Iron Furnace Workers

JOB TITLE	JOB DESCRIPTION	CENTRE FURNACE PERSONALITY	COMMENTS
Ironmaster	Responsible for overall administration of furnace and village. Responsible for care and feeding of all village residents, both workers and their families.	Moses Thompson was the ironmaster at Centre Furnace from 1842 until it went out of blast in 1858.
Manager	Overall supervisor of the furnace itself. He sometimes served as bookkeeper as well, depending on skills and duties of other employees, such as the clerk.	James Newell was the first manager at Centre Furnace, beginning in 1792. He left in 1804 for a higher offer from John Dunlop to manage the Bellefonte Iron Works. Clemson Rigg was the manager during part of the furnace's second phase, working from at least 1836 to at least 1847. In 1840 he was in his mid-40s, his wife Mary was in her mid-30s, and they had one daughter and one son.
Clerk	Served as secretary to ironmaster. Often was bookkeeper, too, responsible for payroll as well as furnace accounts.	William C. Welch started at Centre Furnace sometime before May 1, 1839, and left employment November 1, 1845.	On May 1, 1840, William Welch's account was credited $216.67 for 13 months of work, minus "board" (probably both meals and lodging) of $108.50. His net salary for a little more than a year was $108.17, but this did not take into account anything he bought at the company store.
Founder	In charge of the furnace stack, making sure the furnace was kept at peak efficiency. He needed to monitor the fire, smoke, and iron. He constantly adjusted the bellows and the mix of raw ingredients. The founder was also in charge of "tapping" the furnace.	Joseph Carter was a founder at Centre Furnace for 20 years (1838-1858), although he quit once on May 22, 1846 "in bad humor". He is back in the Time Books in September, however, helping "to put the Furnace to rights." The 1850 census lists him as age 43, living with his wife Elizabeth (45); his eldest son William (22), also a founder at the furnace; daughters Rebecca (18) and Catherine (12); and sons Isaac (14) and Jacob (7). Isaac and Catherine attended the Centre Furnace School. The 1850 census lists two other Centre Furnace founders: brothers Henry and David Keller. Henry was 40, his wife Margaret was 36, and they had 7 children: Elizabeth (17), Clara (15), Sarah (13), Ellen (11), Adaline (9), David (7), and Sophia (5). The 5 middle children attended the school. David Keller was 32 years old, living with his wife Margaret (age 27), sons William (8) and Ephraim (5) – both in school – and daughter Catherine (1). The David Keller family housed two boarders as well: Jackson Diehl (25), a moulder at the furnace, and James Osman (20), a blacksmith.	The founder was usually the highest paid furnace (rather than office) worker, since he was considered highly skilled. Founders were paid by the amount of material they actually produced – by the ton of pig iron (usually 75 cents). A founder needed years of training, primarily on-the-job. The only way to determine the proper mix of ingredients and rate of blast was through the color of the smoke and flame, condition of the molten iron and slag, and the sound of the fire. They did not use modern measuring instruments, as industries would today.
Keeper	Supervised operations at night when the founder was off duty.	Joseph Carter was a keeper at Centre Furnace in the 1840s. The furnace Time Books record this entry on May 22, 1846: "Joseph Carter, this day, gave up his charge of the furnace and left, apparently in a bad humor. Furnace working very badly. Water coming through the stack in to hearth." The Time Book again lists him as a worker in October that year, so apparently he didn't leave for good.	A keeper might make $25 a month.
Blacksmith	Made new tools and parts by working iron. His role was vital in keeping the furnace running smoothly, as he made all repair parts. The blacksmith was also responsible for shoeing horses and mules. He was considered an artisan.	John G. Hartswick and his father were both blacksmiths in the early life of Centre Furnace, working here until 1821. John's father came to the furnace in 1791 with John Patton. Jacob Bottorf was a blacksmith from at least 1847 to 1850. In 1850 he was 41 years old; his wife Sarah was 35; they had 9 children: Martha (17), John (16), Julia (13), Nancy (11), Catharine (9); William (8), Henry (6), Jacob (4), and Winfield (1 month) – all but Martha, Jacob, and the baby were in school. Is it possible that baby Winfield was named for Mexican War hero Gen. Winfield Scott?	A blacksmith at the Curtin Iron Works made $31.22 for 24 days work in 1829.
Carpenter	Did any woodworking jobs on the iron plantation. He was considered an artisan.	David Barr reported his job in 1850 as a carpenter. He worked at Centre Furnace as early as 1836, when he appeared on the township tax rolls, but it is unclear what work he performed. The Time Books in the early 1840s show him painting around the furnace.
Filler	Job was to load the furnace with charcoal, lime, and iron ore in very specific proportions. The filler dumped barrows and carts into the "tunnel head," approximating the amount the founder told them to use.	From February to April 1846 six fillers worked at Centre Furnace, taking turns substituting when one was sick: James Fulton, James Edmiston, Joseph Simpson, Joseph Cox, William Creamer, and William Ammerman.	Fillers could make $20 a month. Filling was considered a dangerous job. It required working in extreme heat, at the top of the furnace stack. Fillers were often sick, burned, or injured; they had a much higher rate of sick days than other jobs. There was usually more than one filler on duty at a time.
Moulder	Made and cast the molds for iron that was not made into pigs.	Jackson Diehl, age 25 in 1850, was one of four Centre Furnace moulders listed in the 1850 census. He lived with David Keller and family.
Gutterman	Prepared the sand bed on the casthouse floor; raked it and made channels in the pig pattern. Guttermen removed and stacked the hardened pigs for transport. They also hauled away the cooling slag.	John Singleton worked at Centre Furnace from at least 1836 to after 1846. The Time Books show a reputation for drunkenness; the February 9, 1842 entry reads "Jno. Singleton agrees after this spree not to drink Liquor for 4 months."	Guttermen could earn $18 a month.
Stocker	Stocked the ore and charcoal from the teamsters' wagons into the charcoal shed. It was then ready for the fillers.	Robert Rhea is listed in the Time Books in 1841.	Stockers could earn $25-30 a month, possibly paid by tonnage rather than time.
Collier	Responsible for making the charcoal needed to fuel the furnace. The master collier supervised the entire coaling operation on a mountain, assisted by journeymen colliers.	Brothers Patton and John Irvin are both listed in the 1850 census as colliers; it is unknown who was considered a "master," a "journeyman," or a coaling helper. In 1850 Patton was 34 years old, living with wife Susannah (24) and son William (2); John was 29, living with wife Margaret (18) and daughter Mary (2).	Colliers were usually paid by the bushel of charcoal produced, usually around 2 cents a bushel. This could amount to up to $500 a year for a good master collier.
Coaling helpers	Assisted the master collier with all aspects of making charcoal.	The June 4, 1846 Time Book entry reads, "Wilson Hockenberry went to coal in mountains." Many other similar entries exist for other men.	Helpers could earn $18 a month. Coaling operations required the second largest number of employees, after woodcutters.
Woodcutter	Supplied wood for the collier. This was a common job for furnace laborers in the winter.	Since this was such a common job, the Time Books would not have specifically recorded "woodcutting" and census records would not list it as a separate occupation. It is impossible to guess which man considered a "laborer" was a woodcutter – probably all of them at one time or another.	Since the furnace required such a large amount of wood for its charcoal needs (an heating needs in the village), woodcutting mandated the largest number of employees.
Master miner	In charge of the iron ore bank and the other miners.	Benjamin Cooper is listed in the 1850 census as a miner; because of his age (46), he may have been a master miner. That year he lived with his wife Nancy (34); son John (17), a miner; and younger children William (14), Henry (12), Robert (10), Eliza (8), Margaret (6), and Thomas (2). The three middle boys all attended the Centre Furnace School.	All miners were considered highly skilled and were paid accordingly, usually paid by the ton of ore. For master miners, this could amount to more than $25 a month.
Miner	Surface mining for the iron ore. Mining was classified in the Time Books as "bank-work."	Joshua Brown appears in the Time Books as working at the Bush Bank in August 1836.	All miners were considered highly skilled and were paid accordingly, by ton of ore; for regular miners this could mean $14-18 a month.
Teamster	Hauled ore from mines, limestone from quarries, and charcoal from woods to the furnace. Teamsters also hauled the finished pigs to market, and brought goods back from market for the ironmaster and the store.	George Reeder, Sr., age 51 in 1850, was a Centre Furnace teamster. His household that year consisted of himself; his wife Jane (42); daughter Catherine (23); son James (20), also a teamster; son George (18), a miner; and younger sons Munholland (14), Thomas (9), and Moses (7), all in school.	Teamsters were often paid by piecework rather than by time. For a long time the rate of pay for hauling ore from the ore banks was $1 per ton.
Cooper	Made barrels.	John Seton listed his occupation in the 1850 census as cooper, although at age 70 he may have already been retired. He lived with his son Thomas, a laborer at Centre Furnace, and Thomas's family.
Mason	Responsible for brick and stone work, particularly repairs to the furnace.	James McNabb worked at Centre Furnace from the 1830s to the 1840s.
Wheelwright	Kept vehicles running.
Wagonmaker	Made wagons and carts, which were used by the teamsters to haul raw ingredients and finished products.	John Mayes was a wagonmaker at the furnace in at least 1850; that year he was 36, heading a household of his wife Ellenora (34) and five sons William (12), James (10), Thomas (7), Lewis (5), and Benjamin (1). The three oldest boys attended Centre Furnace School.
Storekeeper	Operated the company store. In charge of stocking goods, keeping account books.
Miller	Operated the grist mill.	Philip Carper was the Centre Furnace miller in the middle of the 19th century. In 1850 he was 41 years old; his wife Catharine was 39; and they had seven children: Mary (18), Harriet (16), Susannah (11), Adam (9), Catharine (7), Magdalena (6), and Matilda (3) – the three middle children were in school.
Millwright	Made repairs to the water wheels at the furnace, the sawmill, and the grist mill.	Samuel Osman is listed in the 1850 census as the furnace millwright. At age 55 he lived with wife Sarah (53) and children Catherine (23), Benjamin (17), Elizabeth (15), George (12), Jesse (9), and Emily (6 mos.). Elizabeth, George, and Jesse were all still in school.
Farmhand	Worked in the many furnace farms. This was obviously seasonal work, and many men (and women) were farmhands when necessary, and laborers of other kinds the rest of the year.	George Bottorf, primarily a teamster, spent several days harrowing the fields in April and May 1840.
Other laborers	Some furnace hands helped with any other job that needed doing.	David Barr (who later considered himself a carpenter) is listed in the Time Books as painting "small buildings at house" in October 1845. James Bathurst butchered hogs in December 1845 with help from John Singleton. In October 1845 David Moore "picked stumps"; in November 1845 "David Moore helped to measure road to mountain, measures 7 miles distance." Pat Shewey spread slag (probably for roads) in March 1846.

Women at an Iron Furnace Plantation

JOB	DESCRIPTION	CENTRE FURNACE PERSONALITY	COMMENTS
Mansion maid	General servant for the ironmaster's family.	Mary Cloyd "commenced work at the house" on January 8, 1842. By 1850 she was no longer working for the Thompsons; she had moved to Andrew Gregg's employ by then.	Wages were not high, but often room and board was included.
Mansion cook	Prepare meals for the ironmaster's family and for the single laborers who ate at the Mansion.		Wages were not high, but often room and board was included. In June 1846 332 meals were served to workers; the next month there were 612 meals served.
Mansion housekeeper	Responsible for cleaning at the Mansion.	Lidia Wolf was paid $4.12 for 11 days helping clean up house in December 1846.	Wages were not high (Lidia Wolf's wages in 1846 came to only 37 1/2 cents a day), but sometimes room and board was included.
Boardinghouse keeper	In charge of the boarding house for single men, providing both room and board.	Mrs. Jemima Guines appears in the Time Book beginning July 30, 1846.	The Time Book entry for July 30, 1846 indicates that "Mrs. Guines commenced keeping the boarding house." It is unclear if this is the beginning of the boarding house, or just her employment as keeper.
Seamstress	Sewed and mended on contract, often making their own yarn, thread, or cloth.	Mrs. Mary Graham appears in the furnace store ledgers in the late 1840s, credited for mending and sewing for furnace hands.
Laundress	Taking in washing for laborers	Mrs. Mary Rigg, wife of furnace manager Clemson Rigg, was credited in the store ledger in 1847 for "washing for office and clerks." She also took in sewing and mending.	The furnace clerk, in 1840, owed $18 for washing.
Farm help	Seasonal help, just as the male laborers.		Pay ranged from $.25 to $.35 per day.
Gardener (at home)	Sold fruit, vegetables, and eggs raised in their own gardens.

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