Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: AG-175
Corporate Name: W. W. Manning & Rush
Local Name:
Owner Name: W. W. Manning and Rush
Location: Subdivision 8, in or near Homer
County: Angelina
Years in Operation: 28 years
Start Year: 1855
End Year: 1882
Decades: 1850-1859,1860-1869,1870-1879,1880-1889
Period of Operation: 1855 to no later than 1888
Town: Homer
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough lumber
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: 18-horsepower steam engine
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 
Capacity Comments: 275,000 board feet in 1880
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: A circular sawmill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Unknown
Historicial Development: W. W. Manning, with a fellow named Rush, operated the first steam-powered sawmill in Angelina County in the year 1855. He employed between nine to twelve individuals annually. The county tax roll in 1877 lists the Manning and Rush sawmill, with $500 worth of manufacturing tools; $2,000 worth of goods and merchandise; and they paid a $35 miscellaneous tax but no land tax. During the census year ending May 31, 1880, W. W. Manning ran an 18-horsepower steam sawmill in Angelina County, perhaps near Homer. More than $2500 was d invested in the mill, which operated during the year for six months full time and four months half time. Manning employed nine employees (four were over sixteen years old), and paid them from $0.75 to $1.00 per day. Work days ranged from eight to eleven hours, depending on the season. Manning did all his own logging and manufactured only rough stock. Archie Birdsong Matthews believed that this was the sawmill equipment that Manning moved to his plant on the V. Michelli grant. Matthews was probably wrong, for in 1882, Manning and Rush rendered, in an entry separate from Manning's other mill that year, $2,000 in goods, wares, and merchandise.
Research Date: JKG 9-20-93, MCJ 01-17-96
Prepared By: J. Gerland, M Johnson