Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: SJ-31
Corporate Name: Gebhart, Williams, Fenet Company
Local Name:
Owner Name: Gebhart, Williams, Fenet Company of F. L. Williams, R. G. Gebhart, and J. P. Fenet. James H. White. Jasper Dominey. Stad Dishoungh.
Location: Carolina Sawmill on East Carolina Creek
County: San Jacinto
Years in Operation: 42 years
Start Year: 1870
End Year: 1911
Decades: 1870-1879,1880-1889,1890-1899,1910-1919,1910-1919
Period of Operation: 1870 to 1911
Town: Carolina Sawmill
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Lumber
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Water, later 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
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: None
Historicial Development: Stad Dishoungh erected his water-powered sawmill about 1870, west of old Embryfield (Staley) along East Carolina Creek on the Peter Gray survey in San Jacinto County. About 1882, Jasper Dominey took over the sawmill, installing steam machinery and a circular saw. James H. White replaced Jasper Dominey at Carolina Sawmill about 1901, when Dominey moved his sawmill operations to Carolina Switch. James H. White moved on to Carolina Switch when invited by W. A. Bell, Dominey's successor at the Switch. Gebhart, Williams, & Fenet bought the Carolina Switch plant six miles to the west as well as Carolina Sawmill in 1909. Carolina Sawmill's operations became subsumed in those at Carolina Switch and disappears from history. W. T. Block notes that this region of East Texas had three areas known as “Carolina” at one time or another: Civil-War Carolina was a Trinity River freshwater port, disappearing with the coming of the International & Great Northern through Riverside; Carolina Sawmill, on the Peter Gray labor along East Carolina Creek, in northwest San Jacinto County; Carolina Spur, or Carolina Switch, was located about mid-distance between Dodge and Riverside along what is now Highway 405.
Research Date: MCJ 02-23-96
Prepared By: M Johnson