Joe R. Pierce, J. K. Chamness, and G. A. Smith owned a sawmill three miles northeast of Carthage. In order to work off a debt to the sawmill firm of J. H. English and S. A. Hawthorn at Carthage, Pierce, Chamness & Smith contracted in December, 1916, to sell their sawmill cut in excess of local trade to English & Hawthorn. Panola County records document that the English & Hawthorn planing mill was located at Carthage.