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A Draft Documentary History of the Cranberry Iron Mine in Mitchell County, North Carolina By Colonel (Ret.) William C. Schneck, Jr. Corps of Engineers (As of 15 October 2017) Introduction This is a draft documentary history of the Cranberry Iron Mine, from the time that General Robert Hoke acquired the property in 1867 until the last active mining operation closed in the 1960s. I have attempted to collect relevant documents and place them in roughly chronological order. I have also included the available relevant technical information on the equipment used in the mine. Perhaps more can be accomplished on this portion of the subject. I invite other members of the Historical Society to add any missing material to this document and discuss/correct any deficient interpretations of the information at hand (particularly the dating of photos). As drafted, my intent was to focus on the mine (not the railroad, town, furnace in Johnson City, or other iron mining operations along the railroad as this document is currently over 200 pages). For those who wish to research the documents and photos further, I have provided links to expedite such attempts when available. In general, I have left the original spelling (sometimes autocorrect strikes, so I am unsure that all of it is original). I believe this documentary history will support much analysis (e.g. accurate structural drawings and detailed timelines of changes in the facilities), which will make it possible to develop more accurate modelling of this fascinating operation. I wish to thank Chris Ford for his assistance and encouragement to bring this document into a presentable state. For references that addresses iron mining in this area prior to 1867, see Appendix A, below. A list of open questions and missing references are given in appendices G and H, respectively. May 1867. “Thomas D. Carter V. Robert F. Hoke and Others… Motion to vacate an injunction, etc., before Henry, J., at Spring Term 1869 of Madison Court. The action had been brought in August 1868, in order to rescind a conveyance made in May 1867, by the plaintiff to the defendants Robert F. Hoke, Thomas J. Sumner, E. Nye Hutchinson, George W. Swepson and Robert R. Swepson, of a valuable Iron Mine in Mitchell County, known as the Cranberry Iron-ore-bed; to have the defendants Charles W. and Francis B. Russell, who had bought from Hoke and his associates, and also Samuel W. Williams and J.C. Hardin, who otherwise, and previously, had connexion with the title, declared to be trustees of said property for the plaintiff; and, in the mean time, to have a receiver appointed, etc. The pleadings were very elaborate; especially the answer of Hoke, Sumner, Hutchinson, which covered 98 pp. of foolscap. All that seems necessary to state here, is, that the plaintiff charged that the defendants first named above, had contrived a scheme to defraud him of the property in dispute, of which he owned much the larger interest, and that, after deluding him with many negotiations upon the subject, at last they agreed to pay him $44,000, cash, for his interest; that, upon his tendering the deed, they, after making divers excuses, offered him a sight draft upon a bank in New York, which they represented to be upon funds deposited by them there, and that he, with some 1 reluctance, received it; that, upon presentation, it was protested, and has never been paid; that the drawers are insolvent; and have since sold the land to the defendants, the Russells, etc…”1 1867. “Brown et al. v. Cranberry Iron & Coal Co… Certain persons, Hoke, Sumner, and Hutchinson, had become the owners of a tract of land in North Carolina, known as the ‘Cranberry Iron Ore Bank.’ They offered it for sale in 1866 or 1867 to parties in New York. Before negotiations for the purchase were concluded, it was discovered that J. Evans Brown, one of the parties in this case, and A.C. Avery, as executor of Isaac T. Avery, claimed an interest in the minerals in the land. As the proposed purchasers were buying the land chiefly for the minerals in it, this claim induced them to break off negotiations. Thereupon Hoke, Sumner, and Hutchinson opened negotiations with Brown and Avery looking to the extinguishment of their claim, so that they could renew their negotiations with the persons in New York, and offer to them a perfect title… Then follows a full description of the lands by metes and bounds. Habendum: ‘The one-half of the mines and mineral interests in said lands and the appurtenances thereto belonging’ to Sumner and Hoke in fee. The consideration paid to Avery, executor, was $17,000; that to Brown, $22,000. These deeds having been executed, the purchasers, thinking they had a clear, unincumbered title in fee, completed the sale to the parties in New York, and, by mesne conveyance from the latter, the property has been conveyed to the defendant, the Cranberry Iron & Coal Company. This transaction between Brown and Avery, executor, with Hoke and his associates, was in 1867. The coal and iron company, having purchased, went to great expense in developing the mineral resources of the property, erecting buildings, constructing a railroad, and sinking shafts. But they have not actually mined, beyond a test or so, any of the land east of the road or path. They have been in actual use and cultivation of the whole surface.”2 For a complete extract of this article, see Appendix B, below. Note: “The Cranberry mine property went through a series of complicated transactions following the [Civil] war. Former Confederate General Robert F. Hoke owned the operations for a number of years…”3 23 December 1867. “Letters from North Carolina – V. Messrs. Editors – I will leave Buncombe for a while, at the request of some of your readers, to tell them about Yancey and Mitchell counties; to give them some particulars respecting the ‘iron ore,’ and about the ‘railroad’ now being constructed in that vicinity. The lands are similar with Buncombe, but much richer. There are beautiful fertile valleys; very productive hills and mountains; water courses innumerable, affording immense water power, and the streams abound with speckled trout and other fish. The timber in most localities is of a superior growth of white oak, spotted oak, poplar, locust, sugar and curled maple, cherry, papaw, shellbark hickory, mountain mahogany, black Walnut, white pine, &c. The climate is very salubrious; is a little colder than Buncombe, and not quite so dry. The elevation is higher above tide. The country is quite thickly settled, though it is not extensively cleared. The people are generous hearted, but not cultivated. Apples and all the fruits I have mentioned in Buncombe, together with the cereals and grasses, and all root crops grow splendidly. I cannot speak of the cultivated grape; there are no vineyards; but the wild grape is of luxuriant growth. A gentleman (surveyor) told me he once found a magnificent vine running along a rocky steep, laden with ripening fruit; that he measured it and found it was seventy yards. Cranberries grow wild in abundance, and the strawberries are finer than in Buncombe. The country is especially adapted to grazing; all kinds of stock do well as possible. The lands are 2 covered with a natural growth of exuberant herbage upon which sheep and cattle feed and fatten during three-fourths of the year. About the 23d of last December I was travelling on horse-back, in company with my husband, en route from East Tennessee, over the great Smoky or Iron mountain, through Yancey, Mitchell and other counties, to Buncombe, and had opportunity of visiting many localities, and of seeing much that was interesting; noticed the cattle feeding in the fields or around the hay- stacks, and many little flocks of sheep scattered over the mountains, browsing on the steeps or lying cozily under a clump of evergreen, which serves them for shelter during the storms of winter. All were fat and fine. Geese were everywhere in the pastures and about the streams. Turkeys, chickens and other fowls were seen in goodly numbers around almost every homestead. We heard nothing of the wolf nor of its kindred, but saw the beautiful pheasant with its spotted plumage. We visited ‘Cranberry,’ that celebrated mountain of ore, and rode upon its summit; observed its wealth of mineral, and exclaimed in astonishment, what a mighty mass of iron! What a source of good to the people! Why does it lie here idle! We rode over the country, and went into ecstacy over the natural beauties around us, and selected many lovely spots where could be made sweet homes among the evergreens and by the side of laughing waters. We saw many other banks of similar ore surrounded by charming places for settlement, and wondered why the people should flock to the ‘West,’ instead of coming to this beautiful South! Cranberry iron is distinguished by its great magnetic properties. It is equal to, if not superior to the best Swedes iron. For all purposes where hard, tough iron is required, it is preferable, being equal to American steel when case hardened. It possesses all the toughness of the ‘Juniata iron’ of Pennsylvania, and is just as malleable. The ore has been tested, and is highly recommended for making fine steel. We are told that it has been reported on at the ordnance department at Washington, and pronounced the best article discovered in the United States for guns of all calibre. This iron was used during the late war by the confederate government for making guns, and its qualities were found of superior excellence.

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