W. H. Borders, according to Montgomery County records, had a sawmill at Thom's Switch in 1911. Either he, or his agent or trustee, H. Herndon leased the mill that year to R. E. Causey and E. J. Maxey, both of Jasper. Two years later, Borders sold Causey and Maxey a steam engine with an Atlas boiler and a planer.
Two years later, R. E. Causey was operating a shingle mill at Center.