Sharon Iron Works

The history of the Sharon Iron Works from its establishment in 1850 until it passed from existence a few years ago involved many of the well-known characters in the iron and steel industry in this county.  General [Joel B.] Curtis was president of the original stock company, and in 1861 bought the entire plant. William Coleman, James Westerman, C. B. Wick and P. W. Keller were the next set of owners, and in 1865 when the Westerman Iron Company took control of the property its constituent members were James Westerman, P. W. Keller, C. H. Buhl, C. H. Andrews, W. J. Hitchcock. Mr. Westerman retired in 1874, and in April, 1882, Christian H. Buhl became sole owner. His son, Frank Buhl, was general manager of the works from 1887, and the company was known as Buhl, Sons & Co. 

Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, 1909, pages 356–357.  

Westerman Iron Company

(Sharon Iron Works)

1866

(Click image to enlarge)

The Sharon Iron Company. —One of the first citizens of the Shenango Valley to take a lively interest in the manufacture of iron was Gen. Joel B. Curtis, of Sharon. He had formerly been a leading business man at Mercer, but removed to Sharon before it was a place of any prominence, and became active in its development. He continued to reside there until the time of his death, August 27, 1802. Early in the forties Gen. Curtis, then a heavy coal dealer conceived the idea of developing the iron interests of the county. This idea, however, did not materialize until 1850, when a stock company, with a capital of $20,000, was formed, and Gen. Curtis was chosen president. It was known as the “Sharon Iron Company,” and its first purpose was to establish a foundry on a large scale. Gen. Curtis was authorized, in order to acute reliable information upon the business, to visit the principal cities where such work was being executed. He went to Buffalo, Albany and other important cities in the execution of his mission.

About this time some difficulty arose in the mills at Pittsburgh. Many of the skilled workmen were desirous of uniting their forces, and becoming manufacturers themselves. Gen. Curtis regarded this a favorable opportunity, and cultivated the acquaintanceship of the Pittsburgh operatives. The sequel was the securing of their co-operation in the Sharon enterprise. The iron workers took stock, and the charter was so modified as to include a rolling-mill within its scope. The works were erected before the close of the year 1850, but did not go into operation until 1851. In addition to these works, the company also erected dwellings for their hands, which fact gave a wonderful impetus to the growth of the town. The iron mill ran until 1855,when it closed. In the following year a new company took charge of the plant and fitted it up for the manufacture of steel from raw ore. This experiment was prosecuted without adequate success until the fall of 1857, when the works were again closed until 1861, when the plant was bought by Gen. Curtis, and by him sold to William Coleman, James Westerman, C. B. Wick, Jr., and P. W. Keller, who reopened the works. In 1865 Coleman and Wick disposed of their interests, and C. H. Buhl, C. H. Andrews, W. J. Hitchcock, P. W. Keller and James Westerman became the owners, and the name was changed to the “Westerman Iron Company.” The furnace was built by this company in 1865-66, and they operated the works until March, 1874, when Mr. Westerman sold his interest to his partners. From 1805 to 1814 Mr. Westerman had the full management, and carried on the business very successfully. On the first of April, 1882, C. H. Buhl became sole owner of the plant, and no change has since occurred. It is the largest single plant in Mercer County, and furnishes employment to nearly 700 hands. F. H. Buhl is manager, and David Adams secretary and treasurer. Under Mr. Buhl's management many improvements have been made, and every department of the works brought to the highest state of efficiency.

In connection with the iron interests, this company, in 1802, built a railway from their works to a coal field belonging to them, at Brookfield, Ohio, a distance of three miles. This field, embracing some 2,000 acres, yielded an output of some 500 tons daily, involving in prosperous times the employment of 400 men. The company has also operated, besides the Brier Hill block coal at Brookfield, the Home Coal Bank, with a capacity of 300 tons daily. In 1876 the company established what is known as the Sharon Iron Works store, on State Street, where an extensive trade is carried on, not only with the operatives, but with citizens generally.

History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 195-196