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Before the days of fabricated boxes and waterproof plastic containers, barrels were vital for the transportation of goods.  Stave mills produced the narrow strips of wood that compose the sides of barrels.  In the 1916, R. D. Foley opened a stave mill in Troy.

In 1916, Troy is to have a new industry, a stave mill.  The Foley State Company has leased three acres of land from J. L. Copeland, at a site a few hundred feet north of the veneering mills on North Three Notch road, upon which the stave mill is to be located.  The lease is for a period of two years.  It is understood, however, that the mill will be operated as long as the stave timber can be secured here.

The Central of Georgia has granted a petition from the stave company for a 400-ft sidetrack, which will be placed in immediately.

The new mill will give employment to many men, and counting those who will get out time in the country, it is likely that perhaps some fifty people may be employed.

In 1917, R. D. Foley, owner of the big slave mill in the Northern part of the city will not only double the present full capacity of his stave mill, but that he will also put in a handle manufacturing plant, was confirmed by Mr. Foley this morning when seen by a Messenger representative.

The present stave mill is turning out a large amount of staves each day, and the big additions will give the mills and yards an increased activity, making the site one of the busiest places in Troy.

Mr. Foley stated that within the next five or six weeks his mills would be employing likely one hundred men.  The pay roll, it will be seen, will amount to a splendid sum each week or month.

Mr. Foley is seeking to buy all of the timber he can from the farmers of Pike County, timbers suitable of course to his needs.  The farmers have cut and sold to him great quantities of stave timbers in the past several months and have derived splendid sums therefrom.

In addition to the timber he is securing from farmers, Mr. Foley is buying many acres of hardwood timber lands, to insure a sufficient supply of timber for his mills at all times.

He has recently purchased timber lands in the Banks and Brundidge vicinity, and has also purchased 1,700 acres of hardwood timber lands between Shady Grove and Petrey.

The Foley plants mean much to Troy and to this section in an industrial way, and Mr. Foley is congratulated by the people of Troy and this section upon his progressive spirit.  They wish him great success with his additional mills.

All of these articles can be found in previous editions of The Troy Messenger.  Stay tuned for more.  Dianne Smith is the President of the Pike County Historical, Genealogical and Preservation Society.