TOLLESON ILIM LUMBER

The Tolleson tradition began in 1919 when J. Meade Tolleson, along with his good friend L.O. Benton, opened a sawmill business at Hayneville, Georgia. These same two gentlemen, both natives of Monticello, Georgia, started Big Indian Lumber Company at Grovania, Georgia in 1920. In 1925, Mr. Mell Smith joined "Cap", as Mr. Tolleson was often called, in Big Indian. In 1925, Mr. Tolleson and Mr. Smith moved to Avon Park, Florida where together they continued in the lumber business. The lumber bus... iness in Avon Park fell victim to the Great Depression. In 1929, Mr. Tolleson returned to Perry where he purchased a sawmill from H.F. Moore Lumber Company and renamed the business Tolleson Lumber Company. For years following this purchase there were small mills (called pecker wood mills) located on the yard and surrounding areas.More