The Story of the Historic Royer Mansion
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The first iron works in Pennsylvania was established in 1716 by Thomas Rutter, near Pottstown, in what is now Berks County. The industry moved steadily westward until, in 1791, there were sixteen furnaces and thirty-seven forges in the state. In 1785, iron pioneers arrived in Central Pennsylvania and Bedford Furnace was built near the present town of Orbisonia. It was from this forge that Pittsburgh bought the first American bar iron. Tyrone Forge, the first iron works in what is now Blair County, was built in 1805 to handle the pig iron from Huntingdon Furnace. From this operation, the Shoenberger Family emerged as one of the predominant industrial institution. The firm that built the furnace was recognized soon after and George Shoenberger became one of the owners. At one time his son, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, was the leading iron master in the state.
Before an iron operation could be initiated, the land had to be prospected for ore and the other necessary natural resources. All of these requisites were found at what is now called Mount Etna in Blair County, thus in 1809, a furnace was put in blast there. Sixteen years prior, a settler by the name of David Stewart operated a gristmill and sawmill on site to offer services to the farmers of the Juniata Valley. Conveniently located near river transportation and the Frankstown Road, Stewart capitalized off the natural commodities and surrounding infrastructure. By 1806, he owned 4,230 acres of land rich with deposits of limestone, iron ore, and timber. Within a year, he sought to establish a cold blast charcoal furnace near Roaring Run.
The facilities were put in operation by Stewart, William Moore, and Colonel John Canan, the deputy surveyor of Huntingdon County. By the 1810s, Mount Etna prospered as one of the seven internationally renowned Juniata iron furnaces. According to the National Park Service, the evolution of the furnace ebbed until the incorporation of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in 1832. “Prior to this, products were shipped by two methods—either overland by road or by ‘arks’ which floated only during flood seasons. Because both methods required the storage of goods for long periods, the ironmaster experienced considerable delays before receiving cash for his products.”
Before an iron operation could be initiated, the land had to be prospected for ore and the other necessary natural resources. All of these requisites were found at what is now called Mount Etna in Blair County, thus in 1809, a furnace was put in blast there. Sixteen years prior, a settler by the name of David Stewart operated a gristmill and sawmill on site to offer services to the farmers of the Juniata Valley. Conveniently located near river transportation and the Frankstown Road, Stewart capitalized off the natural commodities and surrounding infrastructure. By 1806, he owned 4,230 acres of land rich with deposits of limestone, iron ore, and timber. Within a year, he sought to establish a cold blast charcoal furnace near Roaring Run.
The facilities were put in operation by Stewart, William Moore, and Colonel John Canan, the deputy surveyor of Huntingdon County. By the 1810s, Mount Etna prospered as one of the seven internationally renowned Juniata iron furnaces. According to the National Park Service, the evolution of the furnace ebbed until the incorporation of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in 1832. “Prior to this, products were shipped by two methods—either overland by road or by ‘arks’ which floated only during flood seasons. Because both methods required the storage of goods for long periods, the ironmaster experienced considerable delays before receiving cash for his products.”
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Springfield Furnace was the third furnace erected in Blair County. The land passed through a number of hands prior to the 1800s. The same month the American Revolution began, John Carpenter took out a warrant for 300 acres along Piney Creek. Thirteen years later, the Carpenters sold the real estate to Jacob Brumbaugh for 340 pounds. A German immigrant who arrived in Philadelphia in 1750, Brumbaugh was a Lutheran pacifist who nonetheless served as a packman on Braddock’s Campaign during the French and Indian War.
Prior to his death in 1799, Brumbaugh gained over 6,000 acres of land encompassing Bedford and Huntingdon Counties. In 1808, his family sold what was known as Springfield Farm to William Young. Within a decade, each of Young’s 360 acres was valued at $12. In 1811, however, Young sold off his property to brothers Daniel and John Royer. The siblings sought to construct a forge along the Juniata River at the northern sector of Morrison’s Cove. Over the next century and a half, their family would leave a lasting imprint upon the local community. Samuel Royer was also involved in politics, being elected to serve at the State Constitution Convention in 1837 to revise the commonwealth’s governmental framework.
What became known as Springfield Furnace was built by the Royers on Piney Creek in 1815. The site was run on charcoal and had a capacity of 35 tons of iron weekly. In the days when foundries were rare, the firm of Royer and Royer was kept busy much of the time casting ten plate wood stoves, so-called for the reason that it required ten plates to make a complete stove. The Royers also owned nearly 4,000 acres of desolate land known as the Barrens. Mountainous terrain, the timber in the Barrens was utilized for charcoal production. The furnace was abandoned in 1885 but the family maintained its roots in the area for decades to follow.
Royer Mansion, constructed around 1815, still stands as a fine stone house representative of the Iron Age in Central Pennsylvania. Owner Samuel Royer passed away there on September 3, 1856. He, his wife Martha, and eight others resided in the home at the time. Over the ensuing generations, various descendants of the Royers lived in the structure. Samuel Royer’s grandson’s wife, Carrie Hartman, was the last Royer family member to live on the site. She passed away in the home in 1965. Two years later, the Pennsylvania Fish Commission purchased the house for $25,000 with the intention of erecting a fish hatchery at the nearby spring. These plans never came to fruition and the house sat vacant for nearly two decades until it was rescued by the Blair County Historical Society. Today, the mansion stands as an exquisite example of 19th century Federal Style architecture.
Prior to his death in 1799, Brumbaugh gained over 6,000 acres of land encompassing Bedford and Huntingdon Counties. In 1808, his family sold what was known as Springfield Farm to William Young. Within a decade, each of Young’s 360 acres was valued at $12. In 1811, however, Young sold off his property to brothers Daniel and John Royer. The siblings sought to construct a forge along the Juniata River at the northern sector of Morrison’s Cove. Over the next century and a half, their family would leave a lasting imprint upon the local community. Samuel Royer was also involved in politics, being elected to serve at the State Constitution Convention in 1837 to revise the commonwealth’s governmental framework.
What became known as Springfield Furnace was built by the Royers on Piney Creek in 1815. The site was run on charcoal and had a capacity of 35 tons of iron weekly. In the days when foundries were rare, the firm of Royer and Royer was kept busy much of the time casting ten plate wood stoves, so-called for the reason that it required ten plates to make a complete stove. The Royers also owned nearly 4,000 acres of desolate land known as the Barrens. Mountainous terrain, the timber in the Barrens was utilized for charcoal production. The furnace was abandoned in 1885 but the family maintained its roots in the area for decades to follow.
Royer Mansion, constructed around 1815, still stands as a fine stone house representative of the Iron Age in Central Pennsylvania. Owner Samuel Royer passed away there on September 3, 1856. He, his wife Martha, and eight others resided in the home at the time. Over the ensuing generations, various descendants of the Royers lived in the structure. Samuel Royer’s grandson’s wife, Carrie Hartman, was the last Royer family member to live on the site. She passed away in the home in 1965. Two years later, the Pennsylvania Fish Commission purchased the house for $25,000 with the intention of erecting a fish hatchery at the nearby spring. These plans never came to fruition and the house sat vacant for nearly two decades until it was rescued by the Blair County Historical Society. Today, the mansion stands as an exquisite example of 19th century Federal Style architecture.
