Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: NA-23
Corporate Name: Daniel and Cavin
Local Name:
Owner Name: William Fleming Daniel and George Cavin. Awtrey Fleming Daniel, son of William Fleming Daniel.
Location: Nivac Switch: south of Dill Creek and Highway 204 on Southern Pacific tracks near Cushing
County: Nacogdoches
Years in Operation: 7 years
Start Year: 1903
End Year: 1909
Decades: 1900-1909,1910-1919
Period of Operation: 1903 to 1910
Town: Nivac Switch
Company Town: 0
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Ties and timbers
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: 20000: 1905
Capacity Comments: More than 20,000 feet daily
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill at Nivac Switch with planer at Cushing
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Texas and New Orleans (later Southern Pacific)
Historicial Development: William Fleming Daniel and George W. Cavin built the mill on Dill Creek at Nivac [“Cavin” spelled backwards] to provide ties and timbers for the Texas and New Orleans railroad. It burned down in November 1909 and was abandoned thereafter. Daniel and Cavin accepted a Warranty Deed, dated March 27, 1910, from E. P. and Lou Ann Pirtle in the amount of $1,263 for land at and near Dill Creek. The Daily Sentinel announced on March 8, 1904 that Industrial Enterprises constitute the sawmills of A. B. Martindale and J. W. Cariker, and G. W. Cavin, located respectively one and two miles from Cushing. The saw mill of Daniel and Cavin at Cushing appeared in the January 1905 Reference Book of the Lumbermen's Credit Association. The LCA of 1907 reports only the mill at Cushing and nothing at Nivac. The LCA had the tendency to sometimes list mills by a geographical center as opposed to its community. The Southern Lumberman and Industrial Review listed the mill as cutting 20,000 feet of lumber daily in 1906. In 1907, the mill operation was in Daniel's hands. The Texas and New Orleans gave Daniel a new spur lease, changing it to his name alone from that of Daniel & Cavin. The Daniel Lumber Company planer was located at Cushing. W. F. Daniel is enumerated at Residence 38, Precinct 7, at Cushing, in the Census of 1910. In an oral interview with Melvin C. Johnson, Ms. Lois Daniel, daughter of William Fleming Daniel, stated that “my father's mill site was located on Dill Creek and Nivac Switch.” She stated that her father did not provide tenant housing for his workers.
Research Date: LAT 08-08-93, JKG 12-15-93, MCJ 02-10-96
Prepared By: L. Turner, J. Gerland, M. Johnson