Sawmills

Timber was an important resource in the colonies, and many of them had a sawmill industry. This was also true in the Councill's Store area of Wilkes County that would later become Watauga County. When Edgar wants to earn some money in Cleared for Planting, he goes to  sawmills in the area first, but they weren't hiring at the time. The sawmills also come up a few other times in the book.

The first sawmills were driven by water power, and windmills were also used in some regions. Evidence suggests sawmills existed in medieval England. As time progressed, other power sources would be used, too. In America, the timber industry would move west with the settlers.

This industry continued for some time. By 1900, the largest

sawmill in the world was located in Georgetown, South Carolina. My grandfather also owned a sawmill and worked in Watauga and Ashe Counties in the early 1900's. My father and his other sons helped in it. My oldest uncle, Raymond, continued to sawmill in Wilkes County in the 1950's. My dad helped him for a while and then left to find other work. Years later, Dad could still look at a wood or leaf and name the tree it came from.

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