The Laurel Leader Call

The Laurel Leader Call

Laurel, Mississippi

July 15, 1937

In June 1907, J. L. Nestor gathered together a crew of husky woodsmen and began cutting the virgin yellow pine which then blanketed South Mississippi.

Tuesday of this week-- more than 30 years later -- his cutting crew laid down their cut saws for the final time. They had felled the last tree for Gilchrist-Fordney Lumber Company near Camp Allen, the mill's Jasper County logging base.

During the 30 year period, Nestor has supervised the cutting of thousands of towering yellow pines including the first and last tree to be used by the mill.

His loyal crew of negro workmen have all been working together for more than 10 years according to mill officials, and many of them have served on the same gang for 20 years.

Officials today were unable to name the exact day on which the sawmill will cease operation, but asserted that it will be probably the early part of next week.

- Submitted By Betty Nester

with notation Nestor spelling is newspaper error,

family spelling --Nester