USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > Cambria County pioneers; a collection of brief biographical and other sketches relating to the early history of Cambria County, Pennsylvania > Part 6
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Your letter of May 26th and accompanying copy of your work, Iron in All Ages, are at hand, all of which are of much interest and value to me and for which I thank you.
In respect to your request that I give you a history of the origin of the Cambria Iron Works, at Johnstown, I will state that in my effort to do so, for the reason that I am without access to books and memoranda, I can not give dates or enter into the matter as specifically as I would like to do. To properly get at the facts I will go back to my first identification with the iron business, my interest in which finally led to the location and first erection of the Cambria Iron Works, for many years the largest and still one of the most extensive works of their kind in the United States.
Owing to the depressed condition of all business, in con- sequence of the adoption of the compromise tariff of 1833, a great many of the people being out of employment, as well as myself, I concluded that a means might be found to somewhat change this condition through the iron ore deposits in the hills around Johnstown. After a search of
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several months I found, in 1839 or 1840, a deposit of ore, and thought it sufficient to justify the erection of a furnace to work it. For the reason that there was but little or no money in circulation my idea was to take the iron out of the ore and trade it for merchandise with which to pay the workingmen and enable them to live.
In the first undertaking I associated with me David Stewart and John K. and Wm. L. Shryock, and I gave the name " Cambria " to our furnace, which we built on Laurel run, about three miles from Johnstown. This being before the day of stone coal for furnace use we used charcoal for fuel. Our first iron was made in 1841. About the latter part of 1843 Dr. Peter Shoenberger, of Pittsburgh, purchas- ed the interest of David Stewart, and in 1844 Dr. Shoen- berger and myself purchased the interest of John K. and Wm. L. Shryock, thereby becoming equal owners of Cam- bria furnace. We sold our pig iron at Pittsburgh.
The tariff of 1842 now being in force and effective, as it better protected the industries of the United States, better times resulted and they justified operators in going into new enterprises and increasing their business. Dr. Shoen- berger and I concluded to take advantage of the change, and we built two more new furnaces, Mill Creek and Ben's Creek furnaces, situated about four miles from Johnstown in an opposite direction from Cambria furnace. In these enterprises John Bell was associated with us, remaining so for one or two years, when Dr. Shoenberger and I purchased his interest.
By this time the tariff of 1846 went into operation and it greatly depressed all business, checking enterprise and breaking up much of the iron manufacturing then done in this country. David Stewart, who was formerly associated with me, taking advantage of the recent good times, had built Blacklick furnace, situated about eight miles northwest of Johnstown, in Indiana county. Because of the reduc- tions in duties in the tariff of 1846 Mr. Stewart, like many others, became dissatisfied with the result of his enter- prise, and came to us, offering to dispose of it to us, and we purchased it.
We then had four furnaces which we kept alive and in
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operation during depressed times for some years, and that, too, with little or no profit to us. In this situation it be- came a question as to what move we could make in order to perpetuate the business we had engaged in. Dr. Shoen- berger advocated the erection of a large foundry, to put our iron into the shape of castings, such as large sugar kettles for the New Orleans market, these and other cast- ings then seeming most in demand.
I advocated the erection of a rolling mill to manufacture railroad iron. Our iron was not adapted for bar iron pur- poses, and in my opinion was not good for castings, as it was too hard, though in a wrought form I was satisfied that it was good for railroad iron if properly worked, and the result of a trial demonstrated that I was right in this opin- ion. Finally we agreed upon an effort being made in the direction of organizing a company to erect a rolling mill for the manufacture of railroad iron.
I think that it was in February, 1852, when I left Johns- town to go East to get parties to become interested in the new enterprise. I went first to New York City, and being unacquainted with any one there I was placed at a disad- vantage. Among those I could hear of as being most likely to invest in the enterprise was Simeon Draper, a broker, and whom I had heard of quite often. When I called at his office I found him absent, but I presented the matter to his chief business man, George W. Hodges.
Finding but little encouragement in New York I con- cluded to go to Boston. My first efforts in Boston were not flattering and resulted in my discovering the fountain-head of a concern that I knew something about before. I was taken by a party to the office of an alleged large and wealthy "iron company," and found the office grandly fitted up and well equipped with advertising material, consisting of pamphlets, circulars, etc., one of which was handed to me. It set forth that this "iron company " represented a capital of $500,000 and their works were said to be located near Hollidaysburg, Blair county, where they owned two hundred acres of land and a furnace under construction. I was aware before this that an attempt had been made to build a furnace as mentioned in the pamphlet, and knew
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all about the matter so well that I got out of that office as soon as possible. I said nothing to them about my matter, nor did I tell them what I knew about theirs.
I next met a party, Mr. Daniel Wilde, to whom I talked about the object I had in view. He called on me at the hotel and we had our second talk, and he proposed that we go and see Mr. John Hartshorn, a broker. We went to his office, I taking with me a schedule of the property Dr. Sho- enberger and I intended to put into the business. We saw Mr. Hartshorn and acquainted him with the matter, I lay- ing before him our proposition, which was that Dr. Shoen- berger and I should put in our four furnaces, with tools, teams, all the firm's property, except goods in stores and metal on hand, and twenty-five thousand acres of land, all valued at $300,000, of which we would retain shares in stock to the amount of $100,000 and the rest to be paid to us by the company. Mr. Hartshorn and Mr. Wilde agreed to get. up the company within six months' time from date. I then wrote to Dr. Shoenberger to come on to Boston, and on his reaching there he and I signed the articles of agree- ment as above stated.
Upon me was placed the duty of procuring the charter, and to effect this as soon as possible I went to Harrisburg. In our conversations no mention was made of the name of the company to be organized and the works to be built. Of my own choice and without consulting with Dr. Shoen- berger or others I gave the names "Cambria Iron Company" and " Cambria Iron Works." Our capital was placed at $1,000,000 and the works were to be located at Johnstown.
When procuring the charter I found a general law exist- ing that limited the quantity of land to be held by such an organization in one county, and our land not lying in accordance with this provision I went to the Legislature, · then in session, and procured the enactment of an additional section to the original law, permitting the holding of lands in more than one county without limit as to quantity. This accomplished and the charter secured I next went to Philadelphia and succeeded in procuring subscriptions of about $30,000 in stock on the part of some merchants with whom I had business relations.
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At the expiration of six months our Boston parties had not succeeded as expected and were granted a limit of six months longer to effect their purposes. They transferred their efforts to New York and called on Simeon Draper, whom I had tried to enlist in the matter before I went to Boston. Mr. Draper became a subscriber to the stock and vouched for other subscribers to the amount of $300,000. We then held a meeting to organize the company, resulting as follows: Dr. Peter Shoenberger, president ; Simeon Draper, treasurer ; George W. Hodges, secretary ; and myself, general manager. About this time a change was made in the amount of stock shares to be retained by Dr. Shoen berger and myself, we taking $200,000, instead of $100,000, as first agreed upon, leaving $100,000 to be paid to us in money by the company.
I had before this time conditionally contracted with parties in Johnstown for land which I thought most con- venient and best adapted for locating the works, and the company now being organized I immediately secured it and began to erect the rolling mill, four hot-blast coke furna- ces, and other buildings, also grading for a coke yard, etc. This was in February, 1853, just one year after I went to New York and Boston to get up the company.
I have herein given you a brief history of the Cambria Iron Company from its origin up to the first work done in the erection of the works, which I think will cover your re- quest as contained in your letter. Very respectfully yours,
GEORGE S. KING.
LEWISTOWN, Fulton County, Illinois, June 14, 1888.
George Shryock King was born at Hagerstown, Maryland, on October 28, 1809, and died at Johnstown on December 8, 1903, aged over 94 years.
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HON. DANIEL JOHNSON MORRELL.
HON. DANIEL JOHNSON MORRELL.
. FROM THE BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, AUGUST 26, 1885.
HON. DANIEL J. MORRELL died at his home in Johns- town on Thursday morning, August 20, 1885, at the age of 64 years and twelve days. Daniel Johnson Morrell was a descendant of one of three brothers who in early colo- nial days emigrated from Old England to New England. From these three brothers there probably descended all the Morrells and Morrills in the United States to-day. David Morrell, grandfather of Daniel J. Morrell, made his home in Maine considerably over a century ago, and here, in a set- tlement of Friends, or Quakers, in the town, or township, of Berwick and county of York, was born, one hundred and two years ago, on the farm on which he died eleven years ago, Thaddeus Morrell. When about twenty-three years old he married a neighbor's daughter, Susannah Ayres. They were married on February 17, 1806, and were buried on the same day, June 10, 1874. Ten children were given to this Quaker couple, of whom eight grew to manhood and womanhood. Daniel was the seventh child. He was born on the farm on August 8, 1821.
The childhood and youth of Mr. Morrell were attended by such vicissitudes as are experienced by most boys whose lot has been cast in pioneer homes. His immediate ances- tors were true pioneers, whose scanty fortunes had been carved from primeval forests and gleaned from the virgin soil amid many hardships and at the risk of life itself. His father's family wore homespun, woven from threads of flax and wool which had made acquaintance with the fam- ily spinning-wheel. When old enough Daniel was taught to assist in the labors of the farm, and when the winter school was in session he was a regular attendant. But the entire time spent by him in the school-room did not exceed two
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years. The education thus acquired was, of course, limit- ed to the most elementary studies. The only additional schooling he ever received was obtained in a course of study at a commercial college after his entrance upon a business life. His religious training was such as prevails among the Friends.
Those citizens of York county who were not engaged in farming sixty-odd years ago found profitable and needed employment in some form of manufacturing industry. If they did not make iron the first settlers of York county did make it. During the Revolution the colonists had great difficulty in procuring iron, and extraordinary efforts were made to supply the want. Many Catalan forges were erect- ed, by means of which malleable iron was obtained directly from the ore by a single fusion. One of these forges stood two miles from the farm of David Morrell, and from the farm itself was taken the ore from which the iron was made. The grandmother of the boy Daniel used to delight to tell him how the iron was made by the Catalan process in the forge that had long been abandoned. Years after- wards, in a distant State, he successfully embarked in the manufacture of iron and steel on the largest scale and by the most improved modern processes.
In 1837, when in his sixteenth year, Mr. Morrell left home and went to Philadelphia, to which city his older brother David had preceded him. David was engaged in the wholesale dry-goods trade as a member of the firm of Trotter, Morrell & Co., which occupied the building now designated as No. 32 North Fourth street. With this firm Mr. Morrell was employed as a clerk for five years, until 1842, when the firm was dissolved and he embarked in the same business for himself, in the same building, his brother David being associated with him. The business of this firm was conducted with energy, but with some eccentricity on the part of David, the older brother, which finally led to its dissolution. In 1845 Mr. Morrell joined Oliver Martin, a dealer in fancy dry goods, at No. 28 North Fourth street, first as a clerk and afterwards as a partner, the firm name being Martin, Morrell & Co. In 1854 Mr. Martin died and Mr. Morrell became executor of his estate. Notwithstanding
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the death of Mr. Martin the business of the firm continued, and Mr. Morrell's duties kept him constantly engaged until 1855, when his mercantile career ended. He retired with a small capital to assume the management of the Cambria Iron Works, at Johnstown, which had been established in 1853 for the manufacture of iron rails, and which in 1855 passed into the hands of Wood, Morrell & Co. as lessees. This position he retained for nearly twenty-nine years, until January, 1884, when failing health obliged him to retire from all active business.
Down to 1871 the product of the Cambria Iron Works was iron rails solely, in the manufacture of which they had acquired an excellent reputation, but long prior to this year the time had arrived when it became apparent that rails rolled from steel made by the Bessemer process must ultimately displace those made of iron, on account of their greater durability. Mr. Morrell early perceived the coming revolution, and it was largely through his efforts and per- sistence that the directors of his company were among the first in this country to enter upon the business of manu- facturing Bessemer rails. The company commenced their manufacture on July 12, 1871.
During the early part of his mercantile career Mr. Mor- rell frequently visited the Western and Southern States as a collector, and in this way he obtained a knowledge of the extent and resources of the country which he could not otherwise have acquired. He was a regular attendant for several years upon the lectures of the Franklin Institute, and the time thus spent in a scientific atmosphere was most profitably employed. Attaching himself to the Whig party he became an ardent admirer of its great leader, Henry Clay, and from his speeches he obtained a knowledge of the policy of governmental protection to American indus- tries, of which policy he subsequently became one of the most prominent exponents in the country.
Since 1855 Mr. Morrell had resided continuously in Johnstown and taken an active interest in its growth and prosperity. He might have kept himself aloof from its people and manifested no interest in their welfare, but he chose to regard himself as one of their number and to throw
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his influence in the scale in behalf of local improvements. and an enlarged public spirit. During the Rebellion he greatly aided the cause of the country by encouraging the enlistment of volunteers. Almost every able-bodied em- ployé at the Cambria Iron Works was at some period of the war an enlisted Union soldier. When the war closed his great ability, his patriotism, his intelligent and influ- ential advocacy of the protective policy, and his many sterling qualities of head and heart were recognized by the people of the Congressional district in which he resid- ed, who twice elected him their Representative in Congress. -first in 1866 by a majority of 1,219 and again in 1868 by a majority of 1,094. In 1870 he was a candidate for- re-election, but was beaten by 11 votes through the defec- tion of a faction of the Republican party in Huntingdon county.
In his first speech in Congress Mr. Morrell uttered the- following plea for labor : "The American workingman must live in a house, not a hut; he must wear decent. clothes and eat wholesome and nourishing food. He is an. integral part of the municipality, the State, and the Nation; subject to no fetters of class or caste; neither pauper, nor peasant, nor serf, but a free American citizen. He has the- ballot, and if it were possible it would be dangerous to degrade him. The country stands pledged to give him education, political power, and a higher form of life than foreign nations accord their laborers, and he must be sus -- tained by higher rates of wages than those of Europe .. Our industries operated by American citizens must be freed from foreign interference and organized into a distinct. American system, which will exact some temporary sacri- fices but result in general prosperity and true national in- dependence. In maintaining diversified industries we util- ize every talent, provide a field for every capacity, and bind together the whole people in mutual dependence and support, assuring the strength and security of our Repub- lic." No better definition of the protective policy of this. country was ever written.
Upon the organization of the first Congress to which Mr. Morrell was elected, the Fortieth, he was made chair --
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man of the standing committee on manufactures and a member of the standing committee on freedmen's affairs. He retained his chairmanship of the committee on manu- factures during the Forty-first Congress, and was also a member of the standing committee on the Pacific Railroad and of the select committee on the decline of American commerce. The feature, however, of his Congressional career with which his name will longest be associated is his intro- duction on the 9th of March, 1870, of a bill to provide for the celebration at Philadelphia of the hundredth anniver- sary of American Independence. This bill became a law largely through his persistent advocacy of its propriety and justice, and through the happy effect produced on Congress and the country by his admirably conceived speech of the 14th of December, 1870, in favor of its passage. Upon the organization of the Centennial Commission provided for in the act of Congress the services of Mr. Morrell in se- curing its creation, and his superior business and executive qualifications, were recognized by his selection as chair- man of the executive committee of the commission.
In January, 1878, Mr. Morrell was appointed by President Hayes a commissioner to the Paris Exposition. On Tuesday evening, May 7, 1878, he was tendered a farewell dinner at the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia by leading citizens of the State, including Governor John F. Hartranft, Mayor William S. Stokley, Hon. Morton McMichael, General Robert Patterson, Thomas A. Scott, Henry C. Carey, A. J. Drexel, A. E. Borie, and many others almost equally distinguished. Over one hundred gentlemen sat down to the dinner, which was tendered him "as a complimentary testimonial on the eve of his departure to Europe as a Commissioner from the United States to the International Industrial Exposition at Paris, and in recognition of the services rendered by him to the Centennial Exhibition while he was a member of Con- gress, and afterwards while filling the arduous and responsi- ble position of chairman of the executive committee of the Centennial Commission during the whole period of its ex- istence." Governor Hartranft presided at the dinner. On May 9, 1878, Mr. Morrell sailed for Europe, returning on the 14th of October, 1878.
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On the 6th of March, 1879, Mr. Morrell was elected pres- ident of the American Iron and Steel Association. He re- signed this office on December 15, 1884, his resignation being accepted and his successor chosen on January 6, 1885. His official retirement from the management of the Cambria Iron Works took place on January 15, 1884, owing to ill- health, as we have already stated.
In 1845 Mr. Morrell married Susan Lower, daughter of Powell Stackhouse, a member of the Society of Friends. His wife and a daughter survive him .* The latter is the wife of Captain Philip E. Chapin, the general manager of the Cambria Iron Works. Mr. Morrell was never blessed with any other children.
The funeral of Mr. Morrell took place on Monday, Au- gust 24, and was attended by an immense concourse of his old neighbors and employés. Many friends from a distance were also present. He was buried at Johnstown, amid the scenes of his industrial triumphs and among a people who loved him and will miss him.
* Mrs. Morrell died at her home in Johnstown on June 7, 1887. Her daughter, Mrs. Chapin, died in Paris, France, on March 2, 1909.
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MAJOR GEORGE NELSON SMITH.
MAJOR GEORGE NELSON SMITH.
FROM THE JOHNSTOWN DAILY TRIBUNE OF SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1891.
DIED, at his residence, No. 2231 Madison Square, Phila- delphia, on Monday, December 29, 1890, Major George Nel- son Smith, aged 82 years, 6 months, and 10 days.
George Nelson Smith was born at Youngstown, West- moreland county, on June 19, 1808. His father's name was William Smith and his mother's maiden name was Agnes Nelson. They were natives respectively of the State of Delaware and of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and resid- ed, about the beginning of the century, at Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, whence they emigrated to Bedford coun- ty and thence to Westmoreland county. Both came of good fighting stock, William Smith's father being at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and Agnes Nelson's father losing his life from exposure while at Valley Forge.
The father of Major Smith was by trade a cooper, and some years after George was born he went to work mak- ing barrels for the salt-makers on the Conemaugh and Kis- kiminitas rivers, continuing that occupation for many years. By a sort of evolution George became a keel-boatman on the rivers mentioned and on the Allegheny river, the keel boats taking salt to Pittsburgh. He was a natural waterman, a good swimmer, and fond of the excitement and the dangers of a keel-boatman's life. When the western division of the Pennsylvania Canal was but partly built he left the keel boat for the canal boat, and he enjoyed the honor of having steered the first boat that ran on that division, the General Abner Lacock. This was between Warren, now Apollo, and Leechburg in 1829. Entering the service of D. Leech & Co. he became the captain of one of their first packet-boats, the Pioneer. Subsequently he had some experience in organiz- ing the company's line on the eastern division of the canal.
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When in command of the Pioneer an incident occurred which marked a heroic trait of his character. While his boat was spinning along in one of the pools, or dams, of the Kiskiminitas, in 1834, one of the passengers, Mrs. Lovell, the wife of a New Orleans merchant, who also was a pas- senger, fell overboard. Captain Smith was sitting at an open window at the time. As quick as thought he jump- ed through the window into the water, and before the boat could be stopped he had safely landed Mrs. Lovell on the bank. This incident has a sequel, as we shall presently see.
In the following year, 1835, Captain Smith and some friends concluded to go West. Taking passage on an Ohio river steamboat they reached Louisville in due time, where they were detained. Here another incident occurred which illustrates again the nobility of Captain Smith's character. Walking along the levee he noticed a woman who was sur- rounded by two or three little children and a few house- hold goods and was in great distress. Inquiry revealed the fact that her husband had been killed in a Louisville fac- tory and that she was anxious to return to her home at Pittsburgh, but her funds were wholly inadequate to meet the necessary steamboat charges. Captain Smith at once paid her steamboat fare and that of her children to Pitts- burgh, and also paid the steward of the boat for their entertainment until their destination should be reached.
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