The Balliet Family
This page gives context to the activities of Paul Balliet (1811-1886), Aaron Balliet (1813-1895), and Stephen Balliet (1781-1854)'s iron-producing activities in the mid 1800s.
Paul Balliet
Aaron Balliet
In 1837, Aaron Balliet erected a charcoal furnace in Carbon County and operated it for twenty years before relocating to Ballietsville[1]. Aaron Balliet, his brother in-law Benjamin Levan (1806-1886), and his father Stephen Balliet (1781-1854) became incorporated to form Stephen Balliet & Co., with the purpose of building iron furnaces[2]. In 1854, Stephen Balliet Sr. died and the company admitted new partners and became the Lehigh Valley Iron Company [3]. In 1879, after various financial hardships, the company reincorporated as the Coplay Iron Company, with Aaron Balliet serving as a director of the company[4].
Aaron Balliet also managed mines with his brothers Paul Balliet (1811-1886) and John Balliet (1819-1886). Their mines were extremely prosperous, especially during wartime where $35,000 worth of material was produced in one year[5].
Stephen Balliet Jr.
In 1826, Stephen Balliet and Samuel Helffrich bought the land upon which the Lehigh Furnace would be built, purchasing twenty-five acres at the southern foot of the Blue Mountain from Christian Snyder and Christian Bloss[6]. In 1828 Stephen Balliet and Helffrich erected the East Penn Forge on the north side of the Blue Mountain in East Penn Township, Carbon County[7]. In 1830, Helffrich died,[8] and his shares in the iron business were bought by Stephen Balliet two years later[9]. In 1837, Stephen Balliet purchased three thousand acres of land near the forge, built another furnace, and constructed additional housing for workers, bringing the total to eleven[10]. Stephen Balliet continued to operate the furnace until his death in 1854[11].
Notes
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
- ↑ Roberts et al. 1914, 633
- ↑ Roberts et al. 1914, 633
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 504
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 523
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 553
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 722
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 553
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 722
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 722
- ↑ Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 553
References
- Mathews, Alfred, and Austin N Hungerford. 1884. History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Everts & Richards.