Ben Ervin Kent Timber Man

by

Billy Whitehead

Ben Ervin Kent was born Birdie Ervin Kent. He hated the name Birdie and never used it. Instead he took the name Ben Ervin. He was born January 26, 1903 to John Kent and Mary Dawkins Kent. He married Christine Beatrice Ford born September 23, 1923, daughter of Thomas and Mary Alice Ford.

To my knowledge, Grand paw Ervin Kent was always a logger and sawmill operator. His mill was one which he moved from site to site. There was the Case engine sitting on a stack of crossties. A wide belt ran from the engine to the saw shaft. This saw shaft was about 12 to 14 feet long. On the end was a saw blade of about five or six feet. About midway there was another belt which ran the carriage pulley. The carriage was at the end and ran by the saw. It was set on a set of rails. The log was rolled onto the carriage. A large hook was dropped to pin the log to the carriage. A gauge was on the carriage to set the size lumber to be sawn. A cable system pulled the carriage both ways. One way pulled the log into the saw and also pulled it back for another cut.

Most of the time Grandpa Kent ran the saw and Mr. Albert Perrigen was the carriage operator. If grandpa was not there his older son Ervin who we called Uncle Punk, ran the saw. I never remember Mr. Perrigen not being there to run the carriage.

When the lumber was sawn it fell on to table and was slid over to the edger ran by Mr. Joe Starnes. When the lumber came out of the edger it went to Henry to be slid down a rail to the proper pile. Each pile was for a width or length. The mater trimmed from lumber had bark on one side or it was damaged and unfit for lumber. This material must be hand carried to the burning pile. I worked at the sawmill one summer. I did several jobs one which was to carry cut-off to the burn-pile. That was one hot job! The cut-off had to be piled tight so that it did not burn so hot. At night it would burn down. There was a tin wall all around it to prevent fire spreading into the timber.

The timber crew cut the trees down then rimmed them and cut to length. This was a dangerous job as well as a hot job. They had Poulan or McCulloch chain saws. In the heat of summer it was not unusual for one to fall out of heat.

Uncle Punk was the timber man. His job was to take a wagon and mule into the woods to bring the logs to the mill. He would drive the mule team and wagon into the timber road to the logging site. There he would hitch one mule to pull the logs out of the woods to the wagon. I went with him one time. He took the mule to one pile, hitched the pulling chin to the log and said, git-up. The mule pulled the log to the wagon and stopped in the right place. After pulling a bunch of loge and no more could be pulled into place, he set a wood rail up on the side of the wagon. With chains the mules pulled the logs onto the wagon. When these were loaded, he moved to another log pile. The pulling was repeated then the logs were loaded. When the wagon was loaded he headed out to the mill, however on this road there was a hill which the mules could not hold the wagon back from running away. To prevent runaway, uncle punk made a cripple pole by putting a pole of about 4-5 inches and six or eight feet long under the back axel. The end under the wagon load of logs was chained up to lift the wagon weight putting the weight to the end on the ground. He now headed down the hill. At the bottom the pole was removed and the trip to the mill was on again.
Sometimes the logs were large enough that only one or two logs could be carried at the time. Later grandpa bought a Taylor Big Red Loader. This loader had a set of arms on one side. A set of cables with a break dropped to the ground. Using peavey hooks the log was rolled on to the lifting arms. A peavey hook looks like a baseball bat with a hinged hook on one side. After the log was on the lifts the break was applied. The arm would then be lifted over the side falling onto the truck. When loaded the truck was driven to the mill. At the mill the securing hitch was loosed and the logs would fall off the wagon or truck on to a set of log rails ending at the carriage. Usually Robert, who we called Cotton, and Sam were the ones who kept the logs rolled close to the carriage end. When the carriage was in place for another log the log was rolled onto the carriage. It was turned to the best place for cutting. The small end was set for the least waste. When the first cut was made making a flat place the log was turned so the flat was down. At that time another cut was made. The log was then turned so a flat was on the backside as well as down. Now the log was cut for lumber.

When there was a trailer load of lumber a log trailer was brought to the mill. This was usually early in the morning so everyone could load the truck by hand. As the truck left all others went to their job. He sold his logs to Sturgis Lumber Company or to Fair Lumber Company.
Ben Kent was known to be very good at estimating. Both lumber companies hired him to estimate timber for them. He as also known as an honest man. Once a man made him an offer to sell his timber for $10,000. Grandpa said that he went to look it over. As he drove up to the timber he knew there was more than $10,000 worth of timber there. After cutting it he said that he made much more than he expected so he gave the man another $5,000.

One of his workers, Henry, broke his leg while working. Grandpa took care of Henry until he was able to return to work. I remember one time he stopped at Henry’s house to pay him as if he had worked all week. He asked if he needed any groceries or anything else.

Ben Ervin Kent was a hard working family man. He expected his boys and girls to work hard also. He died on August 2, 1960 and is buried at Antioch Cemetery in Winston County Mississippi.