Data from the files of Gil Hoffman - Tony Howe - David Price

Prepared for Rev. James T. Dunnam of Greene County, Mississippi

October 2001

R. C. Avent & Sons                        Avent                        1905-?                              3 Glover rod engines

Headquarters at Moss Point, MS

Mill Capy: 25,000 bd. ft. (1910), 35,000 bd. ft. (1917)

Railroad: Standard gauge, extending in southwesterly direction from mill. 13 miles, 1mile additional under construction, 2 miles additional contemplated, rail = 35 lbs., 2 locomotives, 10 cars. (year 1909-10)

Koons Lumber Company (successor)                                1906-1910                            (same)

On October 10, 1903, the Anderson Lumber Company, owned by A. D. Anderson, of Ellisville, Jones County, purchased the sawmill plant, logging railroad and a portion of the timber of the bankrupt Star Lumber Company, at Eubanks, Greene County, from J. H. Moores, also of Ellisville. Moores had bought the plant that same day from H. E. Stevens, Trustee in Bankruptcy, for $23,000 plus $1,000 in attorneys and closing fees. The plant was on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad and included a planing mill and dry kiln.

On March 15, 1906, the sawmill plant, logging railroad and rolling stock were sold to F. M. Koons, of Athens, Ohio, for $5,000, and operated as the Koons Lumber Company.

Mill Site: Part of Section 13 and part of NW¼ of NE¼ of Section 24 north of M. J. & K. C. Railroad, all in Township 1 South Range 7 West. 

Railroad: Standard gauge, 30-lb. rail, about 2 miles in length.

Leakesville Lumber Company                        Leakesville                    1906-1909                      1 0-6-0

Bear Creek Mill Company                               Leakesville                    1909-1925                      1 Heisler

                                                                                                                                                 1 2-8-0

The Bear Creek Mill Company was incorporated at Leakesville, Greene County, on October 26, 1908 by William H. Louisell, J. T. McKeon and Willie T. Stone, all of Mobile, AL, with authorized capital stock of $30,000. At that time the company took over the sawmill of the Leakesville Lumber Company, at Leakesville. The two companies maintained separate identities with the Leakesville Lumber Company doing the logging for the Bear Creek Mill Company. The sawmill had a cutting capacity of 50,000 feet per day in 1917.

The company went out of business in 1925.

Before incorporating at Leakesville in 1908, the Bear Creek Mill Company had operated a sawmill at Manistee, AL, under the same name.

Mill was mortgaged on Oct. 1, 1912. Included sawmill, dry kilns, planing mill, 30 houses, store, 5 miles 35# rail, 2 miles 40# rail, 1 mile 56# rail, 16 log cars, 2 locomotives, and camp equipment. (LM&DOT Book 2, p.458)

Mill Capy: 50,000ft (1917)

Railroad: Standard gauge, 45-lb. rail, 15 miles in length (1917)

J. H. Bearry Lumber Company               Leakesville                  1922                       1 engine

The J. H. Bearry Lumber Company was originally a partnership composed of Elijah Rose, J. H. Bearry and H. C. Lister, all of Leakesville. In March 1922 the company began buying timber southeast of Leakesville and built a sawmill at Leakesville. This plant also had dry kilns and a planing mill. Another sawmill was acquired near the Alabama line on the Leakesville and Vinegar Bend, AL public road. This mill was known as the Welford sawmill. A logging railroad was also operated in connection with these mills. On March 7, 1924 the company was incorporated at Leakesville by the three partners with authorized capital stock of $50,000. On March 29, 1924 the partnership transferred all its assets to the corporation.

Railroad: Standard gauge. 6 log cars, 1 steam log loader

Colmer-Green Lumber Company          Colgreen           1918-1924                    2 Shays    1 Heisler

                                                                                                                          14-6-0

The Colmer-Green Lumber Company was incorporated at McLain, Greene County, on May 6, 1918 by J. J. McIntosh, D. W. McLeod, F. Colmer, N. McInnis, C. W. Green, all of Moss Point, and B. E. Green, of McLain, with authorized capital stock of $50,000. F. Colmer was president and general manager. The company built a circular sawmill of 50,000 feet daily cutting capacity at Colgreen which began operating in September 1918. Colgreen was on the Blodgett branch of the Gulf Mobile & Northern Railroad 14 miles north of McLain.

The mill cut out in the summer of 1924 and the following year the plant machinery and logging equipment were sold to the Barnes-Creary Supply Co., of Mobile, AL.

Mill Site: SW¼ of NW¼ of Section 6 Township 3 North Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 40-lb. rail, 17 miles in length (8-1924)

L. A. Cowan Lumber Company                         Reba                        1919-?                   2 Heislers

In 1918 L. A. Cowan & Sons, of Mobile, Ala., built a sawmill at Reba, Greene County, on the Gulf Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch. Reba was named after one of Mr. Cowan's daughters. The mill was a single circular type with a cutting capacity of 50,000 feet per day. In late summer of 1919 another circular rig was added.

Mill Site: In NE¼ of SE¼ of Section 7 Township 3 North Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge

Diamond Lumber Company                             Bexley                          1901-1903               1 Baldwin 2-4-0T

Greene County Lumber Company (successor)                                      1903-1918               2 rod engines

J. M. Hemphill Lumber Company (successor) 1918-

Bexley is now in George County, but was part of Greene County when the Diamond mill was in operation.

The Diamond Lumber Company was incorporated at Bexley, Greene County on November 27, 1901 by John O. Grisham, J. J. Bexley and Charles R. Hall with authorized capital stock of $25,000. J. O. Grisham was president and general manager. A longleaf yellow pine sawmill of 50,000 feet daily cutting capacity was operated.

On October 27, 1902 the company mortgaged its sawmill plant, timber and logging railroad to George S. Leatherbury, Jr., of Mobile, Alabama in return for a loan of $10,000. Evidentally this mortgage went into default, because on October 3, 1903 the entire assets were sold at foreclosure at Leakesville, Greene County, to Leatherbury. On March 16, 1904, he deeded the property to the newly formed Greene County Lumber Company.

Mill Site: E½ of SW¼ of Section 10 Township 1 North Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 30 and 35-lb. rails, extending from sawmill, on Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad, in southwesterly direction for 4 miles. 5 log cars.

On October 3, 1903 George S. Leatherbury, Jr., of Mobile, Alabama, bought the assets of the Diamond Lumber Company at Bexley, Greene County, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad. To operate this property, the Greene County Lumber Company was incorporated at Bexley on January 17, 1904 by George S. Leatherbury, Jr., Charles A. Cunningham and John Shearer with authorized capital stock of $50,000. Leatherbury, who became president of the company, deeded the Diamond Lumber Company property to the Greene County Lumber Company on March 16, 1904.

In 1917 the sawmill cutting capacity was 55,000 feet per day. The mill shut down in 1918 and the site was sold to Mrs. J. G. Leatherbury who in turn leased it and the mill buildings to J. M. Hemphill on March 19, 1918.

On March 19, 1918 John M. Hemphill, of Mobile, AL, leased the mill site and buildings of the old Greene County Lumber Company, at Bexley, George County from Mrs. Joseph G. Leatherbury. The lease was to run for five years at an annual rental of $1,000. This lease was only held for less than a year, after which Hemphill established a new operation at Byrd, Greene County, on the new Blodgett branch of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad.

Eubanks Lumber Company Eubanks                                                    1901                            1 Shay

Star Lumber Company (successor)                                                       1901-1903

The Eubanks Lumber Company was a co-partnership composed of R. H. Wilson and J. W. Stone. By January 1901 they had built a sawmill and logging railroad at Eubanks, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad. Eubanks was 2½ miles east of Bexley, MS. On January 17, 1901, in order to run their sawmill business, the Eubanks Lumber Company borrowed $40,000 from George S. Leatherbury, Jr. and W. B. Patterson, of Mobile, AL, and put up their sawmill plant and 3,080 acres of timber as collateral. On March 12, 1901 the partners transferred their assets to Leatherbury and Patterson in return for eliminating this debt.

To operate the Eubanks mill property, the Star Lumber Company was incorporated at Eubanks, Greene County, on June 14, 1901 by George S. Leatherbury, Jr., W. F. Green, W. B. Patterson and Charles R. Hall with authorized capital stock of $100,000. The sawmill had a cutting capacity of 40,000 feet per day.

The company went into involuntary bankruptcy in April 1903 and was sold to J. H. Moores, on October 10, 1903 for $24,000, who on the same day transferred the Eubanks mill and a portion of the timber to the Anderson Lumber Company.

Mill Site: Parts of Section 13 and Section 24 Township 1 South Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge. steel rails, about 2 miles in length

Faulk-Christian Lumber Company                      Leakesville                       1906                    1 Climax

Incorporated as Faulk-Craft Lbr. Co. On Aug. 22, 1895 by George W. Faulk, J.W. Craft, and E.W. Christian with capital stock of $40,000. (Greene Co. Land Mortgage Book 1, p.230...dah)

Charter amended on Jan. 20, 1900 changing name to Faulk-Christian Lbr. Co.

Railroad: Standard gauge, 30-lb. relay rail.

Green Lumber Company                                          Garner                          1920-1924            1 Shay

The Green Lumber Company was incorporated at Laurel, Jones County, on May 10, 1920 by W. B. Rogers, of Laurel; I. R. Anderson, of Ellisville, and C. S. Street, of Laurel, with authorized capital stock of $200,000. In May 1920 the company purchased its first sawmill, the plant and timber holdings of the Mobile & Gulfport Lumber Company, at Garner, Greene County, on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch. I. R. Anderson was manager of the mill.

About February 1924 the mill cut out. On October 14, 1924 the sawmill, dry kilns, planing mill, rough and dressed sheds and yard stock were destroyed by fire.

Railroad: Standard gauge, 45 lb. rail, 8 miles in length (1-1924

J. P. Griffin Lumber Company                        Avera                         1917-1920                1 Heisler, 1 Shay

Green Lumber Company (sucessor)                                                 1920-1925                1 Shays,  1 Heisler,   

                                                                                                                                        10-4-0

On September 1, 1917 James P. Griffin, Grover C. Todd and Clarence L. Willis purchased 2,713 acres of timber near Avera, Greene County, from John W. Blodgett, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. In November 1917 Joe M. Griffin, of Blodgett, MS, bought the sawmill plant of the Bellamy Lumber Company, at Varnado, LA, and moved it to Avera, MS, on the new Blodgett branch of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad. This mill was brought in to manufacture the Blodgett timber bought by Joe Griffin and associates. The mill had a cutting capacity of 40,000 feet per day.

The J. P. Griffin Lumber Company, which operated this mill, was incorporated at Avera on November 24, 1917 by J. P. Griffin, G. C. Todd and C. L. Willis, all of Blodgett, MS, with authorized capital stock of $40,000. On June 1, 1919 an additional block of Blodgett timber, containing 3,300 acres, was bought for the Avera mill.

On September 1, 1920 the company sold its holdings to the Green Lumber Company, of Laurel, MS

The Green Lumber Company, of Laurel, MS, purchased the sawmill plant and timber holdings of the J. P. Griffin Lumber Company, at Avera, Greene County, on September 1, 1920. Avera was on the Blodgett branch of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad.

The mill cut out about June 1925.

Mill Site: Part of Section 30 Township 4 North Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 40-lb. rail, 7 miles in length (8-1924)

Hempstead-Green Hardwood Co, Inc.                       Avent                 ca. 1924-?                No information

Green Veneer Company                                            Leaf                       1936-?                 1 Shay locomotive

Leaf Lumber & Veneer Works                                   Avent                      1924-1929            2 Heislers

The Hempstead-Green Hardwood Company was in existence by December 1924 and operated a sawmill cutting 25,000 feet per day of hardwoods, cypress, gum, oak and ash.

St.Louis Lumberman 5-1-1916 p.69: "B.E. Green has recently put a small mill in operation. His mill is located a few miles south of McLain on the NOM&C."

The Leaf Lumber & Veneer Works was incorporated at Leaf, Greene County on April 14, 1924 by B. E. Green, of McLain; J. C. Daughdrill, of Leaf, and H. M. Hempstead, of Mobile, AL, with authorized capital stock of $100,000. In early 1924 the company purchased the plant of the Overstreet Veneer Company, at Beaumont, Perry County, and moved it to Avent, adding a bandsaw, edger and trimmer. The Avent mill, with a cutting capacity of 25,000 feet per day, cut hardwood and cypress.

In April 1929 the company bought the plant and timber holdings of the Southern Saw Mill Company, at Greenville, Florida, and moved its operations from Avent, MS, to Greenville, FL, with operations commencing there in July 1929.

Railroad: Standard gauge

J. M. Hemphill Lumber Company                       Byrd                        1918-1922                     1 Shay

Colmer-Green Lumber Co (successor)                 Byrd                       1922-1924                      2 Shays used

                                                                                                                                               also at Colgreen

Located on the GM&N Blodgett branch at Byrd, the mill site was leased from R. N. Byrd and wife on April 1, 1918 for a period of 5 years at $200 per year.

On May 3, 1922, Hemphill optioned his mill and timber at Byrd to the Colmer-Green Lumber Company, of Colgreen, Greene County, with the sale occurring on August 23, 1923. At that time J. M. Hemphill was living in Clarke County, Alabama.

Mill Site: Parts of NE¼ of SE¼ of Section 13 Township 3N Range 8West and NW¼ of SW¼ of Section 18 Township 3 North Range 7 West

Railroad: Standard gauge

On May 3, 1922 the Colmer-Green Lumber Company, of Colgreen, Greene County, bought an option on the sawmill, timber holdings, logging railroad and equipment of the J. M. Hemphill Lumber Company, at Byrd, Greene County, four miles south of Colgreen. The property was purchased on August 23, 1923.

The mill at Byrd cut out about August 1924.

Hillman Lumber Company                        Hillman                          1907-1909                           1 0-6-0

In 1904 the Hillman Lumber Company, a partnership, built a sawmill at Merrill, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad. This mill apparently did not have a logging railroad. The Hillman Lumber Company was incorporated "near" Merrill, Greene County (now George), on July 7, 1906 by W. H. Rose, James Hillman, P. G. Hillman and Elijah Rose with authorized capital stock of $75,000. Elijah Rose was president, and J. W. Backstrom, secretary and treasurer. Backstrom was also mayor of Merrill at that time.

In late 1906 construction began on a new sawmill located about 4½ miles west of Leakesville. This mill, when placed in operation in mid-1907, had a cutting capacity of 30,000 feet per day. The old mill at Merrill was then abandoned.

On May 8, 1907 the company mortgaged all its property to the L. N. Dantzler Lumber Company to secure a debt to them of $24,000. This mortgage went into default and the property was sold at public auction on October 25, 1909 for $1,865 to the L. N. Dantzler Lumber Company.

Mill Site: NE¼ of SW¼ of Section 18 Township 2 North Range 6 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 35 and 40-lb. rails, 5 miles in length (1909). 5 log cars.

Howze Lumber Company                           McLain                         1910-1914           1 Heisler, 1 Climax, 2 rod

The Howze Lumber Company began as a partnership composed of G. H. Howze and C. E. Cudabac. In December 1909 the partners bought a tract of timber from the Scranton Lumber Company in southwestern Greene County and by January 1910 a circular sawmill was in operation at McLain, Greene County, along with two miles of logging railroad. The company was incorporated in Alabama in May 1910, with domicile at McLain, by G. H. Howze, H. Curjel, N. M. Cudabac, J. F. Bannerman and others with capital stock of $30,000. On July 12, 1910 the property of the partnership was transferred to the corporation.

The mill cut out in November 1914, after which the logging equipment was put up for sale.

Mill Site: SE¼ of NW¼ of Section 32 Township 2 North Range 8 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 25, 30 and 35-lb. rails, 14 miles in length (1-1915). 20 log cars

McWilliams, Wells & Pearson                     Grafton (Walley)                    1918-1921                1 Shay

Cowan Brothers Lumber Co (successor)      Grafton                                 1921-1925                1 Shay, 1 Heisler

On February 18, 1918 J. W. McWilliams, of the J. W. McWilliams Lumber Company, with a wholesale lumber office in Mobile, Alabama, and Z. W. Wells, of Poplarville, Mississippi, purchased a block of the Blodgett timber near Grafton, Greene County, for $280,000, and formed a partnership to engage in the sawmill business. Later that year Frederick S. Pearson was taken into the business as a partner. The partners then bought the mill of P. M. Ikeler, at Moselle, Jones County, and moved it to Grafton on the Gulf Mobile & Northern Blodgett Branch, about 20 miles north of McLain. This mill began cutting in November 1918. Grafton was the railroad name, but Walley was the name of the community.

On January 7, 1920 Wells sold his interest in the mill to McWilliams for $34,275.94.

In December 1921 the sawmill, timber and logging railroad at Grafton were sold to L. A. Cowan & Sons, of Mobile, Alabama, and operated by the sons of L. A. Cowan as the Cowan Brothers Lumber Company.

On December 15, 1921 L. A. Cowan & Sons, of Mobile, Ala., bought the sawmill, timber and logging railroad of John W. McWilliams and Zed W. Wells at Grafton, Greene County, on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch. On October 25, 1922 timber for the mill was purchased from John W. Blodgett, of Grand Rapids, Mich., for $460,000, taking over contracts Blodgett had with McWilliams and Wells dated February 18, 1918 and July 1, 1919. The McWilliams and Wells mill was operated by C. H. and T. S. Cowan, sons of L. A. Cowan. C. H. Cowan was general manager.

The mill cut out in 1925.

Mill Site: NE¼ of NW¼ of Section 36 Township 5 North Range 8 West

Railroad: Standard gauge

Monarch Lumber Company McLain 1919-1920 1 Shay

The Monarch Lumber Company was incorporated at Hattiesburg, Perry County, on April 16, 1906 by B. D. Moore, W. W. Beatty and others with authorized capital stock of $40,000. B. D. Moore was president and H. F. Hagerty, secretary and treasurer. On January 15, 1906 Moore and Beatty bought 760 acres of timber, including a mill site, at Monarch, about three miles northwest of Ovett. A sawmill and planing mill were built on this site, adjacent to the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad. A logging railroad was also constructed from the mill to the timber.

The Monarch Lumber Company built a sawmill on the New Orleans, Mobile & Chicago Railroad, at Monarch, in April 1916, and operated on timber owned by W. G. Lancaster, owner of the old Monarch Lumber Company. N. McKinstry was the general manager.

The mill cut out about February 1919.

The company then bought a tract of timber on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern, at McLain, Greene County, and moved its operations there.

Railroad: 36-inch gauge, wood rail

Piave Mill Company                                            Piave                     1918-1920

Virgin Pine Lumber Co (successor)                                                   1920-1933        5 Shays, 1 rod engine

The Piave Mill Company was incorporated for 50 years on August 17, 1918 at Gulfport, Harrison County, by Henry Piaggio, W. B. Jordan and F. H. Dickman, all of Gulfport, with capital stock of $250,000. It was a subsidiary of the International Shipbuilding Company. Officers of the company were P. G. Gurge-Salice, vice president, and C. Kahles, treasurer. In October 1918 the company was operating sawmills near Ellisville, Jones County, which cut ship material for the parent company.

On October 7, 1918 the company contracted with John W. Blodgett, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a block of his timber in Greene County. In October 1919, to cut this timber, a sawmill with a daily cutting capacity of 60,000 feet per day began operation at Piave, Greene County, on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch.

On February 2, 1920 the sawmill (known as "sawmill No. 5"), all lumber on hand, and the block of Blodgett timber under contract were sold to the L. N. Dantzler Lumber Company. The operation was reorganized as the Virgin Pine Lumber Company.

On February 2, 1920 the L. N. Dantzler Lumber Company purchased the sawmill plant and interest in the Blodgett timber of the Piave Mill Company, at Piave, Greene County. To operate this property the Virgin Pine Lumber Company was organized at New Orleans, Louisiana in May 1920 with $750,000 in capital stock. Officers of the company were J. L. Dantzler, president; J. L. Hofstra, vice president, and E. P. Dumont, secretary and treasurer. The mill at that time had a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet per day. M. M. McInnis was general manager.

In April 1923 the operation was leased with option to buy to Crosby and Rowlands of Picayune, MS. In the spring of 1924 a new double band mill with a cutting capacity of 250,000 feet per day was built at Piave. L. O. Crosby was general manager.

The Piave mill cut out in November 1933.

Mill Site: SE¼ of Section 12 and W½, NE¼ and W½ of SE¼ of Section 13 Township 5 North Range 8 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 56-lb. rail, 14 miles in length (2-1926)

Robinson Land & Lumber Company                    Bothwell                    1920-1923      2 Shays, 3 rod engines

Bothwell Lumber Company (successor)

In May 1920 the Robinson Land & Lumber Company put into operation at Bothwell, Greene County, a new single band mill with a cutting capacity of 70,000 feet per day. Bothwell was on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch, three miles north of Avera.

In September 1923 the Bothwell mill, logging railroad and over 100,000,000 feet of standing yellow pine timber in Greene County were sold to the L. A. Cowan Lumber Company, of Mobile, Alabama. Apparently this sale was never made final, because in January 1924 the operation was back in the hands of the Robinson Land & Lumber Company and was renamed the Bothwell Lumber Company.

The Bothwell mill cut out in the summer fo 1929.

Mill Site: NE¼ of SE¼ of Section 12 Township 4 North Range 8 West

Railroad: Standard gauge, 56-lb. rail, 8 miles in length (1927)

Rose Lumber Company                               Merrill                                     1902-1910

The Rose Lumber Company was incorporated in Alabama in early 1902 with domiclle at Merrill, Greene County (now George), MS, with F. B. Merrill as president, E. Rose as vice president and general manager, and H. H. Lane as secretary and treasurer. On November 1, 1902 a mill site was leased on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad in the town of Merrill from the Merrill Land & Improvement Company for a period of 10 years. An 85,000 feet daily capacity circular sawmill was built on this site. The company's timber was located north of the mill.

The company went bankrupt and its assets were sold at public auction in Mobile, Alabama, on March 1, 1910 to F. B. Merrill, of Mobile, who resold the property to the newly formed F. B. Merrill Company.

Mill Site: In Section 8 Township 1 South Range 7 West, north of M. J. & K. C. Railroad and west of Pascagoula River

Mill Capy: 150,000 bd. ft. (1910)

Railroad: Standard gauge, 35-lb. rail. 1 locomotive, 10 log cars, 1 American Loader (1910)

The F. B. Merrill Company was incorporated at Merrill, George County, on November 21, 1911 by F. B. Merrill, Palmer Pillans and A. L. Staples, all of Mobile, with authorized capital stock of $150,000. Merrill bought the assets of the bankrupt Rose Lumber Company, of Merrill, and deeded the property to the F. B. Merrill Company. The sawmill was a single circular type with a cutting capacity of 50,000 feet per day. The plant included a planing mill and dry kiln.

In the summer of 1919 the mill cut out, after which the mill machinery was sold to the Turner Supply Company, of Mobile, Alabama.

Mill Capy: 60,000ft (1917)

Railroad: Standard gauge, 35-lb. rail, 8 miles in length (1917)

Stover Lumber Company                                 Wilson                          1922-?                         2 rod engines

The Stover Lumber Company operated a band mill of 50,000 feet daily cutting capacity at Wilson, on the Blodgett branch of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad.

Railroad: Standard gauge

Thompson Brothers Lumber Company                   Leaf                        1902-1903                    1 0-4-0

W. F. Green Lumber Company                                                             1903-1911

Thomson Brothers Lumber Company (also spelled "Thompson") was a co-partnership composed of C. H. Hills, E. L. Thomson and J. H. Thomson. On October 23, 1902 the partners bought two sawmills in Leaf, Greene County and logging equipment (oxen, carts and a wagon) from J. H. and E. L. Thomson for $11,065. These mills had a total cutting capacity of 50,000 feet a day and produced longleaf yellow pine lumber and timbers, rough and dressed.

On August 11, 1903 the assets of the partnership were sold to William F. Green, of Bay Minette, AL, who operated the mill under the name "W. F. Green Lumber Company." The transfer included nearly 1,600 acres of timber. Green was also a partner in a mercantile business at McLain, the McLendon & Green Mercantile Company. In early 1906 the sawmill was destroyed by fire for a loss of $20,000, but was rebuilt. By February 1909 the sawmill operation was at an end. At that time W. F. Green moved to Hattiesburg to become manager of the Carley Manufacturing Company.

Mill Site: Part of Section 28 Township 1 North Range 8 West

Railroad: Standard gauge. 4 log cars.

Turner Lumber Company                           Avera                                  1918-1933            2 rod and 1 Shay

The Turner Lumber Company was incorporated at Mobile, Alabama, in January 1918 with $200,000 in capital stock. The officers were Horace S. Turner, president; J. Tyler Turner, vice president, and O. M. Ottis, secretary and treasurer. In January 1918 the company bought 9,000 acres of Blodgett timber in Green County, and built a circular sawmill on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Blodgett branch at Avera. This mill had a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet per day. By 1927 the company was known as the "Turner Timber Company." the Avera mill cut out in 1933.

The Avera & Northeastern Railroad was chartered in Mississippi on June 18, 1929 by Horace S. Turner, J. Tyler Turner, Noel M. Turner, O. M. Ottis, William Vizard, all of Mobile, Alabama, and A. Vizard, of New Orleans. The terminal points of the proposed line were Avera and State Line, all in Greene County. Part of the railroad had already been completed in a southeasterly direction by the Turner Lumber Company, of Avera.

Railroad: Standard gauge, 45 to 56-lb. rails, 21 miles in length (1929). Chartered June 18, 1929 as "Avera & Northeastern Railroad."