and was back in operation by 1897. New
features included a water-powered Turbine wholly
enclosed inside the building. The turbine was a more
efficient replacement for the original overshot
waterwheel - although not nearly so picturesque! Levi
also installed a new steam boiler-powered lumber planing
mill and a shingle making machine. Levi received
contracts from coal companies in nearby Jerome and
Boswell to finish lumber and make shingles for the
scores of “Company Houses” built in those two towns
between 1900-1920.
Levi died in 1914 and his son Emaniah operated the mill
through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression,
WWII, and during the post-war era until his death in
1957. Emaniah pioneered the making of rice flour during
WWI, and for many years supplied flour and corn meal to
Penn Traffic, the company store for Bethlehem Steel
Company in Johnstown. In the early 1950’s the
water-powered turbine was removed, and flour-making
ceased at Thomas Mills. Large Midwestern flour mills
dominated the market, forcing small mills to turn to
making animal feeds solely.
In 1957 Emaniah’s son Merle took over and led the
company through its change from small farm and poultry
feed production, to full scale dairy feed making as the
dominant products manufactured. Local dairymen during
this time were forced to change from shipping milk in
cans to buying bulk tanks, and Merle sold many of the
tanks and associated installations to local dairymen.
Merle’s son Dan came into the business in 1979 after
earning a degree in Animal Nutrition from Penn State
University. Together, Merle and Dan grew in the dairy
feed business, but also anticipated future changes in
the feed business by building a new retail store in
1985, adding a branch store north of Johnstown in 1987,
and building a retail Coal Yard in 1988. Since then our
business has seen an unprecedented change from primarily
manufacture of animal feeds to the many different
departments we have today.
Thomas Feed Mill Store
In 2001 we purchased the Windber Agway, and moved
forward with our plans to expand our retail Lawn &
Garden business. Our new relationship with AGWAY has
allowed us the purchasing power of their tremendous
resources, and helped us expand our Diamond “T” Turf
business, commercial turf products, Wild Bird Seed, and
Ice Melter.
Windber Agway Store
Dan’s son Jason entered the business in 2005, bringing
his training in Turfgrass Science from Penn State
University. In 2007, his sister Lisa joined the business
and brought with her a degree in Business Management
from Saint Francis University.
Throughout Seven Generations and over 170 years, our
continued commitment to customer service and quality
products makes us PROUD of who we are.
Come see for yourself at Thomas Feed Mill & Windber
Agway!
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