Washburne, Charles W.

From Lane Co Oregon

Washburne, Charles Wesley (1824-1919)

Washburne purchased the Springfield Roller Mill in 1890 and operated it to 1915. With the coming of the railroad, Springfield’s industrial activity turned around. In 1890 Charles W. Washburne, a Junction City banker, purchased the flour mill from William Pengra and set about enlarging the mill and refitting it with new high-speed machinery that increased flour production to 150 barrels a day. Son of Charles W. Washburne, who managed the Springfield Roller Mills, Byron A. Washburne, was put in charge of the operation which became extremely successful in producing a brand of flour called “Snowball XXX” (Clarke 1983:35-41).

Charles operated the mill until 1915.