Last summer, John Humphrey and his sons Norman and William, found themselves in unfortunate circumstances. Within two weeks of each other, Norman caught fire, suffering third-degree burns over much of his body, and William lost his eye in a separate accident. Neither son had medical insurance, so a GoFundMe campaign was started by Norman’s girlfriend.
I visited the property to meet with their father John, the owner of John’s Mill at their 61-acre property in Hinton. John was kind enough to allow me to take a few pictures and to interview him about his boys and the mill.
John told me why the mill was closed to the public, and of his disappointment with photographers who took photos of his property over the years. In many instances, they would make calendars or postcards featuring his mill, but never once remunerated John for any royalties, or paid for permission to use the pictures. In short, John was skeptical of visitors, especially those with cameras.
I promised John I wouldn’t do that to him, nor would I reveal the exact location of his property. I also promised to respect his privacy, with the exception of helping to get the word out about his son’s donation campaigns.
I returned unannounced to the mill site the other day (John doesn’t own a phone) to check on everyone. Norman greeted me at the door. His third-degree burns have healed entirely, minus a few scars. I asked about William, and was informed he is getting along fine despite the good use of only one eye. Finally, I asked Norman if he could take me to see his father who lives at the house down by the creek.
Norman and I found John tending to some project on the property. Because John cannot see well and wasn’t wearing his hearing aids, he failed to recognize me. Together we made our way back to John’s house so Norman could fetch his father’s earpieces. John’s wife Francis, joined the three of us to sit at a table.
John asked where I worked and I told him I write for the Pickens Progress and he suddenly remembered me. I reminded him of our conversation the year before about photographers taking advantage of him. And then I pulled out my surprise.
In the Spring of 2024, I was contacted by a painter from North Georgia, Shelia Olsen. She had seen a picture I had taken of John’s Mill on a Facebook history page. She asked permission to paint the mill. We agreed for her oil on canvas for a commission.
She and I met at a gas station to make the transaction when the idea dawned on me. Instead of hanging the beautiful artwork in my house, why not surprise John and his family with it? Sheila was touched by the idea and declined payment for the painting.
Fast forward to the table with John and his family. I pulled out the painting and showed him. His merry face shined with delight. He asked if I had painted it, and I told him it was done by a nice lady who saw the photo. Then he was thrilled to learn it was for him. Even at that point, he thought it was only something I had done for myself.
John, Francis, and Norman Humphreys pose with their new oil painting of their mill.
Gleefully, he said he was going to hang it in his house. These days John is 84 and doesn’t get around much. The mill doesn’t get any visitors. But better late than never, he was rewarded for his kindness and willingness to share his creation. Special thanks to Shelia Olsen for her beautiful rendition of the mill and willingness to give as freely as John.
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