Vesuvius Furnace

38.605527, -82.630088

Vesuvius Furnace was built in 1833 by Gould, Hurd & Co.

Ruins of Vesuvius Furnace in Elizabeth Township, Lawrence County, Ohio as they appeared in 1935. The furnace was built in 1833 and produced ten tons of iron per day (http://www.ohiopix.org)

House occupied by the manager of Vesuvius Furnace in Elizabeth Township, Lawrence County, Ohio as it appeared in 1935. (http://www.ohiopix.org)

Reproduction of a photograph depicting the wagons that were loaded with coal and drawn by oxen at Vesuvius Furnace in Lawrence County, Ohio. The original photograph was taken ca. 1895. 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 William Whitlach of Portsmouth, Ohio. (http://www.ohiopix.org)

Reproduction of a photograph depicting the blacksmith shop and store at Vesuvius Furnace in Lawrence County, Ohio. The original photograph was taken ca. 1900. 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 A. J. Duteil of Oak Hill, Ohio. (www.ohiopix.org)

J.W. Dempsey is buried in Woodland Cemetery:
​http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=dempsey&GSfn=joseph&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=37&GScnty=2083&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=90465214&df=all&

For Wayne National Forest’s page about Vesuvius Furnace, Click Here

The note above right is “scrip.” Furnace employees were not paid with money but with scrip. Scrip was printed in varying amounts and could be exchanged for goods in the company store – food, clothing, etc. at inflated amounts.

Furnace workers never had money until the latter years and it was very little. They lived in company houses (the foundations of those still visible in Superior).

Schools and churches were in close proximity, everything was purchased from the company store or provided by the company, doctors made the rounds in each village and all of the rural furnaces have accompanying cemeteries (with the exception of Oak Ridge. It only operated for a year and a half).