Amos D. Starbird and his wife, Mary Jane Gilkey, operated a lumber mill at Starbird Corner in Freeman from 1870 until 1887 when they sold the business to their son, Clinton V. Starbird. Clinton continued the business there for one year, moving it to Strong in 1888, where he secured proximity to a rail line. Fire destroyed that mill in 1900, so he rebuilt larger and better. He operated this mill until his death in 1915, when his wife, Flora A. Kilkenny, and son, Raymond Starbird took over.

Four Starbird generations had been involved in the operation of lumber mills at this location when sold in 1977.