Batson-McGehee Co.

Standard gauge, 30 & 40-lb rail Headquarters: Millard, MS Mill Location: Millard, MS (Pearl River County) Mill Capacity: 50,000 ft/day in 1906 Years of Operation: 1901-1940 Miles Operated: 7 miles in 1928 Locomotives Owned:	Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: On March 21, 1900, L. B. Batson and Henry T. McGehee bought the sawmill plant and timber holdings (amounting to 2,880 acres) of R. B. Haney at Millard, Pearl River County. This mill had been built in 1896 and was logged by oxen. For about a year Batson and McGehee operated the Haney mill as a co-partnership under the name Caledonia Lumber Company. The co-partnership was succeeded by the Batson-McGehee Company which was incorporated at Millard on September 19, 1901, by L. B. Batson, of Columbia; Henry T. McGehee, of Millard, and Nathaniel Batson, of Poplarville, with authorized capital stock of $30,000. A new circular sawmill with a cutting capacity of 50,000 feet per day was built at Millard to replace the old Haney mill. In later years this mill was changed to a band type. In the spring of 1902 a standard gauge logging railroad was constructed to log the mill. The mill finally shut down in early 1940.
Builder's photo of Batson-McGehee No. 1.		Batson-McGehee second No. 2 at the factory in Lima, Ohio.
	Batson-McGehee No. 1 sat behind the commissary in Millard after the mill shut down, and was bought by Goodyear Yellow Pine in 1943. It is shown here in Millard about 1940.
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:     Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   1st 1   36-2 Shay   Lima   2383   3/1911   3-10x10   29            76000   New.   Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Chopin Lumber Co. #1, Chopin, LA, on 11/25/1920. Glenhill Gravel Co., Rhinehart, LA, in 3/1930.   2nd 1   28-2 Shay   Lima   1726   9/1906   3-8x12   28   56000   Kaupp Lumber Co. #2, Shubuta, MS, but shipped to West-King Lumber Co., Waynesboro, MS. Waterford Lumber Co. #3, Waynesboro, MS, in 1913. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1513, on 12/10/1919. Nortac Manufacturing Co. #1, Nortac, MS, on 1/14/1920. Batson-McGehee Co. #1, ca. 8/1924 (rented).   Returned to Nortac Manufacturing Co. #1, Nortac, MS, by 4/1/1925. Gulf Pine Lumber Co. #1726, Poplarville, MS D. L. Fair Lumber Co. #1, Louisville, MS, in 8/1928. Changed to 36" gauge. Bissell-Alabama Lumber Co. #1, Castleberry, AL, by 4/1930. Changed back to standard gauge.   3rd 1   36-2 Shay   Lima   3281   3/1925   3-10x10   29   81600   New. Cost $11,800.   For sale 3/1940. Goodyear Yellow Pine Co. #1, Picayune, MS, in 8/1943. Crosby Forest Products Co. #1, Picayune, MS, in 2/1950. City of Picayune, MS (for display).   1st 2   0-6-0T   Porter   1585   3/1895   11x16       34000   Eastabuchie Lumber Co. #2, Eastabuchie, MS Eureka Lumber Co. #2, Eastabuchie, MS, on 9/28/1901. Batson-McGehee Co. #2, on 5/22/1902.   Dropped by 5/1920.   2nd 2   36-2 Shay   Lima   3082   5/1920   3-10x10   29   72000   New. Cost $11,500.   Kurth Lumber Manufacturing Co. #2, Clarksville, TX, by 11/1935. Texas Long Leaf Lumber Co. #3, New Willard, TX, by 5/1945.

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