Henry Bates Grubb
Encyclopedia
Henry Bates Grubb was a third-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty
, the founder of the family's enterprises headquartered at Mount Hope
near Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, and perhaps the family's first "true" ironmaster
. He was the son and heir of Peter Grubb, Jr.
who, with his brother Curtis
, had owned and operated the Cornwall ironworks
originally founded by their father Peter Grubb in 1737. Henry and his heirs rebuilt the family business after most of the original Peter Grubb holdings were gradually acquired by Robert Coleman between 1783 and 1802. The Grubbs and Colemans were among the largest iron producers in Pennsylvania through the mid-19th century.
and his brother Curtis
, and also involved Robert Coleman. While a resolution of these issues had been agreed upon in 1785, Peter's death in 1786 nullified the agreement. The boys' inheritance had to be resolved by a jury, which found it a difficult matter. The jury finally made a recommendation in 1787, to which the parties agreed. Curtis and Coleman received the Cornwall Iron Furnace
and 6520 acres (26.4 km²) of land; the Grubbs received the Hopewell Forges
and 3741 acres (15.1 km²) of land, and their father's furnace at Mount Hope
. The agreement also stipulated that all parties would have full access to the iron mines at Cornwall to extract whatever ore they needed for the operation of their furnaces.
Henry apparently decided early on to enter the iron business, because he was still not of age when he purchased his older brother's share of the inheritance in 1798, for $29,266 to be paid over time. Alan had decided not to enter the iron business, and eventually became a medical doctor in Tennessee. Their father's friend and prominent attorney Jasper Yeates
, and Edward Burd, had been appointed the boys' guardians and certainly assisted with the transaction.
Henry was barely seventeen when he began a series of transactions to rebuild the family iron business, acquiring several properties. The combined operations grew to become one of the largest iron producers in Pennsylvania over the next century. In 1800 Henry built the Mount Vernon Furnace on Conewago Creek
. In 1802 he purchased the Hellan Iron Works and renamed it the Codorus
Forge. He also purchased land on Manada Creek
in Dauphin County
on which his sons later built a furnace. His sons further expanded the holdings during the 19th century.
In 1802 Henry agreed to the partition of the common holdings between himself and Coleman, in order to obtain the funds to pay off his brother. Coleman received the Hopewell Forges and another one-sixth interest in the Cornwall iron banks, while Henry retained a one-sixth interest in the iron banks to supply his Mount Hope Furnace which he fully owned.
she also apparently bore. The boys were at school in York, Pennsylvania, when their father committed suicide in 1786.
Henry began his iron making career early on, and was apparently determined to make it a success. An iron master of the time needed an appropriate residence, and Henry had begun the Mount Hope Mansion
by 1800. He may have designed the elaborate formal gardens himself. The mansion and gardens were completed by 1805, and various outbuildings and a church were added over the years. Mount Hope Estate became the center of the family's iron making empire and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Henry married Ann Carson on June 18, 1805. Ann bore him a son Henry Carson, but she died shortly thereafter on October 19, 1806. Henry remarried, to Harriet Amelia Buckley, on December 1, 1808. She bore him five sons and two daughters before his death in 1823, managed Mount Hope Estate until 1836, and died in 1858. Three of their sons, Edward Burd, Clement Brooke and Alfred Bates, grew to adulthood and further expanded the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty
.
Henry Bates Grubb died at Mount Hope on March 9, 1823 at the age of 49, and is buried there with Harriet at St. James Episcopal Church.
Grubb Family Iron Dynasty
The Grubb Family Iron Dynasty was a succession of iron manufacturing enterprises owned and operated by Grubb family members for over 165 years, collectively one the largest Pennsylvania iron producers during the Industrial Revolution...
, the founder of the family's enterprises headquartered at Mount Hope
Mount Hope Estate
Mount Hope Estate is a National Register of Historic Places-listed property in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over , a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill,...
near Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, and perhaps the family's first "true" ironmaster
Ironmaster
An ironmaster is the manager – and usually owner – of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain....
. He was the son and heir of Peter Grubb, Jr.
Peter Grubb, Jr.
Peter Grubb, Jr. , Patriot and second son of Peter and Martha Bates Grubb, was a second-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty along with his older brother Curtis Grubb...
who, with his brother Curtis
Curtis Grubb
Curtis Grubb , Patriot and oldest son of Peter and Martha Bates Grubb, was a second-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty along with his younger brother Peter Jr...
, had owned and operated the Cornwall ironworks
Cornwall, Pennsylvania
Cornwall is a borough in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,486 at the 2000 census.-History:...
originally founded by their father Peter Grubb in 1737. Henry and his heirs rebuilt the family business after most of the original Peter Grubb holdings were gradually acquired by Robert Coleman between 1783 and 1802. The Grubbs and Colemans were among the largest iron producers in Pennsylvania through the mid-19th century.
Business career
Henry Bates Grubb, along with his older brother Alan Burd Grubb, inherited their father's iron making holdings after his death in 1786 at the age of 45. They were only 11 and 13 at the time. The ownership of the iron making properties, resulting from legal partitioning of the various Grubb holdings, had become very contentious between their father PeterPeter Grubb, Jr.
Peter Grubb, Jr. , Patriot and second son of Peter and Martha Bates Grubb, was a second-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty along with his older brother Curtis Grubb...
and his brother Curtis
Curtis Grubb
Curtis Grubb , Patriot and oldest son of Peter and Martha Bates Grubb, was a second-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty along with his younger brother Peter Jr...
, and also involved Robert Coleman. While a resolution of these issues had been agreed upon in 1785, Peter's death in 1786 nullified the agreement. The boys' inheritance had to be resolved by a jury, which found it a difficult matter. The jury finally made a recommendation in 1787, to which the parties agreed. Curtis and Coleman received the Cornwall Iron Furnace
Cornwall Iron Furnace
Cornwall Iron Furnace is a designated National Historic Landmark that is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Cornwall, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The furnace was a leading Pennsylvania iron producer from 1742 until it was shut down in 1883...
and 6520 acres (26.4 km²) of land; the Grubbs received the Hopewell Forges
Hopewell (on Hammer Creek)
Hopewell is where Peter Grubb, who founded Cornwall, Pennsylvania in 1737, first began his iron making activities about 1739. It is an area about six miles southeast of Cornwall, in Lancaster County...
and 3741 acres (15.1 km²) of land, and their father's furnace at Mount Hope
Mount Hope Estate
Mount Hope Estate is a National Register of Historic Places-listed property in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over , a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill,...
. The agreement also stipulated that all parties would have full access to the iron mines at Cornwall to extract whatever ore they needed for the operation of their furnaces.
Henry apparently decided early on to enter the iron business, because he was still not of age when he purchased his older brother's share of the inheritance in 1798, for $29,266 to be paid over time. Alan had decided not to enter the iron business, and eventually became a medical doctor in Tennessee. Their father's friend and prominent attorney Jasper Yeates
Jasper Yeates
Jasper Yeates was a lawyer and judge from Pennsylvania.He was born in Philadelphia into a prominent family, and was sent to the Inns of Court in England for his legal training. He became a resident of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he sided with the Patriot cause...
, and Edward Burd, had been appointed the boys' guardians and certainly assisted with the transaction.
Henry was barely seventeen when he began a series of transactions to rebuild the family iron business, acquiring several properties. The combined operations grew to become one of the largest iron producers in Pennsylvania over the next century. In 1800 Henry built the Mount Vernon Furnace on Conewago Creek
Conewago Creek (east)
Conewago Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Lebanon, Dauphin, and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The source is at an elevation of at Mount Gretna Heights in Lebanon County...
. In 1802 he purchased the Hellan Iron Works and renamed it the Codorus
Codorus Township, Pennsylvania
Codorus Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,796 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land...
Forge. He also purchased land on Manada Creek
Manada Creek
Manada Creek is a tributary of Swatara Creek in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States.The name is derived in Spanish, meaning "herd". The creek is born in Fort Indiantown Gap, East Hanover Township, flowing northwest through Blue Mountain. As it flows through East Hanover Township,...
in Dauphin County
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
on which his sons later built a furnace. His sons further expanded the holdings during the 19th century.
In 1802 Henry agreed to the partition of the common holdings between himself and Coleman, in order to obtain the funds to pay off his brother. Coleman received the Hopewell Forges and another one-sixth interest in the Cornwall iron banks, while Henry retained a one-sixth interest in the iron banks to supply his Mount Hope Furnace which he fully owned.
Personal life
Henry Bates Grubb, the second son of Peter Grubb, Jr., was born at Hopewell on February 6, 1774. His mother died after childbirth, leaving Henry and his older brother in the care of a cousin Hannah Bellarby Grubb. Hannah soon bore their father a daughter, Hannah Elizabeth, but Peter didn't want to marry so Hannah and her daughter left Peter's household, apparently for his brother Curtis' household, whose wife had also died and whose son Jehu GrubbJehu Grubb
Jehu Grubb , unacknowledged son of the prominent ironmaster Curtis Grubb, was an early settler who became a leading citizen in Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio. Jehu served in the War of 1812, was a Justice of the Peace, served in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1828 and 1832, and in 1852...
she also apparently bore. The boys were at school in York, Pennsylvania, when their father committed suicide in 1786.
Henry began his iron making career early on, and was apparently determined to make it a success. An iron master of the time needed an appropriate residence, and Henry had begun the Mount Hope Mansion
Mount Hope Estate
Mount Hope Estate is a National Register of Historic Places-listed property in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over , a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill,...
by 1800. He may have designed the elaborate formal gardens himself. The mansion and gardens were completed by 1805, and various outbuildings and a church were added over the years. Mount Hope Estate became the center of the family's iron making empire and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Henry married Ann Carson on June 18, 1805. Ann bore him a son Henry Carson, but she died shortly thereafter on October 19, 1806. Henry remarried, to Harriet Amelia Buckley, on December 1, 1808. She bore him five sons and two daughters before his death in 1823, managed Mount Hope Estate until 1836, and died in 1858. Three of their sons, Edward Burd, Clement Brooke and Alfred Bates, grew to adulthood and further expanded the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty
Grubb Family Iron Dynasty
The Grubb Family Iron Dynasty was a succession of iron manufacturing enterprises owned and operated by Grubb family members for over 165 years, collectively one the largest Pennsylvania iron producers during the Industrial Revolution...
.
Henry Bates Grubb died at Mount Hope on March 9, 1823 at the age of 49, and is buried there with Harriet at St. James Episcopal Church.
Sons who continued the family iron dynasty
- Edward Burd Grubb, Sr.Edward Burd Grubb, Sr.Edward Burd Grubb, Sr. was a prominent fourth-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty in Lancaster, Pennsylvania who in 1833, with his brother Clement Brooke Grubb, assumed control of the family business after the death of their father Henry Bates Grubb...
(1810–1867) was a family ironmaster, an ardent abolitionistAbolitionismAbolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
, and a leading citizen in Burlington, New JerseyBurlington, New JerseyBurlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
. - Clement Brooke Grubb (1815–1889) ironmaster and banker, manager of Mount Hope Estate, owner of several iron furnaces.
- Alfred Bates Grubb (1821–1885) bought 50% of Mount Hope Estate and furnace from Clement for $25,000, later his estate sold it back for $300,000.
Other descendants
- Edward Burd Grubb, Jr. (1841–1913) was a Civil War General, a candidate for Governor, and later Ambassador to Spain. After the war he joined the family iron business as President of the Lebanon Valley Furnace Company.
- Daisy Elizabeth Brooke Grubb (1850–1936) was the youngest daughter of Clement Brooke Grubb. She inherited the Mount Hope EstateMount Hope EstateMount Hope Estate is a National Register of Historic Places-listed property in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over , a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill,...
and was its last family resident. She transformed the 12 room Federal style mansion into a 32 room Victorian mansion that is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - Edward Burd Grubb III (1893–1973) was President of the New York Curb Exchange during the critical period after the creation of the SEC.
External Links
- The Forges and Furnaces Collection, including materials from the Grubb family ironworks and various family papers, are available for research use at the Historical Society of PennsylvaniaHistorical Society of PennsylvaniaThe Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historical society founded in 1824 and based in Philadelphia. The Society's building, designed by Addison Hutton and listed on Philadelphia's Register of Historical Places, houses some 600,000 printed items and over 19 million manuscript and graphic items...
.