The first mill started at Success, in Clay County. The year, 1909, was an eventful one for Pocahontas as Joe and Ray E. Sallee moved their operations to their once, long-term location on Black River in Pocahontas. Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Sallee later moved with them, and two older brothers, Oscar and Robert P. Sallee moved their families to Pocahontas and were employed with the mill for many years. Joe Sallee died in 1927 at the age of 54. After the death of Ray E. Sallee in 1951, the company became the property of his son-inlaw and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. (Dick) Jackson. The year, 1967, saw the incorporation of Sallee Brothers with IXL, Inc., of Bernie, Missouri, who were the owners of seven other plants. In the earlier years, handles of various kinds were produced in the Pocahontas plant from start to finish. Eventually, they were only manufacturing one handle to entirety in the local plant, it was a railroad pick handle. Sallee Brothers bought top quality hickory timber from Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Illinois. This timber was sawed into blanks which were shipped to other IXL plants. The blanks returned to Pocahontas as unfinished handles. Handles are finished at the local plant, stamped with the name of the store or company which will be merchandising them, and then are shipped all over the United States and to three foreign countries; New Zealand, West Indies, and England. They were also available to be purchased locally.
