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The Meason family were late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century entrepreneurs in the iron manufacturing in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Two sites related to the Meason's have been listed on National Register of Historic Places in the twentieth century. Contained in the collection are three account books from Mount Vernon Furnace and Isaac Meason, Jr's, personal ledger book which document transactions related to goods and services. They include an extensive record of names of debtors, items bought and sold, and value of items.
About the Meason Family and Mount Vernon Furnace
Isaac Meason, Sr (1742-1818) and Isaac Meason, Jr (1779-1836), were early iron manufacturing entrepreneurs in western Pennsylvania in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The elder Meason established the Mount Vernon Furnace (also known as Jacob's Creek Furnace and Alliance Iron Works) in 1795, which is located on Eutsey Road, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania (approximately 6 miles south of Mt. Pleasant, PA and 6 miles east of Scottdale, PA). In 1991, the Mount Vernon Furnace was included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Isaac Meason was born in Virginia in 1742 and settled in what is now southwestern Pennsylvania in 1771. He married Catherine Harrison in 1772. They had five known children – Thomas Meason (1775-1813), Isaac Meason, Jr. (1779 – 1836), Mary Meason Rogers (1780-1852), George Meason (1783-1870), and Elizabeth Meason Murphy (1787- 1840.) In his early life, he served in the Revolutionary War. He amassed significant wealth. According to Diane B. Reed, "Meason was the owner of a number of enterprises, including the first commercially successful iron furnace in the region, Union Furnace (1791). He also owned Center and Ross Furnaces, as well as the Plumsock Rolling Mill. Plumsock was the first rolling mill in the United States, beginning operation on September 15, 1817." (National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, 1991). His other enterprises included: Dunbar Furnace, Saltworks, a sawmill, a grist mill, and a shoe and harness shop. Meason also supplied the iron to build the first iron suspension bridge in the United States, located on Jacob's Creek. He employed 10% of the taxable population in Franklin township. In addition to employing local residents, through U. S. Census records it is evident that Meason also enslaved between 3-7 individuals during the period of 1790-1810. It is not evident at this time whether the African-Americans were working in an industrial, agricultural or domestic capacity.
Meason's civic and community activities included serving as: associate judge of Fayette County, a state assembly member, and a member of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. He owned over 20,000 acres of land. About 1775, Meason purchased a large tract of land in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, which had previously been owned by Christopher Gist. Here, Meason built his residence, a Georgian style mansion known as "Mount Braddock", located on Cellurale Drive (off Route 119) that has been attributed to the architect and builder, Adam Wilson. The architectural feat is one of only two ashlar dressed seven-part Palladian plan residential houses in the United States. The Isaac Meason House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. In 1796, Meason laid out the Village of New Haven, which was located across the Youghiogheny River from Connellsville, Pennsylvania. In 1909, the residents of the Borough of New Haven and the Borough of Connellsville voted to be combined into the City of Connellsville.
When Isaac Meason died in 1818, his son Isaac Meason, Jr. (sometimes referred to as Colonel Meason) inherited most of his father's estate including iron furnaces, his mansion, and the town of New Haven. Meason, Jr. had previously had a career as a lawyer before joining his father's businesses in 1805. Other activities include partnering with Jacob Mathiot to build Ross Furnace in 1815 in Fairfield Township. In his personal life, he was married to Mary Butler (1785-1878). They had nine children – Catherine Meason Trevor (1806-1843), William Butler Meason (1810-1840), Isaac Meason (1812-1842), Elizabeth Postlethwaite Meason Kerr (1816-1904), Richard Meason (1819-1832), Ellen Meason (1823-1871), Sidney S. Meason Henry (1824-1914), Frances Ann Meason (1826-1924), and Caroline Meason (1828-1831.)
Mount Vernon Furnace was built in Bullskin Township, PA in 1795 and rebuilt in 1801. Mount Vernon Furnace was sold to David Barnes and D.B. Long at an unknown date, although sources claim they operated it only for a couple of years before the furnace was permanently blown out, or shutdown. Blowing out a furnace happens generally when its ability to produce has been minimized and the internal components may need to be replaced, which can be a costly endeavor and therefore some furnaces are allowed to become "blown out" or "racked out" as it is being shut down. Another point of contention is when the furnace finally stopped operation, with reported dates that range from 1824 to 1830. Further details on the operation of the Mount Version Furnace have not be found.
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