| Alpha-Numeric Key: | OR-2 |
| Corporate Name: | A. T. Chenault & John McGehee |
| Local Name: | |
| Owner Name: | A. T. Chenault and John McGehee |
| Location: | Probably near the Sabine River |
| County: | Orange |
| Years in Operation: | 7 years |
| Start Year: | 1866 |
| End Year: | 1872 |
| Decades: | 1870-1879,1880-1889 |
| Period of Operation: | 1866 to 1872 |
| Town: | Near Sabine River? |
| Company Town: | 2 |
| Peak Town Size: | Unknown |
| Mill Pond: |  |
| Type of Mill: | Lumber, later cypress shingles
 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: | 20,000 to 80,000 shingles daily |
| Produced: |
| Rough Lumber |
Planed Lumber |
Crossties |
Timbers |
| Lathe |
Ceiling |
Unknown |
Beading |
| Flooring |
Paper |
Plywood |
Particle Board |
| Treated |
Other |
| |
|
| Equipment: | Sawmill and Muzzy upright shingle machine and later a Burt 14-block rotary machine |
| Company Tram: | |
| Associated Railroads: | Unknown |
| Historicial Development: | Chenault and McGehee began lumber milling operations in 1866, probably near the Sabine River. Chenault bought out McGehee and converted the mill to shingle making. It was the first mill in the southwest to attempt to cut shingles from cypress timber. He installed first a Muzzy upright shingle machine, which cut 20,000 shingles daily. Then Chenault installed a Burt 14-block rotary machine, which could cut 80,000. When Chenault died in 1870, the mill went out of business.
However, the Beaumont Neches Valley News of July 27, 1882, reported that “Business” at Orange “ is generally dull here, although the mills are all in operation, with the exception of that of Mr. Chenault, which has been stopped for some time in consequence of the depression in the shingle market. There is at present in the yard of the above mill about three million shingles held back for an advance in price. |
| Research Date: | MCJ 3-23-96, JKG 2-7-95 |
| Prepared By: | M. Johnson, J. Gerland |