William Conroe's father, Isaac Conroe, had milled lumber at Beach from about 1881 until he sold it to Trinity River Lumber Company. Trinity River Lumber closed the mill in 1906 while it was under lease to J. W. Hobbs and moved operations to Fostoria.
William Conroe erected a small sawmill at Beach about 1911. In 1913, he sold it to John I. Butler. The property transferred from the sale included the sawmill, boilers, an engine, a carriage frame with saws, a trimmer, an edger, a log car, livestock, and other machinery.