Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: SH-94
Corporate Name: I. F. Miller Shingle Mill
Local Name:
Owner Name: Isaac F. Miller
Location: Center
County: Shelby
Years in Operation: 10 years
Start Year: 1900
End Year: 1909
Decades: 1900-1909
Period of Operation: Early 1900s
Town: Center
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough and finished lumber, shingle, cornmeal
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Gasoline engine, 25-horsepower Atlas boiler and engine
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: Triumph shingle mill, sawmill, grist mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Unknown
Historicial Development: I. F. Miller ran a multi-purpose lumber and grain business in Center after 1900. His comb sawmill, shingle mill, and grist mill was located about a half-mile from city center on the Timpson Road. He was operating a grist mill as late as 1906. By 1907, he began divesting himself of sawmill activities, selling a sawmill to Hutto & Lloyd, and a planer and a shingle machine to T. E. Jones. His shingle plant, in 1908, consisted of a 25-horsepower Atlas boiler and engine, a Triumph shingle machine, one batting machine, two shingle and one batting saws, and 3-saw Dixie edger. He had a planing machine as late as 1909. In late 1909, Levi Garrett defaulted on his mortgage to J. H. Goodwin, and Garrett's A. R. Smith shingle machine mortgage was picked up by Miller. But Miller was not down on all shingle competition: earlier that year he sold a gasoline engine and a planer to T. E. Jones, a rival shingle-maker. Miller's equipment, with the changing and selling, included a 36-inch by 8-foot tubular boiler and a 36-inch shingle saw. In February 1910, he mortgaged much of his mill machinery to George Dilley & Son. Isaac F. Miller, born in Louisiana and age 37, was enumerated at Precinct 1, residence 49, as a “shingle maker”
Research Date: MCJ 02-29-96
Prepared By: M. Johnson