DAVID AGNEW —The late David
Agnew was, for many years, one of the leaders in the development of the
infant iron industries of West Virginia, western Pennsylvania and
eastern Ohio, and during the last years of his life a leading and
beloved citizen of Sharpsville, Mercer county, where he died on the
24th of August, 1882. He was born at Frankstown, Huntingdon county,
Pennsylvania, on the 25th of September, 1805. His entrance into the
field of industries in which he labored until the last was made in
youth, when he obtained a clerkship with Dr. P. Shoenberger, at Maria
Forges, Bedford county, and about 1823 was transferred to the main
works in Pittsburg. Remaining in that city until 1832, Mr. Agnew then
removed to Wheeling, West Virginia, where, in partnership with Dr.
Shoenberger, he erected a rolling mill, the first in the city and
perhaps in the state. While a resident of Wheeling he was appointed a
member of the county court: was one of the founders of the Wheeling
Merchants’ and Mechanics’ Bank, of which he was a director and acting
president, and subsequently served as postmaster of the city for four
years, being appointed by President Tyler.
In 1846 David Agnew
removed to Sharon, Mercer county, and in partnership with Dr.
Shoenberger and others erected the Sharon furnace. Afterward were
organized the Sharon Iron Company and the Sharon Iron Works, of which
he was manager. Many of the earlier furnaces of the Shenango valley
proved unprofitable, and were closed on account of the dearness of the
ore. But while running the old Sharpsville furnace Mr. Agnew,
with his brother John P., procured a few tons of Lake Superior ore as
an experiment, and its introduction by them revolutionized the
manufacture of iron in Mercer county and western Pennsylvania. In 1856
Mr. Agnew removed to Erie, where he remained for two years looking
after the affairs of the Sharon Iron Company, when he severed his
connection with that firm and located at Parkersburg, West Virginia, to
engage in mercantile pursuits. During the last three years of the Civil
war he was superintendent of the rolling mills and blast furnaces at
Mount Savage, Maryland; then returned to Parkersburg and resided there
until the spring of 1869, when he became a resident of Sharpsville.
From that time until his death in 1882 his main business was the
supervision of the iron, coal and railroad interests controlled by the
estate of General James Pierce. He was also deeply concerned in local
public affairs, both as justice of the peace and as elder of the
Presbyterian church. He was prominent in organizing the Sharpsville
church, contributed liberally to the erection of a new edifice and saw
it completed shortly before his death. On December 29, 1829, Mr. Agnew
married Miss Eliza C. Lightner, a native of Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, who died in Sharpsville, February 6, 1888. They had five
sons and one daughter—John L., Theodore P., William H., David L.,
Charles E. and Mary M.
Charles E. Agnew has lived in Sharpsville
since 1869, and from 1873 to 1903 was cashier of the Iron Banking
Company. That institution was then reorganized as the First National
Bank of Sharpsville, and he has continued in the same position with
this institution.
Source: (Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, 1909, pages 362-363.)
DAVID AGNEW,
deceased, was born at Frankstown, Huntingdon Co., Penn., September 25,
1805, and died at Sharpsville, Penn., August 24, 1882. Ere reaching
manhood he obtained a clerkship with Dr. P. Shoenberger, at Maria
Forges, in Bedford County. About the year 1823 he removed to the
Doctor’s iron works, at Pittsburgh, where he remained until the spring
of 1832, when he removed to Wheeling, Va., having entered into
partnership with Dr. Shoenberger for the erection of a rolling mill at
that place, the first in that city, and believed to be the first of the
kind erected in that State. He was about the same time connected with a
forge and furnace at Hanging Rock, Ohio. While a resident of Wheeling
he was appointed by the governor a member of the “County Court;” was
instrumental with others in establishing the Merchants’ &
Mechanics’ Bank, of Wheeling; was a director, and for a time acted as
president of that institution, and subsequently was appointed by
President Tyler postmaster, which office he held for more than four
years. During his term of postmaster Polk was elected President, and
when the new administration came into power an attempt was made by the
politicians to have Mr. Agnew removed; but the Postmaster-General,
having examined into the affairs of the office, and finding that they
were conducted in such an able and business-like manner, protested so
strongly against any change being made that Mr. Agnew, though of
different political faith, was permitted to retain the office.
Wheeling, at that time, was one of the most important points along the
line of the National Road, being a distributing office. Mr. Agnew
resigned about a year later. In the year 1846 he removed to Sharon,
this county, and, in connection with Dr. Shoenberger and others, built
the Sharon Furnace. Afterward, together with Gen. Curtis, Mr. Boyce and
other citizens of Sharon, the Sharon Iron Company was formed, and the
rolling mill at Sharon, known as the Sharon Iron Works, was erected, of
which Mr. Agnew was a director and manager. About the year 1846 there
was considerable excitement in Mercer County in regard to the coal and
iron business, which led to the erection of quite a number of blast
furnaces along the Shenango Valley, but the expectations of these
pioneers in the iron business of this county were destined to
disappointment. The Lake Superior ores had not been obtained, and
confined, as they were, to the native ores, and the use of mineral
coal, with a general want of knowledge and experience in the working of
these materials, it is not surprising that the business proved
unprofitable, and was generally abandoned, so that very few of these
old furnaces remain, having, since the introduction of Lake Superior
ores, been superseded by larger and more perfect establishments. The
connection of the iron ore of Lake Superior with the coal of Mercer
County has produced an entire revolution in the manufacture of iron in
Mercer County, and throughout Western Pennsylvania generally. Mr.
Agnew and his brother, John P. Agnew, were the first to use Lake
Superior ore in a blast furnace. While running the old Sharpsville
Furnace they procured at great expense, a few tons of ore for that
purpose, which, it is believed, was the first time it had ever been so
used. In 1856 Mr. Agnew removed to Erie where he remained two years,
looking after the business affairs of the Sharon Iron Company, at the
end of which time he severed his connection with the firm, and went to
Parkersburg, W. Va., and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1862 he
went to Mount Savage, Md., and took charge of the rolling mills and
furnaces in that place, and returned to Parkersburg about the close of
the war, and stayed until the spring of 1809, when he came to
Sharpsville.
In an acquaintance of over fifty years Mr. Agnew
witnessed many seasons of prosperity and adversity, as well as great
improvements, in the iron industries of the county. Since 1869 he
resided in Sharpsville, having the general supervision of the books and
accounts connected with the various iron, coal and other concerns in
which the late Gen. Pierce was interested, and in the capacity of
secretary and treasurer of the Sharpsville Railroad Company. The
business of the Pierce estate was closed in 1881, and notwithstanding
its extensive and varied character, and the immense amount of labor
involved, under Mr. Agnew’ s wise management, and comprehensive
acquaintance with the affairs thereof, it was settled in a
comparatively speedy and satisfactory manner to all concerned. In
politics Mr. Agnew was a Republican, but never took an active part in
any of the campaigns of the party. In 1873, just before the borough of
Sharpsville was formed, he was elected a justice of the peace, but
could not devote much time to the affairs of the office, though he did
considerable work in drawing up deeds, legal documents, etc. In
religion Mr. Agnew always took an active and earnest part, being a
leading member of the Presbyterian Church. He was elected an elder of
the Fourth Street Church in Wheeling, and was honored with that
position in the church of his choice wherever he resided. He was
prominent in organizing the church here, and lived to see a very neat
edifice erected and dedicated but a short time before his death, toward
the building of which he contributed liberally. Mr. Agnew was married
in Pittsburgh, December 29, 1829, to Miss Eliza C. Lightner, Rev.
Francis Herron, D. D., performing the ceremony.
The deceased
left two children: Charles F. and Mary. His widow died February 6,
1888, a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. Her four oldest
children also are dead. Their names were John L., Theodore P., William
H. and David L. John L. has one son, J. Ford, who lives in St. Louis,
Mo.; Theodore P. has one daughter, Nellie, who lives with her mother at
Fredericksburg, Md.
Source: (History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 835-837)
|
|