The following account is taken from newspaper clippings compiled over many years of research. It is in chronological order so our readers can follow the story of William Nayor McGugin, one of the Ironmasters in the 1800s, living in Lawrence County, Ohio.
R January 1, 1873 – Eighth Week. – (of previous year’s newspaper) – McGugin Bros. buyout B. F. Peregrine in the coal business.
April 6, 1876, The Jackson Standard, page 2-When in Portsmouth last week, we met an old acquaintance, Mr. McGugin, of Olive Furnace. He informed us that coal has been found near the top of the stack at Olive, which he thinks will prove to be the same kind of coal with which they are making good iron at Howard Furnace. He says that Olive owns about ten thousand acres of land to run the Furnace perpetually. They have commenced cutting the timber of the second growth.
IR Sept. 21, 1876 – Personal. – Messrs. E. V. Dean, T. W. Means, W. N. McGugin, Chas. Campbell and Rev. J. H. Young have returned from the Centennial.
I.R. October 4, 1877 – W. N. McGUGIN is a representative man of this iron region, in favor of promoting the iron industry, upon which this community depends for prosperity, and is consequently entitled to the votes of every farmer, every working man, and every taxpayer. Vote for McGugin, for Representative.
I.R. January 16, 1879 – Personal and Society News – Dr. C. Hall and W. N. McGugin stepped into town Tuesday and went out bank directors.
I.R. November 20, 1879 – [do not have a beginning – about new telephone lines] …proceed to complete these lines. When this is done, a person in Ironton can hold conversations with persons at any of these furnaces. The line from Ironton to Mt. Vernon will belong to H. Campbell & Sons and from Mt. Vernon to Buckhorn and Dr. Gray’s to the Doctor. Either the latter or Campbell, McGugin & Co. will extend the line to Olive. The wire may be extended to Washington, where a telephonic connection is already with Monroe. At this rate, one can talk to everybody anywhere by staying home.
IR August 4, 1881 – There is some talk of putting post offices at some of the furnaces. Years ago, Olive and Mt. Vernon were post offices, the latter under the name of Campbell. W. N. McGugin was postmaster at Olive, and Robert Scott, at Mt. Vernon. They resigned, and the post offices were discontinued during the war when Mr. Amlin was P.M. at Ironton. They agreed to have the offices discontinued and buy their stamps, &c., all at Ironton, if Mr. Amlin would put the mail on the cars daily. They thus got a daily mail, and the Ironton P.O. did more business. Previous to (do not have end of this).
IR May 4, 1882 – W. N. McGugin, guardian of heirs of A. Bell filed an account.
IR June 14, 1883 – W. E. R. Kemp went to Cincinnati; his men worked at Olive Furnace, putting up a conservatory at W. N. McGugin’s house.
I.R. July 30, 1885 – (Under Country Notes) – Olive is banked up now repairing the hot blast but will be ready to blow in again in a few days. The Furnace, this year, so far, has made about 18 tons a day. Mr. W. N. McGugin said that he had never known Olive to work better or more regularly than she has this Summer. At present, the men are at work in the hay harvest. The Company has a large acreage of meadows, which Mr. M. told us will make about a half crop this year. They weigh all the hay put it into the barns, and by comparing the weights of this year and last, they can accurately determine the relationship between the two crops.
W. H. McGugin has the finest two-horse teams we have seen anywhere in the county. They are iron gray mares, well-matched, and weigh about 1700 pounds each. Mr. M. has some colts that bid fair to make even finer animals than these.
Mr. H. G. Hopkins has charge of the books here, and Charlie Egerton is in the store. Charlie is also the P. M. and Station Agent for the Ironton & Dayton railway. He walks from the Furnace to the station twice a day with his mailbag, nearly half a mile away. Charlie says he enjoys the walk; that it affords him good recreation.
Mr. Hopkins has but one Jersey cow now but is still an admirer of the stock.
The Commissioners are making a road through Washington township this Summer. This township has been slighted in the item of roads. All the roads in the township, or nearly so, were made by the furnace companies and kept up by them.
W. N. McGugin told us that John Gard, who was so long a teamster at Olive, now lives in Hamden and has lost his sight – is blind – but is in comfortable circumstances.
I.R. November 10, 1887 – Mr. and Mrs. W. N. McGugin returned from their Western trip last week.
Furnace Blasts. – A Tour Among the Iron Makers. I.R. November 17, 1887, Olive. – W. N. McGugin returned a few days ago from his Western trip and, as usual, was in fine spirits and entered into a very interesting conversation. He visited many places and was well pleased but says Ohio suits him better than ever. He and John G. Peebles took a bath in the Great Salt Lake. I was in San Francisco the day Governor Bartlett was buried. Among the great places visited was Los Angeles. He was delighted with the climate and the fruit but thinks there is too much sameness; he would like a little frost to brighten up occasionally. At Leadville, he went down in the mines 300 feet and secured specimens of silver ore. One can tell very readily that Mr. McGugin has had an enjoyable time.
W. N. McGugin went to Chicago, as per appointment by the Governor, to attend the Farmers’ Congress. He will go to Nashville, Tenn., to attend the United States Charcoal Iron Association, which meets the 15th inst. I will take a trip to visit the different furnaces in the district.
Olive Furnace started up last Monday and is doing well. She stopped to put in the new hearth; they have plenty of water.
Coaling jobs all wound up, but two; have a very large stock of coal and ore on hand, probably the largest stock in the county. Will run till Spring.
Mr. McGugin reports the ore digger is a success. I have been shipping ore to Jackson. They could ship more if they could get cars.
Their hay crop amounted to 400 tons; corn was good, much better than last year. The pasture was good till recently. They have 110 heads of cattle, 60 hogs, and 350 head of sheep, mostly Southdowns.
Miss Flora Summers teaches the school at Olive and Miss Stewart, daughter of J. H. Stewart, at Buckhorn.
I.R. April 19, 1888 – J. K. Richards, S. B. Steece, W. N. McGugin, and Rev. W. P. Craddick left Tuesday morning for Dayton to attend the State Convention.
Etna Appraisement. I.R. February 12, 1891
U.S. Marshal Simmons was in town last week and selected appraisers to place a value on the Etna Iron Works property. W. N. McGugin, C. W. McCoy, and Jno. N. Thomas was appointed. They have performed their work and report as follows: Sarah furnace, $50,000; Alice (and Blanche), $130,000; Vesuvius and all the land in Elizabeth and other townships, $220,000, making a total of the entire property, $400,000.
This appraisal will be returned to the U.S. Court, and an order for its sale will be issued. The U. S. Marshal will cry the sale in Ironton. The property will be sold at two-thirds of the appraisement. It seems that this appraisement ought to secure a purchaser if there is one anywhere with enough bonds to cover the two-thirds. The valuation is light and was probably made so, for there would be no good to anybody to make it more.
This property cost the people of Ironton considerably over a million dollars. That was in the roar and high tide of manufacturing following the war. However, many people were crippled by that enterprise, which all went into with hope and delight.
Suppose some good company will buy in the splendid property and put it in motion-divide up the 15,000 acres of land, sell out the farms and open mines, and start the big stacks to smoke. In that case, it will serve to take the sting out of much of the disappointment that has, more or less, afflicted this community for nearly twenty years.
ETNA SOLD – To A Syndicate of the Bondholders. IR May 7, 1891
Last Friday, at 2:30 p.m., U.S. Marshal Simmons sold the entire Etna Iron Works property for $266,667, which is two-thirds of the appraisement. The purchasers were Jos. S. Clark and John H. Barnes, a committee of the purchasing syndicate.
Naturally, the sale created great interest in this region. Over a hundred persons gathered to see the property go off, for there was a general belief that it would be bid in. Several gentlemen were present from abroad. Receiver Hunt of the O. & N. W. was there. He had come up in a “special” bringing Mr. Hollister, the attorney for the purchasers, and Mr. Clark. John G. Peebles, Commodore Honshell, and W. N. McGugin dropped in to see the sale. Mr. Powell, of Fayette, West Va., the coal man who is a very large creditor, was also present and an interested spectator.
Marshal Simmons started to read the long advertisement but soon got tired, and Col. Betts took hold. For nearly half an hour, his melodious voice mingled with the twittering sparrows in the foliage as he softly articulated the north-east quarter of the south-west quarter of section 15, town 3, range 17, or words to that effect over and over again.
When the last word of the advertisement was spoken, Marshal Simmons reappeared on the steps and announced the conditions of the sale and that he would offer the property first in parcels. He offered the first and then the second, on neither of which were any bids, and then he offered the third, Sarah Furnace.
On this, J. H. Moulton bid $26,000. Immediately there was a consultation between Marshal Simmons and Mr. Moulton, which resulted in the announcement by the Marshal that he could not receive the bid as the express conditions had not been complied with; however, he would announce such a bid and its rejection, to give the bidder such rights as he might have in court.
The Marshal then passed on to the 4th parcel, on which there was no bid. He then offered the property as a whole, stating that no bid could be received for less than $266,667, and he had a bid for that amount. He then asked for a greater bid and dwelt some time under the formula of the first, second, and third calls and then announced a sale for $266,967 whereupon he called up Mr. Hollister, who had been standing by Mr. Clark’s side, all the time when there occurred a few hurried whispers, and the sale was at an end. The purchasers deposited $100,000 of the first mortgage bonds as a guarantee of the good faith of the bid.
After the sale, Mr. Clark talked freely about the matter. He said there was no definite plan for the future. All that was done thus far was to get the property out of the Courts and into the hands of a company that could utilize it. There had been no organization or any settled purpose formed. It was, however, the general intention to reorganize and set the property to go. He remarked to the REGISTER that the reorganization was after a general plan formulated [do not have the end.].
BANK DIRECTORS IR January 14, 1892, The three national banks in Ironton held elections last Tuesday, which resulted as follows:
Citizens: John Russell, John Butterfield, W. M. Kerr, J. D. Foster, R. H. Ellis, E. Horshell, and Geo. N. Gray. They immediately organized by electing W. M. Kerr, Pres.; J. D. Foster, Vice-Pres.; Chas. Lintner, Cashier.
First: W. Honshell, H. S. Neal, Geo. Willard, J. H. Moulton, B. H. Burr, F. E. Hayward, and D. H. Clark.
Second. – C. C. Clarke, W. A. Murdock, F. Cronacher, S. Dillon, W. N. McGugin, Oscar Richey, James Bull, M. Halloran, and T. M. Adams.
Shoe Factory I.R. March 10, 1892, The stockholders of the Shoe Factory held a meeting last week at the A. O. H. Hall and elected the following directors: Aaron Winters, E. H. Lomsaney, A. H. Mittendorf, P. S. Hart, Joseph Fisher, Joseph Brede, and E. F. Hannon. The directors then organized by electing A. H. Mittendorf, President; P. S. Hart, V-President; Thomas Winters, Jr., Secretary; H. C. Burr, Treasurer and E. H. Lomsaney, General Manager. P. S. Hart and Joseph Fisher were appointed to a committee to select a location. Aaron Winters, E. F. Hannon, and Joseph Fisher were appointed to a committee to draft a constitution and bylaws. – At a subsequent meeting held Monday night this week, the committee on location reported several places that could be had and that parties were offering inducements.
The principal sites seriously considered were the Ironton Broom Factory, Apollo Hall, Enterprise Mill, McGugin property on Front-st, and the old Welsh Congregational Church property. The Ironton Broom Factory was selected, and the price agreed upon is $2,000. On Tuesday night, a meeting to adopt bylaws was held at the A. O. H. Hall. – Mr. Aaron Winters says they are already receiving several letters soliciting their trade and offers to handle the factory’s output. – Mr. Lomsaney, General Manager, is a very pleasant gentleman and is thoroughly posted in the shoe business. He will push the construction work to an early completion and hopes to be cutting shoes in four weeks’ time.
IR April 20, 1899 – (under heading styled Washington Furnace . . .) The McGugin Co. of Olive Furnace has made rapid progress in getting ready for a blast, and they are now ready to join the McKinley procession.
I.R. July 13, 1899 – The Buckhorn Furnace, the property of McGugin & Co., Olive Furnace Post Office, Ohio, will probably be starting soon. It has been some time since the stack was operated. It is 38×10 and has a capacity of 8,000 tons annually. The Olive Furnace of the same firm is in operation and will run regularly. American Manufacturer.
SWI June 2, 1908 – Mr. Wm. N. McGugin, of Olive Furnace, arrived Friday to spend Decoration Day with his nieces, Miss Kate McGugin, Mrs. C. M. Humes, and cousin Judge E. V. Dean. Mr. McGugin is now past 90 years of age.
NEW BLAST FURNACE – STEEL PLANT AND WIRE MILLS TO BE ERECTED NEAR IRONTON.SWI March 16, 1909
Is this county secure another large blast furnace, steel plant, and wire mills?
Suppose the deal currently reported to be pending goes through. In that case, there is a very strong probability that it will, and naturally, such an addition to our industrial assets would be most welcome and profitable.
The Irontonian is unofficially informed that there is a movement on foot looking to sell the large and valuable holdings of the McGugin Iron Co. In the vicinity of Olive Furnace, this county, to a syndicate that has in view the development of the property on an extensive scale the plans embracing a blast furnace, steel plant, and wire mill.
Mr. McGugin could not be seen last night to verify the report. Still, it is known that Mr. H. A. Henry of Pittsburg, who is said to be the representative of those interested in the purchase, has been in Ironton for several days the guest of Mr. McGugin and other local men and that he has taken steps for an expert investigation of the McGugin company’s holdings, which are rich in ores, limestone, coal, and other minerals.
An Irontonian representative called the New Ironton Hotel last night to see Mr. Henry. Still, he had left the city on the afternoon train, having been joined here by his wife and son, who are located at Akron, O. Just to what extent the negotiations have progressed, it is impossible to state, in the absence of opportunity to interview those locally interested, but that the deal is pending is beyond question.
The McGugin lands are among the richest in Southern Ohio and bear every natural advantage as a splendid sight for any big industry. The location of several large plants would be another big feeder for Ironton and make another lively little town within the borders of the county.
As soon as Mr. McGugin can be seen, we may be able to present some more definite information regarding the matter, either one way or the other. In the meantime, it is hoped that it is all true and that whatever negotiations progress may be speedily concluded.
We give herewith a cut showing the location of Olive Furnace, about which the McGugin lands are located.
“AFTER LIFE’S FITFUL FEVER, HE SLEEPS WELL,” HON. WILLIAM N. MCGUGIN, RIPE IN YEARS AND RICH IN FRIENDSHIPS, ANSWERS THE FINAL CALL OF HIS MASTER, “COME UNTO ME.”
I.R. December 9, 1909, Just as the clock struck six Tuesday evening, the spirit of Mr. William N. McGugin of Olive Furnace winged its flight back to the God who gave it. And as the attendants – children and friends – watched at his bedside, they saw his passing, without a struggle, “soothed and sustained by an unfaltering trust like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams.”
The death of Mr. McGugin, while not unexpected, will cause genuine sorrow throughout all of Southern Ohio, where he was so well and favorably known. He had reached the advanced age of 94 years and, for the past two or three years, had been failing in health quite perceptibly, yet his wonderful vitality and strong constitution caused him to rally from all his attacks of sickness except the last. He has been hovering between life and death for six or eight weeks, and his passing at the above hour was marked only as a peaceful sleep without a struggle.
Mr. McGugin is dead, but his life was such that he left the world better for having lived in it.
Probably nowhere in the Iron trade is there to be found a record for continuous connection with one furnace property more remarkable than that of Mr. McGugin, for so long president of the McGugin Iron and Coal Co., Olive Furnace. Since 1851, which is about 58 years, he was identified with the operation of Olive and Buckhorn furnaces for many years, two of the most important producers in the famous old Hanging Rock region. Until quite recently he was at the head of this Company. He was familiar with every detail of its operations, but owing to his extreme age, its management in the last few years has been largely entrusted to his son, W. H. McGugin, as secretary treasurer.
Mr. McGugin was one of the best-known of the many interesting characters the Hanging Rock region has produced.
William Naylor McGugin, son of Joseph and Ann Naylor McGugin, was born in Wooster, Ohio, on December 27, 1817. His parents lived at that time in a log house that was torn down a few years ago and where the Archer House now stands. His father’s parents lived in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and were of Scotch Irish descent, while his mother’s people lived above Pittsburgh on the Monongahela river and were of English descent. His father was a hatter by trade.
Wooster, at that time, was a comparatively new town, being laid out in 1813. There were no public schools then, but in subscription schools he attended, each scholar paid one dollar a month in tuition. His father died when he was nine years old, so he went to work when about fifteen years old for his uncle, Robert William Naylor, in his store, as an errand boy.
Staid there for over two years and then went into the store of Mitchell and Jacobs, where he stayed for several years. While there, he met Matilda Thompson, the girl he later married, who, at that time, was about twelve years old. She lived across the street on the opposite corner of the store. One day while waiting on her, Mr. Jacobs remarked, “Billy! that’s the girl for you!” Mitchell and Jacobs sold out to Mr. Summers, and he remained with him.
While in Naylor’s store, a traveling show troupe came to town. It consisted of a man and his wife and three or four others, with the man by the name of Merritt at the head of it. The hotel where they stopped was on the same lot as the store, and they performed at night in a room at the hotel, which did not have an opera house, etc., at that time.
In the same room later was a show, having for its sole entertainment a model for a locomotive, which was quite a curiosity, no one ever having seen such a thing. It was one of the first models ever made and ran to and fro across the room on a wooden track. This was about 1833. The admission fee was 12 1/2 cents. They had no dimes at that time but 12 1/2 and 6 __ cents in silver.
Mr. Merritt went from Wooster to Fredericksburg about nine miles below Wooster, stopped at Barne’s Tavern, where the troupe became stranded, and left Merritts and his wife at the Tavern without any money.
Two men, Mr. D. K. Jones and a cabinet maker were boarding at the hotel. Merritt told them if they could advance him the money to buy tools, he would make a machine to cut wood type for headings for newspapers, which were very expensive and scarce at that time, having to be made by hand. The clock peddlers who traveled through the country sold the type for them.
After the type business was well established, he commenced inventing the sewing machine. He made enough money to pay his liabilities at Fredericksburg and take him to Pittsburg, where he changed his name to Singer. Here he went out; and completed the sewing machine as he thought. From Pittsburg, he went to New York and made numerous improvements to his invention there.
William McGugin remained with Mr. Summers for several years in the dry goods business and, during this time, was married on June 6, 1843, to Matilda Thompson. In 1846 they went to old Marble Furnace in Adams county with another gentleman and started a small foundry on the old furnace site, where he remained ____ years.
When they moved, then it was quite an undertaking. Went from Wooster to Massillon, a distance of twenty-two miles, in wagons and waited for a canal boat. The canal boats at that time had small bedrooms, and each family could have one. Then they had a stable for the horses on one end and, after a certain length, would change the horses, having what horses they needed on the boat.
It took about a week to make the trip on the canal, and they arrived at Jasper at night. The hotel where they stopped was a sort of saloon, and there was only a thin partition between that and their room, so they were kept awake by the drunken fellows. Went the next day to old Marble Furnace in wagons.
In 1851 he sold out there and moved to Gallia Furnace, where he clerked for Bentley, Peters & Co. for a short time until changes were made in the business. He was offered a higher salary to come to Olive Furnace, whose offers he accepted, coming thence in the fall of 1851 and remaining there till death.
At that time, he worked for Campbell, Peters & Co. W.N. and Samuel McGugin bought Mr. Peters out in January 1864, and the firm name was changed to Campbell, McGugin & Co. In 1876 on account of Samuel McGugin’s death, Campbell, McGugin & Co. bought his interest in the firm. Then in 1883, McGugin & Co. bought Mr. Campbell’s interest, which remained in their name until the present writing. (Note – this was the year John Campbell had to make an assignment because of the failure of the ****** Company)
Mr. McGugin is survived by his son, W. H. McGugin, of Olive Furnace, and two daughters, Mrs. Edwin Scofield and Mrs. Chas. Scofield of Columbus. Judge E. V. Dean of this city and John Naylor of Tiffin are cousins of the deceased, their combined ages being 263 years. Mr. McGugin was 92 years old, Mr. Naylor was 87, and Judge Dean was 84.
(Note: The Semi-Weekly Irontonian December 9, 1909, also gave an account of the death of Wm. N. McGugin)
SWI March 6, 1917 – Plenty of Men to Buy Estate. – What was scheduled to be the final act in the sale of the McGugin lands in the Common Pleas Court this morning was not the final act, and many of those who were in the courtroom at the time expressed themselves as well pleased with the proceeding, which at times bordered on barical comedy.
Mr. S. A. Condict, who was to buy the lands, was on hands and along with him were two other parties, A. R. Johnson, representing the local syndicate organized last week to buy the lands, and Messrs. Edwing and Sears of Mansfield, who said that they represented Eastern capitalists who want to get the lands. – The local Company offered to pay $84,000 for the lands, and Mr. Condict offered $85,000 for them, but the other Company did not make a bid though they said they wanted them also.
The upshot of the whole was the decision of the court to advertise the land to sell at a public sale from the courthouse steps on Saturday, April 7, when all three parties are expected to bid against each other along with another firm from Wheeling, which is said to be anxious to get in the lands.
SWI April 17, 1917 – New Company Organized. – At the meeting of the stockholders of the Lawrence County Realty Co., the newly organized Company which purchased the McGugin lands, this morning, D. C. Davies was named as President; Dr. D. G. Stewart as vice-president; Glen R. Sloan, Sales Agent, and A. R. Johnson, Jr., Secretary and Treasurer. – The Company’s offices for the present will be located in the Johnson & Jones law offices.
EARLY IRONMASTERS WERE FOUR CORNERSTONES ON WHICH THE CITY OF IRONTON WAS CONSTRUCTED. – I.R. October 9, 1949 – . . . The final member of the four ironmasters was William Naylor McGugin, born December 27, 1817, in Wooster, Ohio. He was united in marriage to Charlotte Matilda Thomson of Wooster, Bishop Thomson’s sister, the first president of Ohio Wesleyan University. The marriage ceremony was performed on June 6, 1843.
The couple resided at Marble Furnace in Adams county and then moved to Gallia Furnace in Gallia County. In about 1851, they moved to Olive Furnace, where Mr. McGugin lived for the remainder of his life.
He operated Olive, Buckhorn, and Howard Furnaces during his life and, at one time, was the receiver for Old Harrison Furnace. Mr. McGugin was famous for his work towards developing the Ironton business.
He died on December 7, 1909. William married Charlotte Matilda Thomson on June 6, 1843, in Wooster, OH. Charlotte was born May 29, 1820, in Wooster, OH; died October 4, 1897, in Olive Furnace, Lawrence Co., OH.
William and Charlotte Thompson McGugin’s Children:
1.) William Harvey McGugin Infant McGugin was buried in Ironton, Lawrence Co., OH, Woodland Cem.
2.) Elizabeth Thomson McGugin was born Abt 1846; died September 28, 1859, in Olive Furnace, Lawrence Co., OH.
3.) Ann Eliza McGugin was born Abt 1849; died on September 3, 1859, in Olive Furnace, Lawrence Co., OH.
4.) Edward Thomson McGugin was born Abt 1857; died September 21, 1859, Olive Furnace, Lawrence Co., OH.
5.) Charlotte Matilda McGugin was born in 1861; died in 1936; was buried in Ironton, Lawrence Co., OH, Woodland Cem.
6.) Selina Marie McGugin
IR August 7, 1890 – Mr. Walling, the father of Mrs. Samuel McGugin, is visiting from Oregon.
I.R. October 23, 1890 – Mr. and Miss, Stewart of Brooklyn, is visiting Miss Tillie McGugin at Olive Fce.
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