The Post [Port & Terrell] sawmill can be traced from the census of 1860 to a railroad directory of 1884. It used a 20-horsepower steam engine enumerated in the census of 1860. It had a capital investment of $6,000. With $4,000 of raw materials, the plant cut 960,000 in board feet during the period of enumeration to a gross value of $14,400. Ten men were employed at an average monthly salary of $15 each.
The outfit, valued at $3,000, was enumerated in the census of 1870 under the name of Wiley Post. The engine had been increased to 45-horsepower and cut 500,000 feet of lumber worth $7,500 from $1,500 in raw materials. Ten employees were paid a total of $3,000 in ten months.
This sawmill was listed at Montgomery in an 1884 railroad directory. The census of 1880 notes that the mill was, in fact, located in Precinct 1 of Grimes County. It was d to be a value of $6,000, employing fifteen to twenty men. They received daily wages of $1.00 to $3.00 and were paid a combined wage of $3,000. The mill operated at three-quarters time for twelve months during the reporting period. From raw materials valued at $9,300, the mill cut 1,500,000 board feet of lumber valued at $16,000. The company did its own logging in Grimes County.
It is not known if Post maintained a commissary or other company-provided services for its employees.