M.A. Walton came to Spring Valley in 1891. He went into business with William Neeld. The two men began a saw mill business. They built their mill and opened for business in 1891. It was reported that they had several hundred trees brought from the farms in the vicinity and were prepared to make what was known in the lumber market as “quarter oak.” The Walton family continued in a variety of businesses in Spring Valley and Neeld opened a funeral home there and later moved to Xenia.

— Joan Baxter