Fred J. Peters, Sr., immigrated to Montgomery County in 1877 from Germany and farmed a 320-acre tract north of Conroe. He became interested in tree management, removing damaged and poor trees in order to increase a good stand. In 1906, he began operating his own sawmill, cutting lumber from trees only grown on his own land. His son, F. J. Peters, Jr., continued the practice until an ice storm damaged his tree crop.