Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: NA-13
Corporate Name: Tubbe Saw and Grist Mill
Local Name: Tubbe's Mill
Owner Name: Tubbe Saw and Grist Mill
Location: Tubbe: one mile north of Lacyville on Lacyville Road (525)
County: Nacogdoches
Years in Operation: 30 years
Start Year: 1877
End Year: 1906
Decades: 1870-1879,1880-1889,1890-1899,1900-1909
Period of Operation: 1877 to 1906
Town: Tubbe
Company Town: 1
Peak Town Size: 150 by 1895; 104 in 1906
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Originally, lumber, cornmeal, and flour. Main products later-ties and timbers. Rough cut lumber for the planers and specialty manufacturers in Nacogdoches.
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Originally water, then steam (1901)
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 10000: 189960000: 1906
Capacity Comments: 10,000 in 1899; 25,000 in 1902; 30,000 to 40,000 in 1904; 60,000 in 1906.
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Circular sawmill, powered by a 24-horsepower water-wheel at 150 rpm, then later steam; cotton gin; and grist mill.
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Houston East & West Texas, 1884; Texas & New Orleans, 1900.
Historicial Development: Tubbe was one of Nacogdoches County's most enduring early sawmillers. Rev. August Tubbe established a grist and saw mill on banks of LaNana Bayou prior to 1880, for his grinding and milling rates at the sawmill and the grist mill were advertised in the Nacogdoches News in 1877. Tubbe's sawmill is enumerated in the Census of 1880. For the Census year ending May 31, 1880, A. Tubbe operated a sawmill in precinct One, Nacogdoches County, on Dorr Creek. Tubbe ran his mill ten months that year, employing seven hands (two of which were over sixteen years of age), and paying $1 to $2 per nine to ten hour day. He did all his own logging, and had $5,000 invested in the entire lumber manufacturing business. His single circular sawmill was powered by a level water turbine which produced 24 horsepower at 150 revolutions per minute. He converted his water-powered operation to a steam mill, most likely after the Texas & New Orleans railroad had reached Tubbe Mill by January 18, 1900, according to The Daily Sentinel. In October, 1902, Tubbe contracted with Turner & Nabers Lumber Company of Beaumont to supply the latter with its entire output for a year. In June 1904 this mill was reported to be cutting 30,000 feet per day and having around 500,000 feet of manufactured lumber in the yard. Although still a small mill, the operation employed thirty men, and, in addition to cutting lumber, ginned cotton and ground corn. The last record of the Tubbe mill is in 1906, when it was reported to be cutting 60,000 feet per day. To cut such an amount, improvements were obviously made. It is believed the Tubbe mill was dismantled sometime after 1910.
Research Date: LAT 08-08-93, JKG 12-15-93, MCJ 02-10-96
Prepared By: L. Turner, J. Gerland, M. Johnson