A local newspaper of Nacogdoches mentioned in 1901 that Frank Blount had come in from San Augustine with teams and wagons to move new machinery for Dr. Mitchell's sawmill, which would be located near Denning. In February 1902 Mitchell and his partner J. H. Goodwin had been in Nacogdoches buying machinery for the sawmill.
On 3 May 1920, according to San Augustine County bill of sale records, Dr. G. T. Mitchell sold sawmill machinery located on the doctor's farm to C. H. and W. G. Carroll, including a Chandler-Taylor 11-inch by 14-inch steam engine, a 14-feet by 40-inch 50-horsepower steam boiler, and a sawmill complete with an Henderson edger, and tenant houses, sheds, and dry kilns on said farm.
A bill of sale dated 10 February 1921 indicates that the mill had been moved a short distance to the Whitton place about seven miles west of San Augustine and then sold to J. R. Greer and R. C. Downs, who probably moved much of the equipment to their mill location near New Hope, several miles away.