Principio Furnace
Encyclopedia
Principio Furnace and village, Cecil County, Maryland
, 4 mi/6.4 km NE of Havre de Grace, MD. The Principio Iron Works, part of the larger Principio Company, were started here in 1719 by Joseph Farmer with capital from England and an ironmaster, John England, who made it one of the most successful in the colonies by the 1740s, producing pig iron
good enough to be sold in London. Thomas Russell, Jr., England’s successor, produced cannonballs for the Continental Army during the Revolution. The works, destroyed by the British in 1813, were rebuilt and produced iron until 1925. Part of the stone furnace still remains on the site and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Principio Company included not only this furnace, but also other works in Maryland and Virginia. This included the Accokeek or Potomac Ironworks on the land of George Washington's father, Augustine
(north of Ferry Farm nr Fredericksburg, VA). This works was developed by England originally as a source of iron ore. But possibly as early as 1726 also included a cold blast charcoal furnace
. Accokeek/Potomac served as the headquarters of the Principio Company until it was closed sometime in the mid 1750s.
Principio Furnace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972.
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
, 4 mi/6.4 km NE of Havre de Grace, MD. The Principio Iron Works, part of the larger Principio Company, were started here in 1719 by Joseph Farmer with capital from England and an ironmaster, John England, who made it one of the most successful in the colonies by the 1740s, producing pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
good enough to be sold in London. Thomas Russell, Jr., England’s successor, produced cannonballs for the Continental Army during the Revolution. The works, destroyed by the British in 1813, were rebuilt and produced iron until 1925. Part of the stone furnace still remains on the site and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Principio Company included not only this furnace, but also other works in Maryland and Virginia. This included the Accokeek or Potomac Ironworks on the land of George Washington's father, Augustine
Augustine Washington
Augustine Washington was the father of general and president George Washington. He belonged to the Colony of Virginia's landed gentry and was a planter and slaveholder.-Family:...
(north of Ferry Farm nr Fredericksburg, VA). This works was developed by England originally as a source of iron ore. But possibly as early as 1726 also included a cold blast charcoal furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
. Accokeek/Potomac served as the headquarters of the Principio Company until it was closed sometime in the mid 1750s.
Principio Furnace was 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...
in 1972.
External links
- Principio Furnace, Cecil County, Inventory No.: CE-112, including undated photo, at Maryland Historical Trust website