The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-10-19
WHOLE NO. 2464.

Rodger, an old resident at Shade Fur
mace, informed me many years ago that
it was built by Gerehart & Reynolds
upon land leased from Thomas Nickr0y.
Being in debt, their furnace aud lease
were sold by the Sheriff 10 Ogie 4
KlmmeIl, Of Somerset, who were sue
cseded by Thomas Gaghegan, who
gave way to one Dunlap, when
the property reverted to Thomas Wick
roy. In November, 1913 VickrOy
advertised Shade Furnace for sale at
great bargain. A sale was effected in
1919 to Mark Richards, Anthony s.
Earl, and Benjamin Johns, of New
jersey, constituting the firm Of Rich
ards, Earl-& Co, who operated the fur
mace down to about 1880. In 1s30 they
built a forge called Shade, three-fourths
of mile below the furnace, which was
carried On by William Earl for four or
FIVE years, and afterward by John Ham
mer and others. Ia 1919 il made thirty
tons Of bars. The furnace was con-
tinued, at intervals, by various pro-
prietors to the close Of 1858. Daniel
Weyand, of Somerset, at his death in
September, 1877, was the last owner Of
the property.
About 1911 Joseph Vickroy and Con-
rad Piper built Mary Ann Forge, on
the Stony Creek, about five miles below
Shade Furnace, and a half mile below
the mouth Of Shade Creek. The forge
was named after Mr.. Piper's wife, who
was a daughter of Thomas Viekroy and
sister Of Joseph VickrOy. David Liz
ingston was subsequently the owner Of
the forge, and operated it for several
years. Richard Geary, the father Of
Governor John w. Geary, was at one
time employed at the forge in clerical
capacity. Pig iron was sometimes pack
ed on horseback to the forge from Bed
ford County, the horses taking salt from
the Conemaugh Salt Works and bar
iron AS a return load.
In 1909 or 1910 Peter Kimmell and
Matthias Scott built forge for the man
ufacture Of bsr iron on Laurel Hill
Greek, in jefferson Township, in the
western part Of Somerset County. Mr..
Kimmell shortly after withdrew, and
the establishment was run by Mr. Scott.
Subsequently it passed into the hands
Of Henry Benford and Jacob Ankeny,
and ceased operations about 1915. Sap
plies Of pig metal were obtained from
Bedford and Fayette Counties. About
the year 1910 Robert Philson erected a
Catalan Forge on Casselman River, in
Turkeyfoot Township. The ore was
mined in the immediate vicinity or
hauled from Laurel Hill. The enter
prise was bad Investment, operations
eeasing about 1923. The next furnace
in the county was Jackson Furnace,
near the PittsbuFg Turnpike, on laurel
Hill, built by irwin Horrel, Philip Muir
ply and Charles Ogle about 1875. It
was unsuccessful in their hands. About
1888 Joseph ana William Graha,l again
put it in blast, only to be overcome by
speedy disaster. In ls52 there were
three furnaces and three forges in the
county
Rockingham Furnace, two miles
above Shade Furnace, on Shade Creek,
was built in 1871 by John Foust, aud
subsequently, operated By Custer & Lit
tie; Somerset Furnace, at Forwards
town was built by Huber, Linton &
Myer, in 1876, and afterward owned by
G.. Ross Forward, and Wellersburg Fur
mace was built by the Union Coal &
Iron Company in 1876, under the man
agement Of G. Ross Forward. All the
furnaces and forges in Somerset County
have been abandoned.
Philson's Forge made blooms and bar
iron directly from the ore-a most te-
dious and expensive as well as most
primitive method. 1t was the only
forge of the kind in the county. Sam
uel Philson, son Of r bert Philson,
who built the forge, is now living in
B Ilin, Somerset County, in his eighty
sixth year. Some remains Of the forge
msy still be seen.