Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: NA-33
Corporate Name: James M. Cordell Sr. and James M. Cordell, Jr.
Local Name:
Owner Name: James M. Cordell Sr. and James M. Cordell, Jr.
Location: Garrison: Lots 1 through 12 in Block 10 and all of Block 9
County: Nacogdoches
Years in Operation: 3 years
Start Year: 1904
End Year: 1906
Decades: 1900-1909
Period of Operation: 1904 to 1906
Town: Garrison
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Ties and timbers for railroads and oil fields as well as cotton and cornmeal
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: 50000: 1906
Capacity Comments: 50,000 feet daily combined in two mills
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill with no planer or kilns
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Houston East & West Texas
Historicial Development: James Cordell, Sr., and James Cordell, Jr., were combination multi-millers of cornmeal, cotton, and lumber in Garrison. Their mills are mentioned in the edition of 1905 in the Reference Book of the Lumbermen's Credit Association as well as the Southern Industrial and Lumber Review and a Nacogdoches newspaper. Each Cordell managed one of the two sawmills above mentioned. Researchers have not been able to pin down the exact location of the sawmills nor a description of the equipment used. However, the Nacogdoches County deed records reveal that in 1903 the gin, grist mill, with steam machinery and engines were located on Lots 13 through 24 in Block 9 of Garrison. The following year two separate transactions by the Cordells delivered into their possession Lots 1 through 12 in Block 10 of Garrison, adjacent to the site of their gin and grist mill operations. The two sawmills were probably located in Block 10.
Research Date: LAT 08-08-93, JKG 12-15-93, MCJ 02-10-96
Prepared By: L. Turner, J. Gerland, M. Johnson