| Alpha-Numeric Key: | JA-83 |
| Corporate Name: | Simon Wiess |
| Local Name: | |
| Owner Name: | Simon Wiess |
| Location: | Grant's Bluff, also known as Wiess Bluff |
| County: | Jasper |
| Years in Operation: | 3 years |
| Start Year: | 1838 |
| End Year: | 1840 |
| Decades: | 1830-1839,1840-1849 |
| Period of Operation: | About 1838 to the early 1840s |
| Town: | Grant's Bluff (Wiess Bluff) |
| Company Town: | 2 |
| Peak Town Size: | Normally 150, never more than 500 |
| Mill Pond: |  |
| Type of Mill: | Squared timbers for log houses
 Sawmill |
 Pine Sawmill |
Hardwood Sawmill |
Cypress Sawmill |
| Planer |
Planer Only |
Shingle |
Paper |
| Plywood |
Cotton |
Grist |
Unknown |
| Other |
|
|
|
|
| Power Source: | Animal (horse-driven peck mill), perhaps water-power later
| Horse |
Mule |
Oxen |
Water |
| Water Overshot |
Water Turbine |
Diesel |
Unknown |
| Pit |
Steam |
Steam Circular |
Steam Band |
| Gas |
Electricity |
Other |
|
|
| Maximum Capacity: | 1000: 1840 |
| Capacity Comments: | No more than a 1000 to 1500 feet daily; if water-powered, possibly as much as 2500 to 3000 feet daily |
| Produced: |
| Rough Lumber |
Planed Lumber |
Crossties |
Timbers |
| Lathe |
Ceiling |
Unknown |
Beading |
| Flooring |
Paper |
Plywood |
Particle Board |
| Treated |
Other |
| |
|
| Equipment: | An adz sawmill, also known as a “peck” mill because of its multiple adzes attached to a wheel for squaring small trees. This kind of mill was normally powered by a mule or ox. |
| Company Tram: | |
| Associated Railroads: | None |
| Historicial Development: | Before 1840, the area of Wiess Bluff was known as Grant Bluff. Simon Wiess, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, was the leading commercial factor at the Bluff for thirty years. Before the War, Wiess Bluff was connected by a twice-a-week-stage route to San Augustine. Weiss began manufacturing lumber along the Neches River about 1842. According to W. T. Block, this was an adz sawmill, also known as a “peck” mill because of its multiple adzes attached to a wheel for squaring small trees. This kind of mill was normally powered by a mule or ox. The mill may have been converted later to steam. |
| Research Date: | JKG 12-28-93, MCJ 01-08-96 |
| Prepared By: | J. Gerland, M. Johnson |