Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: CK-38
Corporate Name: Akers & Andrews
Local Name:
Owner Name: L. E. Akers & H. H. Andrews. John P. O'Byrne and Akers.
Location: O'Byrne, seven miles northwest of Maydelle
County: Cherokee
Years in Operation: 28 years
Start Year: 1923
End Year: 1950
Decades: 1920-1929,1930-1939,1940-1949,1950-1959
Period of Operation: 1923 to 1950
Town: O'Byrne, seven miles NW of Maydelle
Company Town: 1
Peak Town Size: 79 in 1934
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough and finished lumber, pallets
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: 
Capacity Comments: Unknown
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill, planing mill, dry kiln
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Unknown
Historicial Development: J. P. O'Byrne, in 1929, had bought timber rights from G. H. Reynolds, located on the latter's homestead on the S. A. Glass survey. J. P. O'Byrne's sawmill at Maydelle was listed in a credit rating book in 1934. He operated sawmills at Maydelle and later Jacksonville from the 1930s to the 1950s, according to the Cherokee County Historical County. A Cherokee County chattel mortgage register records that he was sawmilling north of Maydelle as early as 1923: on March 24, 1923, J. P. O'Byrne mortgaged to J. T. Hall for $1,040 “150,000 feet of yellow pine lumber on mill yard of O'Byrne, 7 miles northwest of Maydelle.” His partner at Maydelle was an individual named Akers. O'Byrne sold his interest in the mill to L. E. Akers and H. H. Andrews and Akers in 1945 noted The Jacksonville Journal. Apparently, the first sale did not include his planing mill on the same property. He sold the planing mill and other property to Akers and Andrews in December of that year. Akers & Andrews were one of the first mills making pallets.
Research Date: MCJ 01-24-96
Prepared By: M. Johnson