Description: View of the interior of the machine shop in the Ripley Foundry in Ripley, Ohio, founded by John Parker (1827-1900). Parker resided in Virginia, where he was born, until the age of 8, when he was sent to Alabama after being purchased by a physician. Unlike most slaves, John Parker was literate despite the fact that it was illegal for slaves to be taught to read. The reasons for the strict illegality of teaching slaves was that their white owners feared that the more they knew, the more likely they would be to escape and flee to the safety of the north. The belief that these African Americans kept in servitude would be unable to learn was pervasive. Parker, of course, proved this to be entirely wrong as he would not only become literate but would go on to become a successful business owner. It was when he was still a slave that he first learned a trade that would become his career: iron working. Parker saved his earnings from the foundry, and eventually he was able to pull himself out of slavery. Parker would start a foundry of his own after he decided to leave the South and had already run his own shop for a period of a few years before moving to Ripley where the foundry would be built. Being a former slave himself and understanding their plight, Parker often brought slaves northwards so that they would be able to live freely. Parker spent the remainder of his life as a business owner until his death in 1900. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06717
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Iron industry; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; Ohio Economy; Former slaves
Places: Ripley (Ohio); Brown County (Ohio)
 

Description: The interior of Ripley Foundry in Ripley, Ohio, founded by a former slave, John Parker (1827-1900). Parker resided in Virginia, where he was born, until the age of 8, when he was sent to Alabama after being purchased by a physician. Unlike most slaves, John Parker was literate despite the fact that it was illegal for slaves to be taught to read. The reasons for the strict illegality of teaching slaves was that their white owners feared that the more they knew, the more likely they would be to escape and flee to the safety of the north. The belief that these African Americans kept in servitude would be unable to learn was pervasive. Parker, of course, proved this to be entirely wrong as he would not only become literate but would go on to become a successful business owner. It was when he was still a slave that he first learned a trade that would become his career: iron working. Parker saved his earnings from the foundry, and eventually he was able to pull himself out of slavery. Parker would start a foundry of his own after he decided to leave the South and had already run his own shop for a period of a few years before moving to Ripley where the foundry would be built. Being a former slave himself and understanding their plight, Parker often brought slaves northwards so that they would be able to live freely. Parker spent the remainder of his life as a business owner until his death in 1900. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06709
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Iron industry; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; Ohio Economy; Former slaves
Places: Ripley (Ohio); Brown County (Ohio)
 

Description: Steelworkers use a mud gun in the cast house at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company's Campbell Works, East Youngstown (Campbell), Ohio, ca. 1930-1939. The mud gun swung from an arm mounted on a pedestal in the cast house. The clay plugged the hole by plugging or screwing in the clay. The plugging method varied depending on the type of gun being used at the time. The gun could be powered by steam or an electric motor. After every use, the gun needed cleaning and the clay was discarded. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05609
Subjects: Blast furnaces--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Business; Steel industry and trade--Ohio--Youngstown--History; Iron and steel workers--Ohio
Places: East Youngstown (Ohio); Campbell (Ohio); Mahoning County (Ohio)
 

Description: A steelworker plugs the cinder notch in the cast house at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company's Campbell Works, East Youngstown (Campbell), Ohio, ca. 1930-1939. Workers first flushed the slag out of the blast furnace at the cinder notch. Then they used a long steel bar called a bott to plug the cinder notch. At the end of the bar was the cinder notch plug, or the monkey bott. Later, at the end of the monkey bott was an oxygen lance. The worker operating the monkey bott was called a keeper. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05610
Subjects: Blast furnaces--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Business; Steel industry and trade--Ohio--Youngstown--History; Iron and steel workers--Ohio
Places: East Youngstown (Ohio); Campbell (Ohio); Mahoning County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing employees at hand-operated sheet mills involved in steel production, ca. 1890-1899. After the American Civil War, iron manufacturers in Ohio began to introduce new processes to refine iron ore. The resulting product was steel, which was much stronger and more versatile than iron. Because Ohio's numerous steel companies were quick to adopt new technology, Ohio became the second-largest producer of steel in the nation by the 1890s. Developments in the steel industry helped to encourage construction of large buildings, such as skyscrapers, as well as bridges and other projects. The automobile industry also contributed to the growth of the steel industry in the early decades of the twentieth century. Although the mill in this photograph is not identified, it could have been one of any number around the state in the 1890s. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03918
Subjects: Manufacturing industries--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor; Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Steel industry
Places: Ohio
 

Description: Early iron foundry, from "Pathways of Progress, A Short History of Ohio," by David Bowman. While iron production originated in the northeastern corner of Ohio, during the first half of the nineteenth century southern Ohioans dominated the industry. The most productive area was centered near Hanging Rock, along the Ohio River. By 1860, southern Ohioans had established sixty-nine iron furnaces, producing more than 100,000 tons of iron annually, across Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Scioto, and Vinton Counties. The manufacturers sent much of the iron up and down the Ohio River to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, allowing southern Ohioans to prosper. It was in these two cities where most of the iron produced in southern Ohio was fashioned into finished products such as household utensils and tools. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04129
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor; Iron industry
Places: Ohio
 

Description: Reproduction of a photograph depicting Jefferson Furnace employees and a team of oxen hauling about 100 bushels of charcoal. They are identified as William Howell, Eben Davis and Willard Crabtree. Jefferson Furnace was built in 1854. Wilbur Stout, former chemist at the Columbus Iron and Steel Company and Ohio's state geologist, researched and collected photographs of blast furnaces in Ohio. He received this photograph from Mrs. Jennie Davis of Oak Hill, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00815
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor
Places: Jackson County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reproduction of a photograph depicting a crew of laborers at the Jefferson Furnace in Jackson County, Ohio. The crew members are identified as Amos Crabtree, Fred Heading, John Wilson, John Wilson Jr. and Ellory Manring. Jefferson Furnace was built in 1854. Wilbur Stout, former chemist at the Columbus Iron and Steel Company and Ohio's state geologist, researched and collected photographs of blast furnaces in Ohio. He received this photograph from Mostyn Jones of Oak Hill, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00814
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor
Places: Jackson County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reproduction of a photograph depicting employees gathered outside of the Moxahala Furnace in Perry County, Ohio, ca. 1900-1935. The Moxahala Furnace was built in 1877. Wilbur Stout, former chemist at the Columbus Iron and Steel Company and Ohio's state geologist, researched and collected photographs of blast furnaces in Ohio. He received this photograph from F. R. Jones of Bellaire, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00816
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor
Places: Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reproduction of a photograph depicting a group of employees at the Bessie Furnace in Perry County, Ohio. Bessie Furnace was constructed in 1877. Wilbur Stout received this photograph from William J. Barry of New Straitsville, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00819
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor
Places: Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Interior view of employees working with hot metal at the Jisco Furnace in Jackson, Ohio, ca. 1920-1935. Wilbur Stout, former chemist at the Columbus Iron and Steel Company and Ohio's state geologist, researched and collected photographs of blast furnaces in Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00822
Subjects: Iron and steel workers--Ohio; Ohio Economy--Economy--Labor
Places: Jackson County (Ohio)