E. A. Rice, according to the Census of 1880, owned and operated a sawmill in Precinct 1 of Gregg County. The post office was at Longview. The mill was d to be of a value of $1,000. The work force consisted of eight to twelve men, who earned $1.25 to $3.00 per each ten-hour day; they were paid a combined wage of $500 during the reporting period. This mill operated fulltime for eight months. From $5,100 worth of raw materials, the sawmill cut 400,000 board feet of lumber valued at $7,000.
E. A. Rice had earlier sold his shingle mill, steam machinery, oxen, and sawmill, located at the the plantation of James W. Flanagan, south of Longview, to A. W. Morrison, J. C. Turner, and E. B. Ragland. Apparently, they had defaulted on their payments, and the mill reverted to Rice in time for 1880 Census enumeration.