History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 96

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 96

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In the mean time Clement Rentgen weut to Christopher Knauer, ou French Creek, in Nantmeal township, and Knauer ereeted a tilt for himu, where he made shovels, spades, and hoes. Ile also invented the making of round bar iron, and obtained >>. patent thereon. Being unable to supply the demand with one tilt, he in the year 1804, or thereabouts, purchased a site of Samuel Ilirsh where the Royal Spring Run empties into French Creek, aud erected a tilt there, to which he moved as soon as a house was finished for his family. He left Peter Grund at the one he moved from to carry on the business in Rentgea's name, paying him $30 for every ton he could make. Rentgen bad all the trouble of providing the bar-iron and disposing of the product, besides being responsible to Knauer for the rent, for all which he had $5 per ton for all that Grund wade. Peter Grund was an apprentice to Rentgen in Germany, and worked three years as journeyman with him before coming to America. Rentgen brought him here to be his journeyman, but as the business did not prosper at first Grund learned the blacksmith trade, and followed that until he took charge of the tilt-mill. Mr. Knaner persuaded Grund to sell the iron himself in Philadelphia, and put the $5 in his owa pocket; so he went to the city and let the works stand while he was absent, and when ho came

back he had to go from forge to forge to get har-iron. Rentgeo tried to prevail on Knauer and Grund to desist from this course, and at last had a notice served on them by the United States marshal. The matter come to trial, and Grund testified that Rentgen was not the inventor of making round iron, for he had learned his trade with him, and so Rentgen lost the suit, and his patent was void.

Now it was a fact that Grund learned his trade with Rentgen. but that was refining steel, and in the timno Rentgen worked at Knauer's he refined for the Pottses that raw steel that father made at Viuceut works. Peter Grund came to Rentgen, which is quite bright to my recollection, and neither of them had ever seen or heard of any round iron being made such as that by a blacksmith, but I often had heard Rentgen relate that he had a brother many years in advance of him who was the inventor of wire-drawin ..

After all this Rentgen invented the rolling of round iron, of which word flow to England, and the market was soon overstocked, sinco which Rentgen's works are idle. Ile then invented the making of candon- and grape-shot as smooth as ever a small shol was made. lle sent two boxes to Washington for inspection, and the War Depart- ment approved of them, but he got no further encouragement.

A Mr. Voigt, or Vocht, then head of the United States Mint, at Philadelphia, pronounced the steel that was made here better than uny that had come from Europe. They then used noue hut German steel for the dies for eoining.

In Swank's history of iron manufacture, already referred to, it is stated that Rentgen obtained a patent Nov. 17, 1796, for forging bolts or round iron ; and on June 27, 1810, another patent for rolling iron in round shapes, " proving that Cort's rolls had not then been introduced into the United States." His various enterprises were known as the " Pikeland Works" from being situated in that township.

THIE FIRST ROLLING-MILL,

not only in Chester County, but in the State and nation, is thus described (2, 15, 1881). by A. F. Huston, of Coates- ville :

" My great-grandfather, Isaac Peunock, moved into East Fallow- field township, to a place now ealled Rokehy, about 1793, and estab- lished a mill for rolling sheet- and strip-iron. Its name was ' Federal Slitting-Mill,' and run by water-power,-Buek Run. This was the first rolling-mill in America, so far as I have been able to learn.

" The strips were slit up (hence the name slitting-mill) iato rods for making nails. All nails were then forged out of rods by hand on the anvil. There were no boiler-plates made or needed at that time. I have an old ledger of the slitting-mill, bearing the date of 1798, which was probably about the date of the first work done at the mill.# Re- becca, daughter of Isaac Pennoek, married Dr. Charles Lukens, the lutter going into partnership with his father-in-law. But in 1816 the doctor and his wife moved to Coatesville, where he operated the mill called Brandywine (now Lukens). It was the first, and for many years the only, mill at that place. It was there the

FIRST BOILER-PLATE MADE-IN PENNSYLVANIA

was manufactured. It is probably, too, the first in America. So Dr. Charles Lukens (my grandfather) was the pioncer in this branch of the irou manufacture.

" At the death of Dr. Lukens, in 1825, the business was carried on by his wife, Rebecca W. Lukens, who greatly increased it, and cou- ducted it successfully for many years. As a tribute to her memory the uamo of the works was, after her death, changed to 'Lukens Rolling-Mill.' It has been operated continuously in the family from 1816 to the present day."

" Lukens Rolling-Mills," (formerly Brandywine) were es- tablished in 1810. Dr. Charles Lukens operated them from 1.816 until his death (1825), and afterwards his widow for many years. Its present owners and managers are Charles, A. F., and C. L. Huston, and Charles Penrose, under the firm-name of Huston, Penrose & Co. This mill has four

# The "Federal Slitting-Mill" has long since been abandoned for manufacturing iron, and a. paper-mill now occupies its site.

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

heating- and three puddling-furnaces. About 100 men are employed.

THE PHOENIX IRON-WORKS.

Iron-works were started at this place in the latter part of the last century for the manufacture of nails, and were con- tinued without much success until 1828, when the works were bought at sheriff's sale, as the property of Jonas Thompson, by Reeves & Whitaker, the partners then being Benjamin and David Reeves and James and Joseph Whit- aker. They materially increased and improved the works, building a new and improved rolling-mill, and putting in improved self-heading nail machinery, much more than quadrupling the product. They also built a charcoal blast- furnace, which they ran for several years, until the acces- sible wood was exhausted. In 1845 they began the erec- tion of two anthracite blast-furnaecs, and in 1846 the erec- tion of a rolling-mill for the manufacture of railroad iron. This rolling-mill was at that time equal, if not superior, to any rolling-mill in this country, and was also equal in quality, if not in capacity, to any at that time existing in England. Since then another and larger blast-furnace lias been added, the mills have been materially enlarged, the machine-shop increased in capacity, so that the progress has been not only onward in quantity, but upward in quality.

Rails continued a large part of the product of the wrought iron of these works np to the close of the war, since which very few rails have been made, attention hav- ing been mainly directed to higher and finer qualities of iron.

The manufacture of nails was continued at these works until 1848, when the nail-mill was burned. The business of nail-making was then transferred to other works owned by the same firm at Bridgeton, Cumberland Co., N. J.

The owners of the works have been since 1828 suc- eessively Reeves & Whitaker, Reeves, Buck & Co., and the Phoenix Iron Company, the Messrs. Reeves being for the entire time by far the largest owners.

When fully at work there are about 1500 men employed, nearly 100,000 tons of coal consumed, about 60,000 tons of ore required for the blast-furnaces, which have a capacity to produce about 30,000 tons of pig-iron, which is about what the mill requires to be converted into wrought iron. The annual value of sales is about $3,000,000.

The wages alone paid out to the workmen in busy times is nearly $70,000 per month, and the freight paid on the raw material coming is over $30,000 per month.

The new mill is a fire-proof building, being an iron frame, sided with iron and roofed with slate. It is the largest single mill in this country.

This company, of which John Griffen is the general superintendent, manufactures all the higher qualities of wrought iron, such as are used by architects, engineers, fancy iron-workers, iron-bridge builders, etc., including iron beams and joists used in buildings and the ribs and decks of iron ships. At these works have been rolled most of the iron used for ribs and decks of all the iron ships built on the Delaware, included among which are the iron steamers running in the interest of the Pennsylvania Railroad to Liverpool, as also those built at Chester for the Pacific

Mail Steamship Company, two of which were of 5000 tons burden,-next to the "Great Eastern" the two largest mer- chant steamships afloat.

These works made large quantities of wrought-iron guns (which, by the by, was an invention of one of its em- ployees), which were used during the war of the Rebellion.

THE THORNDALE IRON-WORKS.

The first ereetion of works was in 1847, when J. & J. Forsythe & Sons built the mill and 16 dwelling-houses. In a few years the property was sold, the works being pur- chased by Horace A. Beale (Parkesburg), who sold about 1861 to J. B. Moorhead, of Philadelphia, from whom they passed into the hands of William L. Bailey in the autumn of 1868, who ran the works for nearly eight years, in connection with J. B. Hayes, under the firm-name of William L. Bailey & Co. They are now owned by a stock company, Charles L. Bailey, of Harrisburg, being president ; Abraham S. Patterson, of same place, vice-president; and William L. Bailey, treasurer. They manufacture plate-iron of the various descriptions used in locomotives, boilers, tanks, bridges, and ships, producing in 1880 an aggre- gate of 6,495,777 pounds of finished iron. They employ between 80 and 90 men.

OTHER IRON-WORKS.

The iron-manufacturing establishments in the county at the present time, beside those just previously mentioned, are as follows :

The Valley Iron-Works, operated by C. E. Pennock & Co., is located at Rock Run, about one mile north of Coatesville. The mill contains six puddling- and four heating-furnaces, manufactures principally plate-iron, and employs the ser- vices of some 200 hands.

The Viaduct Mill is situated in the northern part of the borough of Coatesville, on the banks of the Brandywine. It is said to have been established by the Yearsleys. It was formerly the property (or under the management) of Steele & Worth, but is now controlled by a stock company, ealled the Coatesville Iron Company. In this mill there are five puddling- and five heating-furnaces; all of them are not in operation at this time. The number of men required to work this mill is about 150. They manufacture pipe and plate-iron.

The Laurel Iron-Works, operated by W. P. Worth & Co., and the works at Parkesburg (H. A. Beale & Co.), both make skelp and flue-iron.

There is a forge on the Octorara, operated by Charles Goodman ; one on French Creek, by Esther Kauffman ; and one on the east branch of the Brandywine, by John Cornog.

We regret that want of time prevents a complete eluci- dation of the history of iron manufacture and other in- dustries in this county. Several paper-mills were estab- lished prior to this century, and the business has grown to one of considerable magnitude.

CLOCK-MAKERS.

The old long eight-day elocks of our grandfathers were formerly made by several persons in this county. The

ROCK RUN WOOLEN MILLS, H. KENWORTHY, PRO. VALLEY TP. CHESTER CO. PA.

Stve

RES. OF R.J. GRIER, EAST NOTTINGHAM CHESTER CO. PA.

MT JORDAN POTTERY OXFORD. CHESTER CO.PA ._ R.J. GRIER, PROPRIETOR.

351

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

evidence seems to indicate that the brass works were ob- tained from England and fitted together here, the eases being generally made on the spot.

The Chandlees of Nottingham were the first workmen in that line of whom we have any account. Benjamin Chand- lee was the pioneer, and removed from that neighborhood in 1741. His son, of the same name, manufactured at the " Brick Meeting" not only clocks, but compasses and a general line of mathematical instruments. He died in 1794. Ellis Chandlee, son of the latter, was perhaps the most ingenions of his line, and clocks of his make are yet to be found.

Isaac Thomas, of Willistown, grandfather of the late Dr. Isaac Thomas, was a cabinet-maker, and made clocks during several years of the last century. Ilis residence was on the Boot road, near Crum Creek. Caleb Ilibberd, of the same township, a mile east of Sugartown, was a maker of clocks in the early part of this century. Isaac Jackson, of New Garden, grandfather of Joseph J. Lewis, was quite ingenious, and worked in the finer metals. He is classed among the clock-makers. Benjamin Garrett, a

cabinet-maker of Goshen, began to make cloeks about 1800. The eastings were imported, and filed and fitted by his workmen, he making only the cases. The surrounding townships were pretty well supplied with his clocks, which he continued to make for fifteen or twenty years. His residenee was about three hundred yards east of Goshen Meeting. Joseph Cave, a clock- and watch-maker of West Chester, made clocks from about 1824 to 1834, Thomas Ogden making the eases for him. Abraham Corl, of East Nantmeal, carried on the business about 1820. George Baldwin, of Sadsburyville, and D. M. Anderson, of Waynesburg, were also elock -makers about fifty years ago .. George Jackson, of Unionville, is said to have obtained both works and eases from the Old World, and fitted them together here.

The most of these makers had their names placed on the faces of their clocks, but omitted the dates, which would now add to their value. The Yankee clocks being intro- duced about 1835, few of the others were made after that date. Those which now remain are becoming much sought after as relics and specimens of antique furniture.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

ROADS, TURNPIKES, BRIDGES, FERRIES, CA- NALS, RAILROADS.

THE earliest high ways were the Indian trails. The gov- ernment took early action for the establishment of roads. In 1678 the court at Upland

" ordered that every person should within the space of two months, as far as bis land reaches, make good and passable ways from neigh- bor to neighbour, w'th bridges where itt needs, To the End that neigbours on occasion may come together,-those neglecting to forfeit 25 guilders."

The manner of making these roads is not prescribed in this order, but a few months later the court at New Castle made the following order :

" The highways to be cleared as followeth, viz : the way to bee made cleare of standing and lying trees, at least ten feet hroad ; all stumps and Shrubs to he close cutt by ye ground, The trees markt' yearly on both sydes-sufficient bridges to be made and kept ouer all marshy, swampy and difficult dirty places, and what ever cise shall bee thought more necessary about yo Highwayes afores'd."

The earliest appointment of supervisors or overseers of roads was made Oct. 13, 1680. The following is the entry of their appointment in the Upland court records :

" Whereas, the Court finds itt necessary that some fitt persons bee appointed as overseers of ye highways and roads; and as overseers and viewers of all fences throughout this county ; It was therefore Re- solved, and Mr. John Cock & Lasse Dalboe were this day appointed & sworn overseers & viewers of ye highwayes and rosds & fences within this county for one year, or til others he appointed in their sd places."

The court, under Penn's government, continued to ap- point supervisors and fence-viewers for the different pre-

cinets or townships as occasion required until the year 1692, when it was

" ordered, that every respective township within this county for the future, from time to time, shall within themselves appoint supervisors and fence viewers, and make returns of the same to the County Court from time to time."

In the early days of the province public roads were laid out by the grand jury, one-third of their number being competent for that purpose. The following returns will show the manner in which that duty was performed :

"October 25tb-1687. Laid out a highway from Birmingham to Concord, being a thirty foot way, by virtue of an order of Court hear- ing date the 4th day of October 1687-laid out by us, Walter Marten, John Mendenhall, John Kingsman, William Cloud and Richard Thatcher, being one-third part of the present Grand Jury of the County nf Chester, viz : Beginning at a white oak standing on a small branch at William Branton's, marked with five notches, thence along a line of marked trees between Alice Brunson and land late Edward Turner to Concord Corner Tree, thence down Concord lyne between the said Alice Brunson and Philip Roman to a white oak, toarked with five notches-then crosse the corner of the said Philip Roman's land-then crosse William Hitchcock's land-then crosse land that was William Biase's-thence crosse John Mendenhall's land then crosse land that . was Peter Louder's-thence crosse part of John Symcock's land to the foote bridge of Thomas Moore-then crosse part of Thomas Moore's land to a white oak marked with five notches.

"Upon the 9th day of the 12th month 1687, By virtue of an or- der from the last County Court given to us whose names are hereunto subscribed, being the Grand Jury, for to lay out a highway that should serve for Newtown, Marple, Springfield and the inhabitants that way, to the landing place att Amos Land, did upon the day above written, Begin at a Road way on the land of George Maris, which road goeth from Chester through Marple to Newtown, soc from that road through Bartholomew Coppock's land near his house, his house being on tho

352

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Jeft hand, soe on through Robert Taylor's land, straight on through more of George Maris his land, soe bearing on a little on the right hand through George Simcock's land, so oo through Jacob Simcock's land, leaving his plantation on the left hand, so on straight forward to land joining to Amos Land, so into the Kings road that comes from Darby, marking the trees as we came, so on to the landing place by the main creeks side, beyond Morton Mortenson's house."

Signed by the same members of the grand jury who laid out the last-mentioned road.

On the 3d of 12th month, 1684, Thomas Nossiter was presented by the grand jury " for falling of marked trees and blocking up the highway laid out by them by a foriner order of this court."

At a court held in September, 1686, it is entered on the records that,-

" The inhabitants of Bethell and Concord presented a paper to this Court, signifying their good liking of the road lately laid ont by the Grand Jury to Chichester."

In 1688 the inhabitants of Upper and Nether Provi- dence presented the inhabitants of Ridley for not cutting and mending the road from Chester to those townships :

" In 1699, the court orders that two supervisors, to wit, Thomas Fox of Darby, and Matthias Morton for Ridlyo [Ridley] to make good that new road, from Walter Fancett's fence to Darby, sixty feet wide."

The grand jury continued to lay out roads and highways until the year 1699, when, the duty having probably be- come somewhat onerous, the practice was changed, and thereafter they were laid out by six persons appointed by the court upon each application. The first appointment of a jury to lay out a road was made by the court on the 12th of December, 1699. The following is the minute of the appointment :

" There was a petition exhibited by Ralph Fishborne to the Court, with many hands of the inhabitants of this county, for a convenient rond way from the west side of Chester Creek, where the ferry is to he kept, for to lead to the King's road; and the Court ordered Al- bert Hendrixson, John Childe, Jaines Hendrixson, Jamcs Lownes, Juhn Hoskins and Henry Worley, for to go and lay out the said road way in the most convenient place they can fur the conveniency of the inhabitants."

The first report of a jury of view, specially appointed by the court, laying out a new road, was made in December, 1700. The form of return was substantially that thereto- fore used by the grand jury. The jury who made this return were John Worrell, Randall Malin, William Ed- wards, George Smedley, Robert Pennell, and Daniel Hoopes. These surnames abound in Chester County at the present day and sound very familiar.

In 1702 the court

" ordered that all the cart roads laid out by order of Court, and al- . lowed, shall be fifty feet broad, as the two roads laid ont from Upper and Nether Provideoce to Darby and Caleb's mill and all others."

The " Caleb's mill" here referred to was doubtless the mill of Caleb Pusey on Chester Creek.

In 1703, upon the petition of Humphrey Ellis, Daniel Lewis, and fifty-eight others, " the principal inhabitants of ye Welsh Tract," to the Council, Samuel Richardson, David Lloyd, Rowland Ellis, William Howell, William Jenkins, and Richard Thomas were appointed to view certain roads that had been laid out, and " to lay out and survey one direct road of fifty foot in breadth, as convenient in all respects as may be, both to ya inhabitants and settlers of ye

interjacent lands & travellers, Leading from Willm. Powell's ferry, on Schuylkill & passing Haverford meeting House to ye principal part of Goshen Township, and thence continued in a direct course to ye upper settlements on Brandywine."

Return of a road laid out 22d of 12thi month, 1704-5 :

" Beginning at a walnut tree by the fork of Brandywine, in Alice Vestall's land, then throw sd Vestall's Jand into John Martin's land, then throw ye sd Martin's land into Richard Buffington's land and by his hous into Robert Jeffris land and so along ye old roud throw a kinsmans of William Hudson's and throw ye sd Hudson's land into ye land of Richard Web, and by ye sd Web's hous to a popler tree standing in ye sd Weh's field, and throw ye sd field to a Division fence in Daniel Davises field and so throw je ad field to a marked tree stand- ing in ye sd Davis' Land ; thence into ye land of William Radley, then crossing ye sd land and John Bennett's land into Hugh Harry's land in his cleared field, crossing sd field by a perticon fonce to William Brainton's fence, so down by je sd fence to a poplar, marked; so crossing ye sd Brainton's plantation into ye line between Jonathan Thatcher and John Brunsons so along ye sd line, heading a small spring which crosseth ye sd line, so along ye sd line again to ye road from Henry Pierce's so down ye sd road to Burmingham road then along Concord line into Robert Pile's land so crossing ye sd Roberts land to a hickory tree standing in ye line between ye sd Pile's land and Nethaniel Newlin's land, then crossing ye sd Newlin's land by a line of marked trees into James Chiver's land to a white oak marki d with five notches standing by ye road from George Harlan's to Namans creek mill beforo mentioned. (Signed by) Francis Chadsey, John Yearsley, George Harland, Abiah Taylor, Samuel Hollingsworth, Henry Pierce."

The first report of a jury assessing road damages was made to the court on the 28th of November, 1707. The following is a copy of the report, and of the action of the court thereon :

"In pursuance of an order of Court to us, dated the 26th day of August, 1707, to adjudge the value of so much of Joseph Richards manured land as is laid out for a road leading from Chester to Aston -baving viewed the said road, do judge the said land contained in the said road to five pounds. Witness our hands ye 26th day of November, 1707. Thos. Martin, Daniel Williamson, Randall Malin, Joseph Baker, Thomas Powell, Randall Vernon. Allowed by the Court, and ordered to be entered on record, and the Court orders the Treasurer to pay the said Joseph Richards the said five pounds."

9, 27, 1716 .- Petition from Caln for a road from the west side of William Fleming's land to Caln mill, and thence to William Brinton's, in Birmingham. James Gib- bons, Richard Woodward, John Yearsley, Richard Thomas, Thomas James, and David Davis appointed to view.

August, 1717 .- Road from Ellis Lewis' mill southeast to county line laid out.

August 14, 1717 .- Road laid out from land of Griffith Owen, on King's road, from Goshen to Edgemont and Ches- ter, S. 60 E. 80 ; east a little south, through Owen and George Ashbridge, 440 perches to mill; thence through Ashbridge, William Hudson (in Willistown), Thomas Garret (deceased), east and east by north, 352 to road lead- ing from mill to Chester, and across to corner of Thomas Garrett's land and Samuel Lewis' land, 60 perches E. } N., between. Lewis and Thomas James, and through James and Thomas Mary (deceased) 220; east somewhat south- .erly to road from Chester to Valley, 100 perches to end of road formerly laid out from Newtown to Philadelphia.

6, 22, 1717 .- Road laid out from Joseph Pennock to west end of Marlborough Street, and along same 1120 perches, and then N. 52 E. along Thomas Wickersham's and Moses Keys' land 132 perches to road running from Henry Hayes' to Brandywine Creek.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 96

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162