Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key:	HO-82
Corporate Name:	Jonathan Wortham
Local Name:
Owner Name:	Jonathan Wortham
Location:	Five and a half miles northwest of Crockett
County:	Houston
Years in Operation:	2 years
Start Year:	1859
End Year:	1860
Decades:	1850-1859,1860-1869
Period of Operation:	1859 to 1860
Town:	Northwest of Crockett
Company Town:	2
Peak Town Size:	Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill:	Lumber and grain 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:	320,000 feet of lumber during the reporting period of the Census
Produced:	Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board Treated Other
Equipment:	Sawmill and grist mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads:	None
Historicial Development:	The Jonathan Wortham multi-purpose mill manufactured lumber and ground meal. Valued at $4,000, it had raw materials including $900 in sawlogs and $8,000 worth of corn. It carried a monthly payroll of four men averaging $20 each. It produced 320,000 feet of lumber valued at $1,980 and 7,400 bushels of cornmeal valued at $9,200. Wortham (1800-1867) served in 1837 as a member of the county's Board of Land Commissioners and Sam Houston commissioned him as a Major in the Texas Army in 1839. His remains are interred in the Wortham Family Cemetery, four miles outside of Crockett. Aldrich, quoting the Crockett Printer of November 11, 1860, noted that the sawmill was “five and one-half miles Northwest of Crockett, near the Navarro Road. . . . He also advertises he has a grist mill for grinding corn and that he will grind every Saturday.”
Research Date:	MCJ 02-20-96
Prepared By:	M. Johnson