The 1877 Atlas Showed the Flouring Mill of JHP Adams in Hancock
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Washington County Mill Chapter ADAMS FLOURING MILL (5) The 1877 atlas showed the flouring mill of J. H. P. Adams in Hancock between the C. & O. Canal and Main Street. The American Miller of March 1, 1895 (23:227) reported, “The flour mill and elevator at Hancock, Md., have been burned. Loss, $20,000.” By measuring the 1877 atlas inset map of Hancock, the Adams mill was 450 feet east of Mason Street, 960 feet east of the Presbyterian Church, 3600 feet east of the crossing of Main Street over Tonoloway Creek. From the SE corner of the mill to the berm bank of the canal was 120 feet. ADAM POTTERY (H) A “Pottery” was advertised by Henry Adam, who carried on a potting business at the former shop of Henry Strause on Main Street in Hagers-town, making milk crocks, earthenware, jugs, and mugs, Maryland Herald, & Weekly Advertiser, August 25, 1808. AETNA FURNACE ( ) “Mount Aetna ‘Diggings’ Reveal Evidence of Major Iron Industry Here in 1700’s,” Rita Clark Hutzell, Cracker Barrel, November 1981, pp. 16-21. This site bears Maryland Historical Trust Site No. WA II 0470. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKS (H) The Baltimore Sun of July 9, 1869. reported a fire at the Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Company on Locust Street, Hagerstown. This works was on East Washington Street in Hagerstown, 1875, HWM, p. 1202. AHL MILL (1) J. S. Ahl owned a grist mill on the south bank of Antietam Creek which operated in conjunction with the furnace at Antietam Iron Works; it had 4 run of French burr stones and used the same mill race as the furnace and its sawmill, RIOM, p. 145. Ahl was shown as owner in the 1877 atlas. The John H. Ahl Mill was part of the Antietam Iron Works complex near the four-arch stone arch bridge on that stream. It was shown in Picturesque America, 1872, 1:133. ALTER MILL (1) John Alter was listed at Smoketown with a sawmill in Polk’s 1891-1892 directory, p. 787. AMES MANNING AND AMES (H) 1 Ames, Manning, and Ames were manufacturers of bone meal at Hagerstown per an ad in the 1877 atlas. Their ad in the Hagerstown Evening Globe, April 8, 1879, stated, “For Kitchen Gardens Our Finely Ground and Chemically Prepared Buffalo Bone Meal Is Unequaled. For sale in quantities to suit.” ANCHOR MILLS (4) A letter from H. V. Trovinger to the American Miller, 17 (September 1, 1899): 717, reported, “Mr. David Stephen Day, miller for Anchor Mills of Hagerstown, had his hand severely burned in endeavoring to stop the electricity on the motor.” Polk’s 1906-1907 State business directory listed Anchor Mills at Hagerstown. ANGLE FEED AND LUMBER CO. (5) The Angle Feed and Lumber Co. was in business 1968 on the canal at Hancock. ANNAN AND MOTTER LIME KILN (2) The 1880 State business directory listed Annan and Motter as lime-burners at Williamsport. ANTIETAM FLOUR MILL CO. (10-1) The Antietam Flour Mill Co. was located on Antietam Creek at Funkstown. A picture postcard in the historical society’s country store in Hagerstown showed a large brick mill, “Antietam Flour Mill Co. at Funkstown, Md., and Bridge Crossing Historic Creek . White Fawn Flour.” The Baltimore American Illustrated Edition, 1896, p. 152, provided a biography of John W. Stonebraker and mentioned his other works, the Antietam Paper Mill, “The Antietam Mill Co., at Funkstown produced 180 bbl/diem of high grade flour.“ Various illustrations prove that this brick building with a collegiate looking tower was the same structure as the Antietam Phosphate Mills, q. v. The American Miller of November 1, 1891(19:776) reported, “The capacity of the flour mill at Funkstown, Md., will be increased from 150 to 200 barrels a day.“ The American Miller of March 1, 1892 (20:220) reported, “W. B. Towsont [sic] has leased Stonebraker & Co.’s mill at Frankstown [sic], Md.” The Manufacturer’s Record, January 30, 1892 (20:35), noted, “Funkstown.--Flour Mills--William P. Towson & Co. have, it is stated, leased the flour mill of J. W. Stonebraker & Co. and will operate same.” In spite of the tenant operators, H. V. Trovinger listed the J. W. Stonebraker Mill “near Hagerstown” in his article, “Mills of Hagerstwon, Md.,” American Miller, 21 (February 1, 1893): 147. The American Miller of October 1, 1893, reported (21:766) that Emmet Brothers of Hagerstown had purchased an interest in the Stonebreaker [sic] Roller Mill at 2 Funkstown. The American Miller of September 1, 1895 (23:689) reproted, “The Stonebraker Mill at Funkstown, Md., has undergone repairs and been improved by the addition of new machinery.” Antietam Flouring Mill and Funkstown Bridge on ca. 1902 postcard J. H. Stonebraker was listed as proprietor of Antietam Mill Co. in the 1902 Randall’s Washington County Directory. Shown at terminus of Baltimore Street at the creek and south of west street, SE corner, in the 1926 Sanborn Atlas of Hagerstown, Sheet 56; the mill was marked, “not in operation” but capable of 200 bbl/24-hour day. The on-line web site for Funkstown states that the mill burned in 1929. Mill extinct. A map of the mill and its “canal” was shown in MHM, 98 (Fall 2003):295, in Dan Guzy’s article about rendering the Antietam navigable. ANTIETAM FORGE (18) Same as Old Forge. ANTIETAM FURNACE ( ) Antietam Furnace was the old name for the James-Hughes first furnace at Mount Aetna, Maryland Archaeological Site No. 18WA288. See 1984 report by Susan Winter Frye (MHT library, Crownsville, Md.). ANTIETAM FURNACE/IRON WORKS (1) This works was founded in 1763 at the mouth of Antietam Creek near the Potomac 3 miles south of Sharpsburg on Joseph Chapline’s 6352-acre tract, “Little I Thought It.” The land included all the ore and wood of South Mountain. The founders were Joseph Chapline, Samuel Beall, Jr., David Ross, and Richard Henderson. William M. Brown built the first furnace, and cannon were made here for the Council of Safety, Hearthstone History, p. 52. Alexander’s report on iron gave the date of building as 1785-1780, p. 82. 3 Hammermen were wanted “at Frederick Forge on the mouth of Antietam” by Mr. Thomas James, manager for Richard Henderson, Sen. & Company, Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, May 20, 1783. James Rumsey built some of the machinery for his steamboat at the Antietam Iron Works, WPA Guide, p. 354. A pamphlet of 1788 entitled, Remarks on Mr. John Fitch’s Reply to Mr. James Rumsey’s Pamphlet published at Philadelphia by Joseph Barnes, reproduced the deposition of John Ritchie, manager of Ante Eatum Iron Works, May 15, 1787. Ritchie examined the books of Richard Henderson to find James Rumsey’s account and stated, “Capt. James Rumsey had some iron bars drawn here, in the shape, and about the size of gun-scalps . .” The entries were made January 26 and February 1 and 4, 1786. Also a photo of the iron works in “Crazy Rumsey’s Flying Boat,” Elizabeth M. Moberly, Sun Magazine, December 5, 1948. The 1820 census of manufactures listed McPherson and Brien with Antietam Iron Works, capitalized at $200,000. Employment was 150 men; furnace consumption was 3000 tons ore and 26,000 bu charcoal; the forge consumed 450 tons pig iron and 130 bu charcoal; total material cost was $40,000. The census listed a blast furnace, furnace wheel, 1 pair bellows; at the forge, 4 fires, 6 wheels, and 4 pair bellows; merchant mill with 4 pair stones and a sawmill. Sales were dull, castings selling at $75/ton, pig iron at $300. In 1831, John McPherson Brien built a nail factory which burned in 1841 and was rebuilt. Lyford’s Baltimore Price Current, April 20, 1839, reported, “A Large Iron Shaft” and described it as 25 ft long, 2 ft 9 inches in diameter, cast by Watchman & Bratt of Baltimore, weighing 14 tons. The shaft was intended for installation at the Anti- Eatam Iron Works owned by Messrs. John McP. Brien & Co. The iron works company issued $3 script in 1840, the notes signed by George McP. Brien & Company. The Baltimore American of September 1, 1840, carried an advertisement placed by John McPherson to sell both Antietam and Catoctin Furnace. An ad in the American of February 10, 1842, mentioned a weekly output of 45 tons of pig iron. A second furnace was built in 1845 and was a charcoal unit 50 ft high by 15 ft wide at the boshes; production was 40 to 60 tons/week or from 1465 to 3800 tons/annum. The 1850 census of manufactures listed William Brown with a nail factory with $15,000 capital investment, 24 employees, water-powered production, and an annual output of 11,750 kegs nails ($47,000) made from 587 tons of iron costing $24,000. The William Brown forge was valued at $5000 and had 17 workers and produced 700 tons blooms ($26,000) from 850 tons of pig and 700 tons coal costing $19,000). The keg factory, worth $2000, was also driven by water power and produced 12,000 kegs/annum ($1800) with 2 employees. 4 Brown’s ore mine, valued at $2000, had 8 employees and produced 3300 tons annually by hand power ($4125). The rolling mill worth $25,000 had 9 employees and produced 587 tons of nail plates ($25,000) from 650 tons of blooms and 325 tons of coal costing $21,600. The site was called Frederick Forge and Furnace at Antietam Iron Works Bridge where 200 white workers and 60 slaves produced 40 bbl nails/week, Bridges: Our Legacy.