The Geistermühle near Uffhofen in Germany

Peter II Galle purchased the Geistermühle near Uffhofen in 1734. Attached to the ownership of the mill was an inheritance (feudal) pact with heavy obligations. The mill had also acquired the unfortunate reputation that no owner could possibly earn a livelihood. According to the terms of the pact, the mill had to deliver to the Büdesheimer Castle, annually, 480 bushels of corn and grind 480 bushels without charge. It had to deliver a fat hog as well as six bushels of white flour every third year. The castle in turn was required to have all of its flour and ground feed prepared in the mill. Furthermore, the pact stipulated that the mill was to pay water rights and other similar dues to the government at Flonheim. According to reports, within a period of fifty years, twelve owners were forced out of business because of its many obligations. When Peter Galle purchased the mill, a common saying was : "Zwölf hat sie in Rachen und der dreizehnte wird nicht lang machen" (Twelve she has devoured, and number thirteen cannot endure long.)

When Peter purchased the mill, the ruins of a monastery were still on the property. Undoubtedly the mill and the monastery once had a common tenure. William Galle wrote in 1788:  "My brothers and sisters remember subterranean passages which secretly connected the monastery with the convent at Uffhofen. The passages, of course, were in a decadent condition, but they were evidence of the immorality which once accompanied monastery life."

Peter wrecked the remains of the monastery building and used the material to build a large barn which in the family was known as "die neue Scheuer" (the new barn). The very last remains, and hence the only reminder of the monastery life of ancient times, was a partially ruined tower. Peter cleared this away and used the rock to build a shed. In this way the entire yard was surrounded with buildings which gave it the appearnce of a fortress. When the main gate and both openings in the back garden wall were locked, it was not exactly a simple matter to get inside.

The initals of Peter and Anna Galle are cut into the stone above the threshold of the gate. Peter's son Jacob and his wife Anna placed an engraved stone above the portals of the main house which can be seen today.

The yard was completely enclosed. The garden back of the house was enclosed with a stone wall. The mill is located a short distance from the village of Uffhofen, and consequently was more exposed to the danger of thieves.

Information taken from: A Short History of the Galle Family, by Rev. William Galle, as translated from the German Language by his son Kurt R. Galle (1893-1973)

Special Thanks to Harry Galley for providing this information!

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Last update January 15, 2006