Page 16 - Discover Fall 2021
P. 16
Forging A
Nation
By Charles Alexander
Few people outside of this area have In 1779, Donelson moved to Tennessee,
ever even heard of Rocky Mount, VA, and sold the ironworks to Colonel James
much less considered it to be of historical Callaway, and his father-in-law, Jeremiah
significance. However, the very existence Early. Callaway was also a member of the
of this country may not have been possible House of Burgesses, and Early was the
without the contributions made by this little great-grandfather of Confederate General
town, with an original population of some Jubal Early. These contemporaries of George
200 souls. Washington renamed the forge “Washington
Iron Forge” in his honor. Callaway became
Originally settled in the early 18th
the sole owner of the forge in 1781,
Century, it was recognized as a good source
purchasing Early’s share from his heirs after
of iron ore. Circa 1770, the Washington
Early’s demise in 1779.
Iron Furnace was built near the Pigg River
by John Donelson and his son-in-law, John The forge changed hands again in
Caffrey. Donelson is perhaps better known as 1820 when the three Saunders brothers, one
the father of Rachel Donelson, who married of whom married General Early’s daughter,
future President Andrew Jackson. purchased it and another furnace on Ferrum
Creek. By 1836, some 100 men were working
John Donelson was a served in the
the forge, producing some 160 tons of iron
court of Pittsylvania County, and also
per year. The finished product was made into
represented the county in the House of
iron bars and castings, and transported by
Burgesses. He was also a militia Colonel and
horse-drawn wagons to North Carolina and
the county surveyor. Franklin County later
Alabama.
was formed in 1785, from parts of Bedford
County and Henry County, which had split Washington Iron Furnace, as it is
from Pittsylvania County in 1777. now called, is still standing, and is one of
the best preserved of these old iron forges.
The ironworks were originally named
It is roughly pyramidal in shape, as were
“The Bloomery”, which was a common term
most forges of the day, made of granite stone
at the time for a smelting furnace. It got its
blocks. It stands almost 30 feet high, with a
name from the initial product, a mixture of
12 foot opening, built into the side of a hill
iron and slag, called a “bloom”. The Bloomery
near the old Iron Mine branch of the Pigg
supplied iron products to patriot armed forces
River, which took on the name “Furnace
during the Revolutionary War. The furnace
Creek”. The reason for building it into the
was operated by a team of four white men and
hillside was to facilitate the loading of ore,
six male slaves.
14 Discover Smith Mountain Lake FALL 2021
