The East Texas firm of Lufkin Foundry & Machine Co. opened for business in 1902. They began by repairing sawmill machinery, and, by about 1905 they were manufacturing such machinery. The founders included lumberman Joseph Hubert Kurth, Sr., and foundry owner Frank Kavanaugh, Sr. In 1905 they were joined Walter Charles Trout, a sawmill machinery salesman from E. P. Allis & Co. Trout brought in some sawmill patents and was instrumental in making their sawmill machinery success. He later became the president of the company.
By about 1920 East Texas had been largely deforested and the sawmill market dried up. Lufkin segued into oil drilling equipment and refinery equipment, and, eventually, into the manufacture of trailers, machine parts, and automotive and industrial supplies. They are still in business, having changed their name in 1970 to Lufkin Industries, but are long out of the sawmill business.
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