Ellisville Lumber Co.
Melrose & Leaf River RR
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Standard gauge, 20 and 35-lb rail Headquarters: Ellisville Mill Location: Melrose (South Ellisville), MS (Jones County) Mill Capacity: 50,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1890-1908 Miles Operated: 10 miles Locomotives Owned: 5 known |
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History by Gil Hoffman: The Ellisville Lumber Company began as a partnership composed of Joseph A. Boyd, C. J. Tweede and J. D. Shank. In 1890 a circular sawmill, planing mill and grist mill were built on the west side of the New Orleans & Northeastern at Melrose, a suburb on the south edge of Ellisville. The mill was also known as "Boyd's Mills." By June 1892 John T. Anderson had become sole owner of the property. In October 1894 Anderson mortgaged the mill property to N. B. Shelby, an Ellisville banker. This mortgage went into default and Shelby became the owner. On August 20, 1898 Shelby sold the mill, railroad and timber to Nancy Melvina Parker, wife of Mulford Parker, of Ellisville, who retained the name "Ellisville Lumber Company." On May 8, 1901 the Ellisville Lumber Company was incorporated with $75,000 in capital stock. The incorporators were N. M. Parker, president; T. F. Buckley, secretary and treasurer, and C. G. Steadman. At the time of incorporation the sawmill had a cutting capacity of 50,000 feet per day. On October 24, 1908 the sawmill and about 2,000,000 feet of lumber went up in flames. Although plans existed for rebuilding the mill, they were never put into effect. On March 22, 1909 the company went into receivership as result of having overextended itself in buying timber and from effects of the fire and the Panic of 1907. The insurance money from the fire was not enough to pay the creditors and rebuild the mill. To stave off bankruptcy the decision was made to cut the newly acquired timber of the Ellisville Lumber Company at the mill of the Kola Lumber Company, at Kola, Covington County. This mill was also controlled by Mulford Parker. To do this the Kola logging railroad was extended to the vicinity of the Leaf River to meet the Ellisville logging railroad.
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| ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: 318 2T Shay Lima 318 10-1890 26 2-7x12 28000 Purchased new. Sold to Kola Lumber Co. #318, Kola, MS; to Dupont Lumber Co., Poplarville, MS, about 1916; to Gulf Pine Lumber Co. #318, Poplarville, MS, on 10-31-21.
2 0-4-2T Porter 1879 7-1898 9x14 32000 Purchased new by N. B. Shelby for Ellisville Lumber Co. Named "Clara." Sold to Kola Lumber Co. #2, Kola, MS, by 5-1914.
777 2T Shay Lima 777 2-1904 28 3-10x10 66000 Purchased as Kola Lumber Co. #777, Kola, MS, but delivered to Ellisville Lumber Co. instead. Both companies had same ownership. Cost $4,500. Sold to Kola Lumber Co. #777, Kola, MS, by 5-1914; to Dupont Lumber Co., Poplarville, MS, about 1916; to Gulf Pine Lumber Co. #777, Poplarville, MS, on 10-31-21; to C. L. Spotswood #2, Poplarville, MS, on 1-22-27. Scrapped 9-22-33.
1027 2-6-0 Lima 1027 3-1906 36 14x18 59600 Purchased new. Cost $4,500. Sold to Kola Lumber Co. #1027, Kola, MS, by 5-1914; to Williams Lumber Co., Ponchatoula, LA; to Joseph Rathborne Lumber Co. #1027, Ponchatoula, LA, in 5-1921; to Louisiana Cypress Lumber Co. #2, Ponchatoula, LA; to Mid-Continent Railway Museum, North Freedom, WI, in 7-1960.
1004 2-6-0 Lima 1004 9-1906 36 14x18 59600 Purchased new. Cost $4,500. Sold to Kola Lumber Co. #1004, Kola, MS, by 5-1914; to Joseph Rathborne Lumber Co. #1004, Ponchatoula, LA, in 6-1921; to Williams Lumber Co. #4, Ponchatoula, LA. | ||
For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net