The S. A. Cooke sawmill was listed in an 1884 railroad directory. He earlier had moved his sawmill to Elysian fields from Panola County. By 1898, he had brought his son S. A. Cooke, Jr., into the business as a partner. That year, Cooke & Cooke mortgaged for $1,250 their sawmill, boiler, two trucks, a log wagon, an edger, and two saws.