| sawmill id: | 10816 |
| alpha-numeric key: | HO-78 |
| corporate name: | Jesse T. Ratcliff |
| local name: | |
| owner affiliation: | J. T. Ratcliff |
| location: | Coltharp, two miles south of Ratcliff |
| county: | Houston |
| years in operation: | 21 |
| start year: | 1880 |
| (qual) | * |
| end year: | 1900 |
| (qual) | * |
| decades: | 1880-1889 1890-1899 1900-1909 |
| period of operation: | Before 1880 until after 1900 |
| town: | Coltharp, south of Ratcliff |
| company town: | ? |
| peak town size: | 121 in 1905 |
| mill pond: | ? |
| type of mill: | Rough and dressed lumber, shingles |
| sawmill: | Yes |
| pine sawmill: | |
| hardwood sawmill: | |
| cypress sawmill: | |
| planer: | Yes |
| planer only: | |
| shingle: | Yes |
| paper: | |
| plywood: | |
| cotton: | |
| grist: | |
| unknown: | |
| other: | |
| power source: | Probably steam |
| horse: | |
| mule: | |
| oxen: | |
| water: | |
| water overshot: | |
| water turbine: | |
| pit: | |
| steam: | |
| steam circular: | |
| steam band: | |
| gas: | |
| diesel: | |
| electric: | |
| other: | |
| unknown: | Yes |
| maximum capacity: | |
| (qual) | |
| capacity comments: | Unknown |
| rough lumber: | Yes |
| planed lumber: | Yes |
| crossties: | |
| timbers: | |
| lathe: | |
| ceiling: | |
| unknown: | |
| beading: | |
| flooring: | |
| paper: | |
| plywood: | |
| particle board: | |
| treated: | |
| other: | Yes |
| equipment: | Sawmill, shingle mill, and planing mill |
| company tram: | No |
| associated railroads: | International & Great Northern at Crockett |
| historical development: | Jesse T. Ratcliff?s sawmill in Houston County appeared in an 1880 Chicago lumber publication. By 1884, Ratcliff added a shingle mill and planing mill, and all three mills were listed in Rand McNally and Company?s 1884 directory of lumber mills. The mills were situated in the town known as Coltharp. (J. M. Smith also owned a sawmill at Coltharp during this time). Bob Bowman recorded that Jesse Ratcliff came to Houston County in 1875 from Georgia. Ratcliff?s daughter married Gary Mahoney, a local mercantile owner. She recalled that her father sold the land to 4-C for its mill at Kennard, and that his small mill continued to cut lumber for 4-C for some time after the erection of the large mill. |
| research date: | JKG 11-17-93, MCJ 02-20-96 |
| research by: | J. Gerland, M. Johnson |
| historical interpretation: | |
| interpretation by: | |
| interpretation date: | |
| bibliography: | Northwestern Lumberman. The Lumberman?s Directory of Saw Mills, Shingle Mills and Other Wood Working Factories in the Northwest, South, and Southwest. Chicago: W. B. Judson, 1880. 177. Rand, McNally and Company?s Directory and Shipping Guide of Lumber Mills and Lumber Dealers. Chicago: Rand, McNally and Company, 1884. 452. Bob Bowman. The 35 Best Ghost Towns in East Texas. Lufkin: Best of East Texas Publishers, 1988. 119-122. |
