The Teamster and his Wagon

            With the exception of 2020, due to restrictions caused by the pandemic, most people celebrated New Year's Day with parties, fine dinners, or family get-togethers.  But one Clayton teamster celebrated 1909 by marking the equivalent of completing

William Marks and his team of horses traveled their route between about two dozen farms and the Clayton Creamery, six days-a-week rack- ing up the equivalent of more than two trips around the world

more than two trips around the world on the seat of his wagon, staring into a horse's … other end.

            With only a leaf spring under his seat to provide comfort from the ups and downs of dirt roads, and the clip-clops of his team's hooves, and the squeaks of his wagon's axles to break the silence of the countryside, he made his trips.  He traveled to and from 24 farms six days a week for 13 years – not missing a regular delivery day during that time.

            William Marks, of Corning in Upper Milford Township, began hauling milk to the Clayton Creamery in 1896 every day during the fair weather months and every other day during the winter months, except Sundays of course.  He never missed a trip.  Not illness, vacation, nor bad weather could keep him from his rounds.

            According to an item in the 1881 edition of the Reading Times, the Clayton Creamery Company was the first organized creamery in Berks County.  It was advertised as being located in the "fertile Butter Valley" of the county, and as making butter and cheese, and processing 10,000 quarts of milk each day.

An item in an 1881 edition of the Reading Times reports that the Clayton Creamery Company was the first organ- ized creamery in Berks County.  Advertised as making butter and cheese in the "fertile Butter Valley" and proc- essing 10,000 quarts of milk each day.

            In 1896 Marks was living with Sylvester Miller at the creamery and his round trip to the area farms covered 13 miles.  In 1901 he moved to Hosensack and continued his deliveries which now covered 15 miles.  In 1904 he moved to Corning which lowered his daily ride to 11 miles each day.

            Doesn't sound like much today.  But imagine doing it on a horse-drawn wagon, on dirt roads and narrow farm lanes, controlling the team, and keeping your wagon and liquid cargo from tipping over, and stopping only to pick up more milk at the next farm.

            His route serviced 24 farmers in the Hereford, Corning, and Chapel areas, hauling about 1,800 pounds on each trip.  One farmer alone used to send about 325 pounds each trip. 

            He would begin his trek each day around 6 a.m., collecting the milk from the farms, delivering it to the creamery, and taking whey back to the farmers.  Before health gurus and bodybuilders discovered the uses of whey, back then it was used as part of the cattle's diet.

            According to a 1909 report, an estimate of Marks' career on the seat of a farm-wagon had him travelling the equivalent of more than two trips around the world and hauling more than 446,500 quarts of milk and cream.  There was no word on how often he wore out the seats of his pants during that time.

            The small family farm is nearly gone in our area, replaced by large-scale "factory farms" owned by major retailers in our country.  Only a very few local dairies remain to remind us that local is still good and local is still fresh.  The horse and wagons that hauled milk and cream from the farms to be made into dairy products at the local creameries have been replaced by bulk tank trucks and tractor-trailer units capable of hauling 7,000 to 8,000 gallons – one load nearly reaching the daily capacity of the Clayton Creamery.

            When interviewed about his accomplishment in 1909 William Marks simply remarked that he hopes to double his record before he lets go of the reigns for good.