BUSINESS ACCOUNTS OF HAMPSHIRE FURNACE

Edward McCarty's Hampshire Furnace was located 12 miles south of Romney on Middle Ridge in Hampshire County. The forge is described as being at Paddytown, which is now Keyser, Mineral County. This business was small and the general activities were most diverse. In addition to casting work at the furnace and blacksmithing and repair work at the forge, they also participated in commerce, construction and repair, sale and delivery of coal and wood, wheat and cutting of cord wood.
Citizens with the largest accounts or mentioned most often were: James Dailey Sr (seemed to be most valuable customer), James Dailey Jr, Benjamin Pennybacker, Hugh Perrill, Samuel Hunt, John McDowell, John McCord, Daniel Taylor (On Military rolls for Rev. War), Abraham and John Plum, Vincent Roby, Asa McDonald, William Vandiver (Veteran of Revolution from Burlington), James Little, Benjamin Wallace, Abraham Lochridge, William Taskoe and Samuel Slicer.
All accounts were paid in cash.
Miscellaneous small accounts particularly as they bear on the manufacture of iron utensils or smithing follow:
June 8, 1815 Sundry accounts to Smithshop
SAMUEL OGLESBY for one new axe..... $2.00
NOTALY ROBY for steeling one axe............ $.75
SAMUEL SLICER for sharpening two shovel plows @ .08 - .16 and for laying one coulter .37 and for one pr. new shoes and shoe removed........... $1.16
ABRAHAM PLUM for sharpening one shovel plow..... $.08
HUGH PERRILL for one new shoe and removing two shoes.... $.37 1/2
SAMUEL HUNT for two pr. new shoes.... $1.00
June 1815
To JAMES DAILEY -- one general charges for one tea kettle.... $6.00

SLIGHTLY LARGER ACCOUNTS
May 4, 1815
To BENJAMIN PENNYBAKCER for 2 lb. 10 c. (hundred weight) e grams. Bar Iron ..... $381.89
  43 ounces steel @ .13, 43 oz. @ .18......... 13.33
July 22, 1815 To SAMUEL HUNT for building Saw Mill..... $323.00
July 1815
General charges for Negroes' services ........ $.97
To JOHN SHOEMAKER same as above for making shoes for Negroes..... $2.50
General charges gave George ? when going for castings $1.00

A note dealing with THE SALT SELLING PHASE of the McCarty enterprise occurs on Feb 1, 1816:
JAMES DAILEY for one barrel of salt..... $22.00
JAMES DAILEY, JR. for one bushel salt.... $8.25
Feb 5, 1816
Building repairs - To VINCENT ROBY for 1240 shingles @ .33 per thousand... $6.82
To ASA MCDONALD - To smith shop for shoeing mare.... $.33
March 28, 1816
Cord Wood - To WM MCGUIER for cutting 120 cords on Plum's land... $50.00
June 8, 1816
SAMUEL SLICE - To Smith Shop for Iron $15.00
July 12, 1816
Sundry accounts for Smith Shop Total $15.84 1/2 (These accounts included: Steeling axe $.75; 2 new shoes $.70; 2 new shoes and steeling chisel $.70; one axe $2.25; one hammer $.37 1/2; old and new shoes $.37 1/2)
To Sundry Account for Castings
JOHN MOORE - 1 Frying Pan.. $1.08
JOHN MCCORD - 1 Skilled with Lid $1.12 1/2
WILLIAM TASKOE for 1 Skillet - $.67
Balance to debit W T acknowledged $57.14
July 24, 1816
SAMUEL SLICER - For castings for one pr. and irons and one pot $2.38
ABRAHAM HAUCK - To Coaling - For 3 Bushels of Coal...$1.80
Aug 17, 1816 BENJAMIN WALLACE - To Bar Iron - 31 1/2 lbs.... $2.62 1/2
Oct 28, 1816
ABRAHAM HAWK (also HAUCK) for 1 Spice Mortar ... $1.04
JOHN WALLACE - 1 Stew Kettle $1.25, also 1 Nugmeg grater, 1 set knives and forks $3.12 1/2
OTHER AVERAGE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR WERE
JOHN MCCORD - To Smith Shop for 1 hoe. $.75
JOHN MOORE - For 1 qt. salt.. $.08
In the Chapter Industrial Affairs, of the History of Hampshire County, H L Swisher says that the demolition of a Baptist Church at Three Churches, Hampshire Co, revealed that the old stove which heated the building was a product of Hampshire Furnace.
The McCarty Ledger also contains numerous mention fo stoves cast at the Furnace, but the cost of an individual oven is hard to arrive at. The stoves mentioned in the account book were usually sold in lots with smaller ones and Dutch Ovens. The charge made was at the rate of $100 a ton plus handage (handling charges). A few sample accounts illustrate the system:

Oct 19 1816
JOHN BISHOP (Weight in lbs, hundredweight and grams)
For 1 small 10 plate stove - 3.0.17; 2 small 6 plate ditto - 4.2.00; 1 doz. skillets and lids - 1.3.00; 1/2 doz small oval ovens - 1.1.16; 4 small Dutch Ovens - 1.0.00; 8 large Dutch Ovens - 2.3.20; 1 doz. 2 gill pots - 1.0.14; 2 doz. 3 gill pots - 1.09; 2 cranks for grindstone - 2.25; 2 mortars and pestles - 1.24; 1 doz griddles - 1.0.08; 2 17 gal. kettles - 1.0.26
@ $100 per ton - total weight - 2.02.05 total price - $102.23
6 tea kettles :10.50; 2 pr. Waffle Irons - $1.67; Handage on skillets and lids - $1.50; Handage on 6 ovan ovens and lids - $1.50; Handage on 2 small Dutch Ovens - $1.0; Handage on 3 gill pots - $1.50; Handage on 2 cranks - $1.12 1/2 Total: $122.77 1/2 Handage on 4 pr. Andirons - $1.00; Handage on 4 mortar and pestles - $1.00; Handage on 12 griddles - $1.50
= $126.27 1/2 -Error in Bill $.50 = $126.77 1/2 Final Total = $127.02 1/2
TO JAMES DAILEY Oct 25 1816 (Weight in lbs, hundredweight and grams)
1 Dutch Oven - 0.1.83; 1 small Franklin stove - 2.2.19; 1 large 10 plate stove - 3.3.14; 1 small 10 plate stove - 3.0.17; 1/2 doz small oval ovens - 1.1.17; 4 small Dutch Ovens - 3.08; 5 large Dutch Ovens - 1.3.04; 2 middle size Dutch Ovens - 1.25; 2 Large oval ditto - 3.18; Total weight (with some other items) = 20.3.12 @ $100. per ton = $104.29 with expenses for handling =
Total $161.52

The following accounts for castings iinclude materials which would indicate that they were used in the construction of mills, particularly since one of the customers mentioned was Frederick Sheetz, known as the owner of the mill at Sheetz' Mill in that general period. If this is true, it would fix the date of the construction of that mill as being about 1816 - 1817:
Sept 2, 1816
WILLIAM FOX for Sundries (Castings)
2 spindles - $3.68; 2 large gudgeons - $2.44; 4 small gudgeons - $2.54; 2 boxes steps - $.47; 6 brakes - $1.68; 2 drivers - $.57 = $11.35 Plus installation $50.81

Cash rec'd of FREDERICK SHEETZ for Sundies
2 spindles - $3.60; 2 drivers - $.57; 2 boxes steps - $.47 @ $5.00 for installation; 2 prs. andirons - $3.30; 1 oven lid - $1.00 = Total including installation $25.14

With the year 1817, the character of the industry known as the Hampshire Furnace seems to have gradually changed, the emphasis falling more on the provison end of the business. The accounts further speak of the customers as "Drs. to Patrick McCarty and Brothers, Provisons, etc."
Some accounts for 1817 still dealing with the iron manufacture were:
To THOMAS RUTTER for keeping furnace 2 turns @ $28.00 per mo. $1.86
JAMES SMILEY to Patrick McCarty and Brothers, Dr. for cash paid him - eight dollars $8.00
To JAMES LAIRD for moulding and castings on Wagon - $18.75
DANIEL TAYOR
For 1 cog wheel and 1 small nut - $.76, Extra moulding 1 skillet and lid - $1.24 = Total $2.00
PETER METZ for 20.4 Bar Iron @ $.10 - 2.27 1/2
DAVID LONG - $70.40 for iron work, including Franklin Stove and several small Dutch Ovens.

The smithies and iron furnaces had the reputation in those days of being good places at which to procure a brand of whisky that for pure incandesence would put a molten iron bar to shame. The Hampshire Furnace was no exception apparently, since among the 1817 accounts, the following is observed: JAMES SMILEY for 1 qt. whisky - $.33 1/2

The shifting of character of the business after 1817 is further revealed by continued references to twist tobacco at 8 cents a lb and salt , tea and like produce.
Col Edward McCarty was not immune from being billed by the Hampshire Furnace. There is a full page given overe to his accounts:
Feb 1 1816 EDWARD MCCARTY for Sundry Accounts during 1815 including: expenses to Romney - $.25; expenses to Cumberland - $.75; Expenses to Romney- $.50; Discount on $4,000 - $42.67; 1 Negro Woman - $300.; Paid T. Corn for Hay - $100 (This is believed to be the colorful Timothy Corn whose career, particularly where prevarication was concerned, was at its peak in this section at that time).; 1 Iron Pot - $3.50; 1 Oven - $2.24; 1 log chain - $5.78; 1 1/2 bushel beans $1.50; Paid for picks and shovels - $20.00; Paid Murphy - $9; 43 1/2 bushels Stone Coal @ 7 cents - $3.04; 1 bay mare and expences - $95.50; paid for tin cups - $3; Paid Wolf for Harness - $40; 35 Bushels of coal delivered at furncace - $8.75; paid for stamps - $14.50; carriage of castings - $67.48; paid for wheel barrows - $9; 1 wagon whip and collar - $2.50.
The one ledger relating to the Hampshire Furnace contained no accounts later than 1818, and it is the opinion of Howard Swisher in his History of Hampshire Co that the furnace did not continure at this location for very long after that.
The WV Geological Society Survey for Hampshire Co (1927) regarding the Hampshire Furnace states:
"Old county records show a prosperous business at this furnace in 1816 and 1817 but not later account has been found, and the furnace was torn down many years ago."