Mississippi Rails

Hartman Lumber Co.

36" gauge, steel rail

Mill Location: Hartman, MS ( Lincoln County)

Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day

Years of Operation: 1887-1902

Miles Operated: 18 miles

Locomotives Owned: 2

Equipment:

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Gil Hoffman:

Frank Hyram Hartman, for whom the Hartman Lumber Company was named, was born in Germany in 1840, immigrated to the United States shortly before the Civil War and in March 1866 moved to Brookhaven, Mississippi where his mother, sister and brother had already settled. By 1875 he and his brother were in the general mercantile business in Brookhaven. The brother died in 1877, after which Frank Hartman carried on the business in his own name.

In 1886 Hartman entered the lumber business in partnership with William H. Allen, of Birmingham, Alabama, an experienced lumberman. On October 1, 1887 the business was organized as the Hartman Lumber Company. A 10 acre mill site was purchased four miles south of Brookhaven on the east side of the Illinois Central, and a circular sawmill built on the site during 1887-1888. This mill had a cutting capacity of about 25,000 feet per day, exclusively longleaf yellow pine, and employed about 75 men. The community around the mill became known as Hartman and was a flag stop on the I. C., had a post office and a collection of company-owned houses for mill workers.

In the summer of 1890 a 36-inch gauge logging railroad was constructed westward from the mill to the company's timber around New Prospect Church. It crossed the I. C. on a temporary section of track that was laid down only long enough for the log train to cross. At least one woods camp was operated during the lifetime of the company, in the vicinity of New Prospect Church.

The company was finally incorporated on January 17, 1901 by Frank Hartman and his two sons, Frank, Jr. and Oscar, both of whom helped to run the operation. The capital stock was $20,000. The end of the Hartman Lumber Company came on March 12, 1902 when the planing mill and dry kiln burned to the ground, some said by arson. The mill was never rebuilt and the sawmill machinery was finally sold in April 1904 to Frank Greer.

Frank Hartman continued in the mercantile business in Brookhaven until his death on January 28, 1911 at age 71.

ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
57 2T Shay Lima 57 12-1882 22 2-7x7 12000

Purchased from Whitney & Johnson, Summit, MS, in 1890.

Named "Joe Johnson."

Built for J. M. Wesson, Bogue Chitto, MS (wood rail); to Whitney & Johnson, Summit, MS.

Later owned by Swan-Day Lumber Co., Clay City, KY.

394 2T Shay Lima 394 6-1892 26 3-9x8 40000

Purchased new.

Later owned by Saginaw Lumber Co., Saginaw, AR; to R. M. Fletcher Stave & Lumber Co., Prague, AR; to Yelville-Rush & Mineral Belt Ry., Yelville, AR, on 12-9-1915.

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36" gauge, steel rail Mill Location: Hartman, MS ( Lincoln County) Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1887-1902 Miles Operated: 18 miles Locomotives Owned: 2	Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: Frank Hyram Hartman, for whom the Hartman Lumber Company was named, was born in Germany in 1840, immigrated to the United States shortly before the Civil War and in March 1866 moved to Brookhaven, Mississippi where his mother, sister and brother had already settled. By 1875 he and his brother were in the general mercantile business in Brookhaven. The brother died in 1877, after which Frank Hartman carried on the business in his own name. In 1886 Hartman entered the lumber business in partnership with William H. Allen, of Birmingham, Alabama, an experienced lumberman. On October 1, 1887 the business was organized as the Hartman Lumber Company. A 10 acre mill site was purchased four miles south of Brookhaven on the east side of the Illinois Central, and a circular sawmill built on the site during 1887-1888. This mill had a cutting capacity of about 25,000 feet per day, exclusively longleaf yellow pine, and employed about 75 men. The community around the mill became known as Hartman and was a flag stop on the I. C., had a post office and a collection of company-owned houses for mill workers. In the summer of 1890 a 36-inch gauge logging railroad was constructed westward from the mill to the company's timber around New Prospect Church. It crossed the I. C. on a temporary section of track that was laid down only long enough for the log train to cross. At least one woods camp was operated during the lifetime of the company, in the vicinity of New Prospect Church. The company was finally incorporated on January 17, 1901 by Frank Hartman and his two sons, Frank, Jr. and Oscar, both of whom helped to run the operation. The capital stock was $20,000. The end of the Hartman Lumber Company came on March 12, 1902 when the planing mill and dry kiln burned to the ground, some said by arson. The mill was never rebuilt and the sawmill machinery was finally sold in April 1904 to Frank Greer. Frank Hartman continued in the mercantile business in Brookhaven until his death on January 28, 1911 at age 71.



ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: 57 2T Shay Lima 57 12-1882 22 2-7x7 12000 Purchased from Whitney & Johnson, Summit, MS, in 1890. Named "Joe Johnson." Built for J. M. Wesson, Bogue Chitto, MS (wood rail); to Whitney & Johnson, Summit, MS. Later owned by Swan-Day Lumber Co., Clay City, KY. 394 2T Shay Lima 394 6-1892 26 3-9x8 40000 Purchased new. Later owned by Saginaw Lumber Co., Saginaw, AR; to R. M. Fletcher Stave & Lumber Co., Prague, AR; to Yelville-Rush & Mineral Belt Ry., Yelville, AR, on 12-9-1915.