PA-OLD-CHESTER-L Archives
Archiver > PA-OLD-CHESTER > 2007-02 > 1170792120
From: "Sandra Ferguson" <>
Subject: [PaOldC] Iron Manufacturing in Chester
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 15:02:00 -0500
References: <3f3201c74a0c$f5260100$f96b0cd8@sandabspkoh6u6><BAY104-DAV132DA0E36C03000C7A40D9D19F0@phx.gbl>
Downingtown was incorporated in may of 1859 and the borough limits were 760 acres, taken from the twp of East Caln.
Much has been posted in the past, on the iron industry in Chester, so I suggest you visit the list archives and, using things like Iron Industry and Iron Manufacturing, etc, see what has been posted in the past.
Futhey and Cope have an entire chapter on Mills, Iron Manufacture, etc, with the first mill erected in Pa in 1643, on Cobb's Creek. The iron manufacture began in pa, in 1716, at Pool forge, about 3 miles above Pottstown, where Thomas Rutter began the business. Samuel Nutt came from Coventry, England in 1714, and had land in what is now Warwick Twp, including an iron mine, patented in 1718....by 1724 the works is in Coventry.... There was a partnership between Nutt and Wm Branson around 1728, which continued even past the death of Nutt, in 1737 and in his will is mentioned, the Reading Furnace. This was , probably, the best known of the local Furnaces, near the Coventry Forge, and remained in the family for many years......Branson had other mills, in Reading and Windsor, and Nut supplied 4 forges besides his own in Chester co. there was a furnace on Crum Creek, belonging to Peter Dicks, and 2 others, in the Great Valley...John Taylor established the Sarum Forge, on Chester Creek.
Mary Ann Forge, on the north branch of the Brandywine, 2 miles north of Downingtown, was built in 1785, and Springton Forge, 5 miles north of Mary Ann, was built in 1766. Hibernia Forge, on West Brandywine Creek was built in 1793, with a small rolling mill added in 1837. Rokeby Rolling-mill on Buck Run was built in 1795, and Brandwyine Rolling Mill, at Coatesville, built in 1810. Sadsbury Forges, on Octorara Creek, in 1802....PineGrove Forge, on Octorara, built 1800....Pleasant Garden Forge, 5 mi SE of Oxford, in 1806.
The first rolling mill in Chester, and in the nation, was established by Isaac Pennock, in Rokeby, in 1798, and called the "Federal Slitting-Mill". and run by water power....Buck Run. The daughter of Isaac married Dr Lukens, who went into partnership with is father in law, and later operated the Brandywine, late the Lukens, mill. It was there that the first boilerplate was made in Pa, and probably America. This mill was still going strong in the 1890s.
The Phoenix iron works were started for the manufacture of nails and somewhat unsuccessful, till bought by Reeves and Whitaker, who improved the works, and made the mills a success. When fully at work there were about 1500 men employed.
The Thorndale Iron Works were established in 1847...they were employing 80-90 men by 1890...others were The Valley Iron-Works, located at Rock Run, 1 mil N of Coatesville; The Viaduct Mill, on the Brandywine, controlled by the Coatesville Iron Co; The Laurel Iron-Works, at Parkesburg; a forge on the Octorara, operated by Charles Goodman; one on French Creek, by Esther Kaufman, and one on the east branch of the Brandywine, by John Cornog.
As far as churches in Downingtown go, as Downingtown wasn't, till 1859, of for anything before that date you'll have to look in East Caln, as Downingtown was formed FROM East Caln....also, when you say 'early' churches, do you mean those of the 1600s-1700s, or are you meaning the 1850s....(the term 'early' has a different connotation 'round here, as Chester was settled in 1683...)
S.
: I would like to start a discussion abt. the history and early settlers of Downingtown Chester Co. It was called "Milltown" at first. I believe there must have been a lot of metal works or similar industry's there at the time, because in the 1860 census for area's of Downington, the post office is listed as "Iron Works". Does anyone have any info on early pre 1850 industries involving metal work? I am also interested in early churches there that were not Quaker. The name was changed to Downingtown, after the family Downing of that area, I believe between 1850 and 1860. Surnames I am looking into from that area are Wilson, Cain, and Lindley. I would also be willing to do census look ups for other folks looking for family from this area. In the hopes we might be able to tie some of these early Downingtown families together.
Sincerely, Peg
----- Original Message -----
From: Sandra Ferguson
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 8:36 AM
Subject: [PaOldC] new genweb submissions
We have close to 500 people on this list, but you sure wouldn't know it by
the postings. In the past I've always tried to 'keep things going' by
posting transcriptions or ANYTHING to encourage dialogue....however, I
simply can't do it ALL, folks...both pose questions AND answer them!!!!
Surely someone wants to discover something, otherwise, why join the list?
We don't read minds 'round here' so we must know what your questions are
before we can try to be of help. So, PLEASE,,,,,,do, SOMETHING, will you?
This is incredibly boring!
Sandra
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/chester/cemeteries/hopewellum.txt
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/chester/cemeteries/pineswamp.txt
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/chester/history/family/finley.txt
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