| Historicial Development: | J. H. Summers & Bro, in 1894, had a two-third's interest in a sawmill at Lola (LaNana); the land and plant was located about six miles from Nacogdoches on the Houston East & West Texas. The steam-powered sawmill also had a planer. Equipment included steam machinery consisting of two engines and two boilers, the sawmill, a planer, sixteen yoke of oxen and six log wagons, a commissary and a blacksmith shop. By 1898, Summers had moved operations to Royal, about three miles to the north on the Houston East & West Texas. Property included a tram operation with a Shay engine, four tram cars, and a commissary. The company town included twenty-four tenant houses. This is probably the site where R. I. Womack, according to the issue of July 29, 1899, of the The Daily Phone, injured his hand “in an accident at Summer's mill Saturday.” A Nacogdoches newspaper report noted in February 1900 that J. M. Reagan of Royal nearly cut off a finger while working in the mill at Royal. By inference, the mill would have belonged to Summers, which would have closed it later that year. A newspaper report on August 1, 1900, noted Royal Mills no longer existed. The tenant housing and machinery had been removed. Only five families remained in the area. The machinery had been removed to Kirbyville from Royal Mills. The American Lumberman noted in July of 1900 that J. H. Summers & Bro of Nacogdoches were selling out. The American Lumberman noted in September of 1900 that Conn Bros had succeeded Summers & Bro. A Nacogdoches newspaper reported that Conn Brothers and Company, with Robert C. Withers of Buna, intended to erect a sawmill with a daily 40,000-feet capacity just north of Kirbyville on the tracks of the Gulf, Beaumont, and Kansas City. The company had concluded a contract with John H. Kirby for yellow pine sawtimber to run the mill for a number of years. The plant would included a log pond and a tram road into the pineries. Mr. Conn would superintend the operation and work was to begin within two weeks. |