Peter Grubb

Peter Grubb (circa 1702 - 1754) founded Cornwall Furnace, one of the largest ironworks in Colonial Pennsylvania. The youngest of the the seven sons of John Grubb (b.1652) and his wife Frances of Brandywine Hundred, Delaware. Peter first learned the stone mason trade, and in 1729 completed a water corn and boulting mill in Bradford, Pennsylvania. He built his first iron bloomery (a crude form of furnace) in 1737 at Furnace Creek, on the modern border of Lancaster and Lebanon counties.

Five years later, Grubb constructed a regular iron furnace, known as Hopewell on Hammer Creek near his bloomery. As he started to operate Hopewell, Peter soon located three mountains of magnetic iron ore just west of the furnace. In 1744, he opened a new furnace, named Cornwall in honor of his father's birthplace, to take advantage of the discovery. The next year, he leased the operation to Cury and Company for 25 years at $250 pounds a year.

Personal Life

On 2nd mo. 12, 1732 at Caln Meeting, Peter married Martha (nee Bates) Wall, widow of James Wall. They had two sons, Curtis Grubb (circa 1730 - 1789) and Peter Grubb Jr. (1740 - 1786). After Martha died, Peter remarried on 12th mo. 10, 1741 to Hannah (nee Mendenhall) Marshall, widow Thomas Marshall. In 1745, Peter and Hannah retired to Wilmington, Delaware.

References

*Arthur Bining, "Pennsylvania Iron Manufacturer in the Eighteenth Century" (1938).
*Gilbert Cope, "The Grubb Family of Delaware and Pennsylvania" (1893).
*James Dilbert, "Iron, Independence and Inheritance" (2000).
*David Grubb, "The Grubb Family of Grubb's Landing, Delaware" (2008).
*Phillip Payton, "The Cornish Overseas" (1999).