Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: MO-75
Corporate Name: Felix A. Talley & Co
Local Name:
Owner Name: In 1903, this was a Foster Lumber Company contract mill. C. M. Campbell and Sons, Keenan, controlled output in 1904. Felix Talley, D. C. Tharp, and Banks Griffith
Location: Four miles west of Conroe
County: Montgomery
Years in Operation: 16 years
Start Year: 1900
End Year: 1915
Decades: 1900-1909,1910-1919
Period of Operation: 1900 to 1915
Town: Keenan
Company Town: 1
Peak Town Size: 172 in 1905
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Yellow pine lumber
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: 40000: 190460000: 1906
Capacity Comments: 40,000 feet daily in 1904 to 60,000 in 1906.
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill and general store
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Gulf, Coast, & Santa Fe; International & Great Northern
Historicial Development: This company was originally owned by Felix A. Talley, D. C. Tharp, and Banks Griffith. F. A. Talley & Co sold all its lumber, on February 1, 1901, to Trinity River Lumber Company. Prices were $4 per 1,000 feet for stacked; $5.50 to 6.50 per 1,000 feet for rough lumber; $6.60 to 7.50 per 1,000 feet for rough green clears; and $6.50 to $8.25 per 1,000 for dressed lumber. It recontracted later to sell all of its lumber from the Keenan mill (January 1 to December 31, 1902) for the following: $7.75 to $8.75 per 1,000 feet for rough green clears and $7.50 to $9.25 for dressed lumber. On January 8, 1903, F. A. Talley & Co contracted its total mill output from January 1, 1903, to December 31, 1903, to C. M. Campbell & Sons of Temple (C M Campbell, W C Campbell, T T Campbell, Roy B Campbell, and A. F. Sharpe) for rough clears ($7.25 per 1.000 feet) and No. 2 ($5.50 per 1,000 feet). Campbell agreed to move all lumber by March 1, 1904. Talley gained control and organized the F. A. Talley & Company to run the Keenan operation. According to the January 1905 and 1907 Reference Book of the Lumbermen's Credit Association, F.A. Talley and Company was at Conroe. The mill did well until it was destroyed by fire in 1911. Talley turned to Banks Griffith for assistance in 1912 and secured a loan for more than $5,500. But in 1915 Talley defaulted, and the estate of Banks Griffith & Son acquired the facility at a sheriff's sale for $5,000. The equipment in 1915 included the sawmill, the planing mill, twelve miles of tram track, a 32-ton Shay engine, a 20-ton Shay engine, and 26 log cars.
Research Date: JKG 10-20-93, MCJ 03-19-96
Prepared By: J. Gerland, M. Johnson