Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: CK-142
Corporate Name: George E. Singletary
Local Name:
Owner Name: George E. Singletary of Singletary & Holcomb (W. T. Holcomb)
Location: On Wire Creek near the Neches River
County: Cherokee
Years in Operation: 11 years
Start Year: 1890
End Year: 1900
Decades: 1890-1899,1900-1909
Period of Operation: 1890s to about 1900
Town: On Wire Creek
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Lumber
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Steam
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 
Capacity Comments: Unknown
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill and planer
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: International & Great Northern
Historicial Development: George E. Singletary operated a steam-powered sawmill on Wire Creek near the Neches River in the 1890s. He did no remanufacturing of lumber. He had moved his mill to Singletary Switch by 1900. Singletary employed county convicts to haul lumber. The prisoners would load eight or nine thousand feet of planed lumber onto an 8-wheel log wagon. Four yokes of oxen (eight oxen) were yoked to the wagon. The wagon would leave about midnight so that the animals could stay cool. They would drag the wagon to Brunswick, where it would be unloaded. According to Mrs. Grady Singletary in Shiloh Church and the People, Singletary also clothed and fed his prisoners, for whom he paid the county fifty cents each daily.
Research Date: MCJ 01-25-96
Prepared By: M. Johnson