Lynch Davidson, after five years as secretary and sales manager of the Emporia Lumber Company, joined with J.M. West in forming the Continental Lumber Company and the West Lumber Company in January 1903. The initial mills of these companies were at Westville, Trinity County; and Stanley, Polk County. They had expanded to Houston by 1905.
Davidson had earlier operated a wholesale lumber company at Houston and had joined with L. Ingram to form a milling company at Houston named the Davidson-Ingram Lumber Company. When Ingram retired in 1909, the company name was changed to that of the Benford Lumber Company, which had sawmills at Benford and Potomac. The Benford Lumber Company officers were Davidson, president; George M. Coale, vice president; and G. M. Seaman, secretary and treasurer. The Continental Lumber and Tie Company, another firm owned by Davidson, acted as the sales agent for the mills.