Men of Iron

Men of Iron Researched and Written by Sharon M. Kouns Last update: Sunday, August 09, 1998 (incomplete) Martha and I will be adding to this in the future. You can help by letting us know of any of your family members that worked in the Iron Furnaces and foundries. Agnes, - Hanging Rock Forge owner. Amos, William Covington Ashcraft, Smith - Left Ironton in 1865; was farming in Champaign County, Illinois in 1875 - Was he one of the original 24 that founded the city? Need to verify! Ballard, John - One of the owners of Monitor Fce., Coal Grove, Ohio. Bartles, Fred - builder of Center Fce. Bentley, - Bentley, Peters & Co. operated Gallia Furnace. Bentley, J. - One of the owners of Madison Fce. in Jackson Co., Ohio. Bimpson, Joseph - One of the owners of Monitor Fce., Coal Grove, Ohio. Bird, E. J. Sr. Bird, John - Manager of Sarah Fce. Bolles, Col. W. M. - Manager of Monroe and Washington Fce's., located in Portsmouth. One of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Washington Fce. Boyd, Wasil - in 1875 was in the furnace business in Waynesboro, Tenn. Brown, Isaac - Proprietor and Manager of Star Furnace in Jackson Co., Ohio (1875) Bush, S. R. - Milling at bush's Mills, Gallia County, in 1875. Campbell, Hiram Campbell, John - One of the owners of Madison Fce. in Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the erectors of Olive Fce., Lawrence Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Washington Fce. Carpenter, William - Builder of Center Fce. Clements, William - One of the erectors of Olve Fce., Law. Co., Ohio. Cole, Madison - One of the erectors of Olve Fce., Law. Co., Ohio. Culbertson, Dalton, Thomas - Helped build Center Furnace. Davis, Evan M. - Machinest in the "old mill." Davis, John - Puddler at Hanging Rock and Eagle Mill. Davis, William - Superintendent of the Lawrence Mill. Dempsey, Joseph W. - Owner of Vesuvius Fce. Dempsey, Samuel Work Dempsey, T. A. - Was a member of several firms that ran the furnaces. Duduit, F. E. - One of the owners of Madison Fce. in Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Monitor Fce., Coal Grove, Ohio. Duis, Henry - ran the engines at Etna Fce. Ellison, Andrew - Builder of Steam Fce. in Adams Co. Oh in 1816. Builder of Pine Grove Fce. Ellison, Andrew Jr. - Builder Pine Grove Fce. Ellison, Cyrus - Agent for Etna and Vesuvius Fce's.; President of the Lawrence Mill co., of the Iron Railroad Co. and of the Ironton Gas. Co. Director in the Ohio Iron and Coal Co., the Second National Bank and the Etna Iron Works Co. Ellison, John - Manager of Etna Fce. Fear, Valentine - built Union Fce. Gillaspie, John - Heater in Star Mill (later known as Belfont) Hamilton, Robert - Center Fce. one of the owners. Builder of Pine Grove Fce. Hannan, Lawrence - worked at Vesuvius Fce. Harris, T. R. - Manger of Belfont coal works for 27 years. Huffman, Joseph - builder of Center Fce. Irvin, Charles - died 1902 - aphyxiated at Belfont Fce. James, - Peters, James & Co. owned Old Star Nail Mill known as the Bellefont Iron works. Kelly, Joseph Kiser, Jack - A collier. Knockinghost, George - coal miner at Kelly's Mills. Lambert, Wm. - Olive Machine Works. Lowry, Dr. A. C. - President and director of Foster Stove Co., Marting Iron and Steel Co.; Vice-President of Citizens Nat'l Bank. Formed the Ironton Hotel Company that founded the Marting Hotel. McConnell, Samuel - One of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Washington Fce. McCullough, Addison - part owner and manager of Hecla Fce. McGovney, Thomas - One of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Washington Fce. McGugin, Samuel - Partner with John Campbell, W. N. McGugin (Campbell, McGugin & Co.) that manged Olive Furnace. McGugin, William Naylor - President of McGugin Coal And Iron Company that operated Olive Furnace. Also Buckhorn Furnace. Clerked at Gallia Furnace for Bentley, Peters & Co. Mathers, Professor - One of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. Means, John - built Union Fce. Miller, George -German who worked at Amanda Furnace then went to Belfontte, then to Hecla. Paul, George - Owner of Amanda Furnace. Peters, Isaac - One of the owners of Monitor Fce., Coal Grove, Ohio; also one of the owners of Monroe Fce., Jackson Co., Ohio. One of the owners of Washington Fce. Peters, John Sr. - John Peters Sr. and J. O. Willard leased Buckhorn Fce. from 1840-43. He also had an interest in Gallia Fce. He built Greenup Fce. (Greenup, KY)..Managed Lawrence Fce. He purchased Lawrence Fce. from Culbertson, Means & Co. He built Madison Fce. in jackson Co. Superintended the building of Monitor Fce. in Coal Grove...also that of Monroe Fce. in Jackson Co...he worked at Mt. Vernon Fce. from 1835-40...he helped erect Olive Fce., one of the original owners of the Olive Foundry and Machine Shops, ... John Peters was one of the originators of the old Star Nail Mill, later known as Bellefont Iron Works, helped build Washington Fce., he and his brother, Isaac, opened a banking house in Ironton "J. Peters & Co."..he was one of the founders of the town of Ironton. He laid out the town of Petersburg (now known as Coal Grove). He laid out the town of Portland, Jackson Co., Ohio. John also helped build the Iron Railroad. Phillips, David - Worked at Lawrence Mill, then managed a similar institution at Columbus. Price, William - in 1853-54 he was the bookkeeper for the Ironton Rolling Mill. Pugh, Theophilus - Managed an iron mill at Clifton. Rodgers, James - Center Fce. one of the owners; Brush Creek Fce. in Adams Co.; built Steam Fce. in Adams Co.; built Union Fce. (first in Lawrence Co.); Etna Fce.; Ohio Iron & Coal Co. which founded the town of Ironton Russell, John - Manager of Amanda Furnace. Shirer, Wm. - Center Fce. one of the owners Simington, William - One of the owners of Monitor Fce., Coal Grove, Ohio. Skelding, James - Brother-in-law of E. J. Bird, Sr., Manager of Low Moor Fce. Va. Sparks, John - built Union Fce. Steece, John - builder of Center Fce. Sutton, Joseph - Assistant manager of Etna Fce. Terry, J. P. - One of the owners of Madison Fce. in Jackson Co., Ohio. Tewskberry, M. R. - One of the owners of Madison Fce. in Jackson Co., Ohio. Thompson, J. L. - One of the erectors of Olve Fce., Law. Co., Ohio. Trappe, August - Blacksmith, Mt. Vernon Fce. Wade, Davy - First man who lighted and operated a charcoal furnace in Greenup County, Ky. Webb, Eli - Coaler for Hecla Fce. Wilcox, - Hanging Rock Forge owner. Willard, J. O. - John Peters, Sr. and J. O. Willard leased Buckhorn Fce. from 1840-43 Wilson, John - Hecla Furnace. Father of Mrs. Geo. N. Gray. John Wilson, a brother-in-law of A. McCullough, was manager at Belfontte Fce. Winters, Thomas, Sr. - Was in charge of the mines at Vesuvius Furnace. Wolf, William - builder of Center Fce. York, - Manager of Portsmouth Rolling Mill. Zeek, James - killed (1902) by machinery at Kelly's mill.