I have already adverted to the saw-mills in Virginia during the existence of the company. In 1630, land at Jamestown was granted to persons who undertook to erect mills of this kind, and that they were built is shown in the correspondence of Harvey at this time.[1] As late as 1649, however, it is stated that a mill to saw boards was very much needed in Virginia. Either the term “board” was not used to include the material of which the houses were usually constructed, or the demand for plank in the Colony was so great that the mills already in operation were unable to supply it.[2] After the middle of the century, the saw-mills became as numerous as the grist-mills. In some cases, they were propelled by horse power.[3] The steel saws were imported from England. Patterns were sent to the mother country to obtain saws of the exact size desired, and the same method was adopted as to the rest of the iron machinery.[4]
There are indications that a small quantity of plank, which had been sawed in the Colony, was occasionally exported to England. In 1695, Fitzhugh sent walnut plank to John Mason of Bristol, but was so much discouraged by the pecuniary outcome of the venture that he
- ↑ Delaware MSS., Royal Hist. MSS. Commission, Fourth Report, Appx., pp. 290, 291. A deed bearing the date of 1637 shows that Hugh Bullock owned at that time saw-mills in Virginia. See Records of York County, vol. 1633-1694, p. 30, Va. State Library. The first saw-mill erected in England was not built until 1655. This was due to the ignorance of the people, who thought that the trade of the sawyers would be ruined by such mills. Bishop’s History of American Manufactures, vol. I, p. 93.
- ↑ New Description of Virginia, p. 5, Force’s Historical Tracts, vol. II. The reference to saw-mills in the New Description of Virginia led Mr. Bishop, in his History of American Manufactures, to suppose that no mill of this character had previous to 1649, been erected in Virginia; the records show that he was mistaken.
- ↑ Records of York County, vol. 1664-1672, p. 467, Va. State Library.
- ↑ Letters of William Byrd, March 8, June 6, 1685; Feb. 2, 1684.
