Monroe County's Lufkin community once boasted two stores, a post office and a school

Students at Lufkin school in 1914.

Last Friday morning, I got the itch to get out and do some riding around. My truck was in the shop, and I was having to borrow my wife’s car. Knowing it wouldn’t go the types of places that my truck would go, I decided to stick to the blacktop on this field trip.

I struck off south out of Monroeville and eventually found myself in downtown Frisco City. I made my way past the old high school and the old public pool on Perdue Hill Road. As I continued north and out of the town limits, I was reminded that I was in the vicinity of the old Lufkin community.

Few people today remember Lufkin, but at one time, it was an important stop on the old railroad between Manistee and Manistee Junction. According to historical records, Lufkin had its own post office from 1904 to 1906, and other sources say that the community once had two stores, a school and a planer mill. Wood planed at this mill came from a big saw mill at Manistee and was shipped by train to markets up and down the line.

Most maps show that the old Lufkin community was located near the end of what we now call Majors Road, which is just off Perdue Hill Road, northwest of Frisco City. As best that I could determine, the community was likely named after a Mr. Lufkin, a former sawyer at the Bear Creek Mill at Manistee. The term “sawyer” is an old term for a person who operates a saw mill or who cuts lumber to length for sale.

The earliest reference to the Lufkin community that I could find in old Monroe Journals was in the March 17, 1904 edition. That paper contained a community news column written by a correspondent named “Sweet Heart.” She reported that “Mr. J.B. Green is erecting a post office at Lufkin, hopes to have it completed soon.” She also wrote that the community extended their “heartfelt sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Riggins, who lost their little girl, Eddieneil, last Tuesday. She was laid to rest at the Shiloh cemetery Wednesday morning.”

The Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery is located a short distance from the intersection of Perdue Hill Road and Majors Road. On my way back into town, I pulled over at the cemetery, which is located adjacent to the church. This large cemetery contains about 900 graves, and the oldest I could find belonged to Jabe “Jabez” Bodiford, who died at the age of 36 in 1885. Oddly, despite my best efforts, I found no grave for Eddieneil Riggins.

According to a historical marker near the entrance to the property, this cemetery was established in 1884 and is among the oldest in this part of the state. Constructed in 1884, the Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church is also the oldest building still standing in Frisco City. The marker notes that some of the graves there are not marked and some cannot be read.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about the old Lufkin community near Frisco City. I’m especially interested in hearing any old ghost stories, local legends or Indian lore from this part of the county. If you know of anything along these lines, please let me know.