Both J W Doster and J T Harris are earlier recorded as sawmillers in Shelby County. They operated two mills four to five miles west of Center.
In 1909, Doster & Harris mortgaged to T. J. Reed for $1000 a Curtis Dixie sawmill, an edger, a trimmer, a saw gunner, a bull edger, a log car, a sawdust rig, and boiler and steam engine. In 1910, Doster was listed as a sawmiller living at Precinct 1, residence 239.