page_title: Jackson Ferry Shot Tower
section_title: Controversy
hierarchical_section_title: Jackson Ferry Shot Tower / Controversy
caption_attribution_description: English: Advertisement from August 31, 1791 issue of “The Virginia Gazette and General Advertiser,” for the Moses Austin &amp; Co. Shot Factory. This shot factory was most certainly located in Richmond, VA due to the mentioning of getting lead from Lynchburg by water. Richmond and Lynchburg are both on the James River (Chesapeake Bay watershed), however Wythe County is on the New River (Gulf of Mexico watershed)
context_page_description: The Jackson Ferry Shot Tower is 75-foot tall tower used for manufacturing lead shot located in Wythe County, Virginia and now adjacent to the New River Trail State Park, a lineal rail trail park connecting the historic towns of Pulaski and Galax, Virginia.
  As one of the few remaining shot towers in the United States, the Jackson Ferry tower was constructed by Thomas Jackson and is the centerpiece of the Shot Tower Historical State Park. Construction began on the tower shortly after the American Revolutionary War and was completed in 1807. The tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1969.
context_section_description: There have been claims that the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower predates the recognized year of 1807. The contention is that Moses Austin & his brother, Stephen Austin (not to be confused with Moses's son, Steven Austin, "Father of Texas") were producing drop shot in Wythe County prior to 1800 at the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower. 
  This confusion stems from an ignorance of the geography of the area, coupled with the conflation of Moses Austin & Co. owning the lead mines -- which are in the vicinity of the future Jackson Ferry Shot Tower -- and owning a shot factory. 
  Defenders of the pre-Jackson Shot Tower point to the same newspaper clippings shown to support their contention. However, a close look at the text and the geography of the region show that their contentions using these sources are not borne out in fact.
   There is no question that Moses Austin & Co were producing lead shot from the lead mined in the Austinville Lead Mines. This is evidenced by an advertisement in the August 31, 1791 issue of "The Virginia Gazette and General Advertiser". The advertisement states that the their prices had been lowered due to them "receiving their Lead now by water from Lynchburg". Lynchburg, VA is located on the James River, in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, ~120 miles upstream of Richmond, VA. The Jackson Ferry Shot Tower and the Austinville Lead Mines are located on the New River in the Ohio River watershed. Being in 2 different watersheds, water travel from Lynchburg, VA to Austinville, VA would have been effectively impossible.
  More evidence that production of shot by Moses Austin & Co. was located in Richmond rather than at this site is an article from the August 2, 1790 issue of "The American Mercury" newspaper. The article states,
  "The manufactory established within the city of Richmond, for making sheet lead and drop shot, is large, thought to be well constructed, and is worked with spirit."
  It is clear that drop shot is being produced in Richmond by Moses & Stephen Austin.
  Finally, an article in the 1922 William and Mary Quarterly contains letters from Gen. Edward Carrington to Alexander Hamilton that also locate the shot factory in Richmond, VA. The letters also indicate the lead mines are in the "Southwestern part of the upper Country".
caption: Advertisement for Moses Austin & Co. Shot
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