Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: HO-74
Corporate Name: J. S. Hunt Lumber Company
Local Name:
Owner Name: J. S. Hunt Lumber Company, of Nacogdoches.
Location: Grapeland: Willow and Missouri Pacific tracks
County: Houston
Years in Operation: 3 years
Start Year: 1926
End Year: 1928
Decades: 1920-1929
Period of Operation: 1926 to 1928
Town: Grapeland
Company Town: 1
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Shortleaf yellow pine
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Probably steam
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 25000: 1928
Capacity Comments: 25,000 feet daily
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Circular sawmill, planing mill, edgers, trimmers, dry kilns
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: International & Great Northern (Missouri Pacific)
Historicial Development: Nacogdoches County bills of sales records register that T. Tilford sold his interest in a J. S. Hunt Lumber Company sawmill that he owned with L. H. and L. C. Hunt in Houston County, which had been moved to Montgomery County. J. S. Hunt was listed in the 1928 edition of the Southern Lumberman's Directory of American Saw Mills and Planing Mills as running a circular sawmill and planing mill operation at Grapeland. J. S. Hunt also operated a sawmill business in Nacogdoches, Jasper, and Willis at this time. According to The Gulf Coast Lumberman, the J. S. Hunt Lumber Company was incorporated in 1926 at Nacogdoches with a stock capitalization of $30,000. The officers were A. W. Hunt, L. H. Hunt, and L. C. Hunt. It may have used The Farmers & Merchants Lumber Company to either do its logging or handle its retailing. J. S. Hunt Lumber Company also had a sawmill at Willis from 1928 to 1957, and one at Grapeland in 1928. Lacy H. Hunt served as president in October 1943. All of the Hunts were partners in Tilford-Hunt Lumber Company, which owned mills at Chireno (1915) and Nacogdoches (ca. 1905 to 1943). The mill at Grapeland was probably a victim of the economic depression, for J. S. Hunt Lumber was not listed by the LCA credit rating service at Grapeland in 1934.
Research Date: MCJ 02-20-96
Prepared By: M. Johnson