Sawmill DatabaseTexas Forestry Museum

Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key:

HR-151

Corporate Name:

Stephen Richardson

Local Name:

Owner Name:

Stephen Richardson

Location:

Chocolate Bayou

County:

Harris

Years in Operation:

1 year

Start Year:

1832

End Year:

1832

Decades:

1830-1839

Period of Operation:

1832

Town:

Chocolate Bayou

Company Town:

Peak Town Size:

Unknown

Mill Pond:

Type of Mill:

Rough lumber

Sawmill	Pine Sawmill	Hardwood Sawmill	Cypress Sawmill
Planer	Planer Only	Shingle	Paper
Plywood	Cotton	Grist	Unknown
Other

Power Source:

Unknown

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:

Sawmill

Company Tram:

Associated Railroads:

None

Historicial Development:

According to Nancy Nichols Barker in her translation and edition of The French Legation in Texas, Stephen Richardson was an early sawmiller during the period of Mexican rule and the Republic. Born in Maine, Stephen Richardson (1794-1860), was a lumberman, schoolmaster who built a mill on Chocolate Bayou in 1832, which washed away the same year. By 1839, Richardson had a steam sawmill at Harrisburg.

Research Date:

MCJ 05-06-96

Prepared By:

M Johnson