Diamond Lumber Co. (1901-1904)

Greene County Lumber Co. (1904-1918)

J. M. Hemphill (1918)

Standard gauge, 30 & 35-lb rail Headquarters: Bexley, MS Mill Location: Bexley, MS (George County) Mill Capacity: 50,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1901-1918 Miles Operated: 4 miles in 1903 Locomotives Owned:	Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: The Diamond Lumber Company was incorporated at Bexley, Greene County on November 27, 1901, by John O. Grisham, J. J. Bexley and Charles R. Hall with authorized capital stock of $25,000. J. O. Grisham was president and general manager. A longleaf yellow pine sawmill of 50,000 feet daily cutting capacity was operated.  On October 27, 1902, the company mortgaged its sawmill plant, timber and logging railroad to George S. Leatherbury, Jr., of Mobile, Alabama in return for a loan of $10,000. Evidentally this mortgage went into default, because on October 3, 1903 the entire assets were sold at foreclosure at Leakesville, Greene County, to Leatherbury. To operate this property, the Greene County Lumber Company was incorporated at Bexley on January 17, 1904, by George S. Leatherbury, Jr., Charles A. Cunningham and John Shearer with authorized capital stock of $50,000. Leatherbury, who became president of the company, deeded the Diamond Lumber Company property to the Greene County Lumber Company on March 16, 1904.  In 1917, the sawmill cutting capacity was 55,000 feet per day. The mill shut down in 1918 and the site was sold to Mrs. J. G. Leatherbury who in turn leased it and the mill buildings to J. M. Hemphill on March 19, 1918. On March 19, 1918, John M. Hemphill, of Mobile, AL, leased the mill site and buildings of the old Greene County Lumber Company, at Bexley, George County from Mrs. Joseph G. Leatherbury. The lease was to run for five years at an annual rental of $1,000. This lease was only held for less than a year, after which Hemphill established a new operation at Byrd, Greene County, on the new Blodgett branch of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad.
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   ?   2-4-0T   Baldwin   4648   5/1879   12x18   41       Prospect Park & Coney Island #8 Idlewild Smith & Kilby Co., Anniston, AL (dealer) Diamond Lumber Co., Bexley, MS, on 7/24/1902. Greene County Lumber Co., on 5/16/1904. Baldwin class 6-18 C 7   McClure Lumber Co., Wagar, AL, by 11/1907.   ?   2-6-0   New York           18x24   50       (tentative) New York Central E-5 class. Kilby Locomotive & Machine Co., Anniston, AL (dealer). Greene County Lumber Co., on 2/21/1907. Cost $5,000.   Unknown.

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