The boundaries of the Hanging Rock iron region extend between the mouth of Kinnikinnick, in Lewis County, Kentucky, to Ironton, Ohio, including Lawrence, Jackson, and part of Vinton, Scioto, and Gallia Counties, Ohio, and Greenup, Boyd, Carter, and Lewis Counties, Kentucky. Over sixty blast furnaces are in operation within Cincinnati and Pittsburgh districts that afford a market for manufactured pig iron.
– Ironton Register, Thursday, June 1, 1865
The first pioneers of iron making came from Adams County, Ohio in 1826 and built Union Furnace, long since dismantled, having been the first furnace built in Lawrence County.
The next was Pinegrove in 1828, then Etna in 1832, and in the following four years came Mt. Vernon, Hecla, Buckhorn, Vesuvius, Lawrence, Center, and La Grange in close succession.
In 1846, the Olive Furnace was built, Washington in 1853, Belfont in 1868, Big Etna and Ironton in 1875, Sarah in 1878, and Hamilton in 1882.
There are twenty-two furnaces within twenty-five miles of Ironton, and they are the most important factors in the far-reaching fame of the city as an iron center.
Source: Industrial World newsletter, page 904 – On July 29, 1912, by unanimous consent of the stockholders of the Marting Iron & Steel Company, the Ironton Iron Company, and the Lawrence Iron Company of Ironton, Ohio, the three companies will be combined under the name of the Marting Iron & Steel Company, whose capital stock will be increased to the three furnaces will be taken in by the new company at values agreed upon which will exceed three-fourths of the capital stock. The balance will be disposed of at the discretion of the Directors, yet to be selected.
The final agreement was reached at a meeting at Ironton, on July 24, 1912. Colonel H. A. Marting, who is heavily interested in all three companies, will be president and general manager of the new company. The consolidation was made in the interest of economically handling the kindred business.
Lawrence furnace will at an early date be enlarged to a ton daily capacity. The new company will open a new ore deposit in Michigan and expects eventually to build a large coke oven plant at Ironton. Unless the demand requires the furnaces will not make the same grade of iron at the same time.
Source: Industrial World August 5, 1912, page 957 – Ironton, Ohio – The Marting Iron & Steel Company, of Ironton, increased its capital stock from $200,000 to $2,000,000. The enhanced capital is authorized to enable Colonel H. E. Marting to effect a merger of furnaces in which he is interested.
Early Iron Furnace Stories
- A Story About Iron Furnaces
- A Story About Iron Works
- E.F.F. Speaks of his Furnace Reminiscence – 1899
- The Early Furnaces – Written by Thomas A. Walton 1904
- Hanging Rock Iron Region
- Hanging Rock Strike of 1904
- Iron Men who worked in early iron furnaces
- James Alexander Recollections of an Ironton Moulder – 1888
- Ohio Iron and Coal Company Deed
- Ohio Iron and Coal Company repeal of charter – 1854
- Mr. and Mrs. John G. Peebles Celebrate their 62nd Wedding Anniversary – 1897
- Don Rist Collector of Pig Iron – 1941
- Superior, Ohio photos and stories
- [Walker] Tariff of 1846 – Written by Judge Andrew Dempsey
Biographies of Persons Associated with Iron Furnaces
- Campbell, John – Ironmaster and Founder of Ironton
- Crichton, E. W. – Ironmaster moved to Oregon
- Dillon, John – Death of the First Furnace Builder in Ohio.
- Ellison, Cyrus – Was partners in Dempsey, Rodgers, & Ellison
- Firmstone, William – In Vesuvius in 1836, the earliest use of the hot blast for furnaces was introduced.
- Frailey, William Cole Early Ironmaster in Ironton, Ohio
- Hamilton, Robert – proprietor of Pine Grove Furnace
- Hurd, Nathaniel F. – partner in Gould, Hurd & Co.
- Kelley, W.H.H. – Proprietor of C. & W.H. Kelley
- Kelly, Wm. D. – One of the incorporators of the Ohio Iron and Coal Company
- Marting, Henry Adam Col. Organized Foster Stove Company
- McGugin, William Naylor -Ironmaster
- Means, Thomas W. – Ironmaster
- Norton, Frederick D. – Ironmaster
- Peters, Isaac – Ironmaster
- Peters, John – Ironmaster
- Richey, Oscar – Ironmaster
- Ruggles, Elizabeth – Obituary
- Seeley, Boudinot – Ironmaster who moved to Oregon
- Seeley, L.B. – Ironmaster who moved to Oregon
- Willard, George
- Wright, Nellie Kelly – The World’s Only Woman Ironmaster
- Wurts, Samuel C. – Furnace man of Greenup Co., KY