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. |