Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.I, p.403

You are here: Cambria > Books > History of Cambria County, V.1

History of Cambria County, V.1

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 403

Iron Company, under the present organization, had control of it. The vein passed through the lands of Peter Levergood, David Prosser, and Judge John Murray, up to East Conemaugh.
     The ore mines on the Millcreek were opened in 1843 or 1844. The Prosser Mine was opened by David Prosser, on Prospect Hill, about 1847, and was subsequently purchased by the Cambria Iron Company.
     About 1843 Dr. Shoenberger, of Pittsburg, bought the interest of David Stewart in the Cambria Furnace and store for $6.000, and on September 24, 1844, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, then of Bedford, George S. King, and John K. and William L. Shryock, of Johnstown, entered into a partnership, to operate the furnaces then erected; the first two partners to have one-third interest each, and the remaining third to be a joint Shryock interest. The firm then owned about 10,300 acres of land in Cambria and Somerset counties. On February 9, 1846, the Messrs. Shryock sold their interests therein to King and Shoenberger for $9,000.
     After selling to Shoenberger, Mr. Stewart built the Blacklick Furnace, situated on the Blacklick creek, in Indiana county, about three or four miles in a northeasterly direction from Armagh. Mr. Stewart built a road from his furnace to Armagh, and hauled his pig metal to Nineveh, the shipping point by canal. He was not successful at the Blacklick Furnace, and in 1847 King & Shoenberger bought it, and formed a new partnership with Michael Berry, for the purpose of operating it; Berry was to have a one-fourth interest and the remainder to be joint between Shoenberger and King.
     In 1845-6 King & Shoenberger, with John Bell, of Indiana county, under the firm name of John Bell & Co., built the Millcreek Furnace. The same parties, under the firm name of George S. King & Co., built the Benscreek Furnace, which in a short time was operated under the name of King & Shoenberger. Mr. Bell was a general contractor and did not remain in the firm very long. Selling his interest therein to the other partners, he left Johnstown and went to California, becoming one of the "Forty-niners."
     The firm was then operating four charcoal furnaces--Cambria, Benscreek, Millcreek, and Blacklick--in this vicinity, and a block coal furnace which they had built at Sharon, Mercer county.

Title Page

Contents

Image

	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	403
Iron Company, under the present organization, had control of it. The vein passed through the lands of Peter Levergood, David Prosser, and Judge John Murray, up to East Conemaugh. The ore mines on the Millcreek were opened in 1843 or 1844. The Prosser Mine was opened by David Prosser, on Prospect Hill, about 1847, and was subsequently purchased by the Cambria Iron Company. About 1843 Dr. Shoenberger, of Pittsburg, bought the interest of David Stewart in the Cambria Furnace and store for $6.000, and on September 24, 1844, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, then of Bedford, George S. King, and John K. and William L. Shryock, of Johnstown, entered into a partnership, to operate the furnaces then erected; the first two partners to have one-third interest each, and the remaining third to be a joint Shryock interest. The firm then owned about 10,300 acres of land in Cambria and Somerset counties. On February 9, 1846, the Messrs. Shryock sold their interests therein to King and Shoenberger for $9,000. After selling to Shoenberger, Mr. Stewart built the Blacklick Furnace, situated on the Blacklick creek, in Indiana county, about three or four miles in a northeasterly direction from Armagh. Mr. Stewart built a road from his furnace to Armagh, and hauled his pig metal to Nineveh, the shipping point by canal. He was not successful at the Blacklick Furnace, and in 1847 King & Shoenberger bought it, and formed a new partnership with Michael Berry, for the purpose of operating it; Berry was to have a one-fourth interest and the remainder to be joint between Shoenberger and King. In 1845-6 King & Shoenberger, with John Bell, of Indiana county, under the firm name of John Bell & Co., built the Millcreek Furnace. The same parties, under the firm name of George S. King & Co., built the Benscreek Furnace, which in a short time was operated under the name of King & Shoenberger. Mr. Bell was a general contractor and did not remain in the firm very long. Selling his interest therein to the other partners, he left Johnstown and went to California, becoming one of the "Forty-niners." The firm was then operating four charcoal furnaces--Cambria, Benscreek, Millcreek, and Blacklick--in this vicinity, and a block coal furnace which they had built at Sharon, Mercer county.