Clay Furnace is the pioneer of the kind in Mercer County. It was built by B. B. Vincent and David Himrod, of Erie, under the firm name of Vincent & Himrod, in the spring of 1845. Francis Allen came from Erie in February of the foregoing year, and acted astheir manager in its construction and operation. It was a small furnace, eight foot bosh and forty-five feet high. It was built for the purpose of working native ore with charcoal, and produced seven gross tons of pig iron per day—a wonder to the people. The name, Clay Furnace, was given to the plant in honor of Kentucky’s eloquent statesman, Henry Clay. It has already been stated that Mr. Allen, now of Hickory Township (Hermitage Post-office), was general manager. Carson Davis came from Erie two months later than Mr. Allen, and was employed as founder, which position he held about a year, when he removed to Sharon Furnace, and occupied a similar position there. In the spring of 1848 he returned to Clay Furnace, and occupied his old place for several years, when be bought a farm, distant about a mile from the furnace. On it he is still living.

Clay Furnace was put in blast July 10. 1843,using charcoal and native ore. Vincent & Himrod continued to run the furnace until 1851, when they sold it to the Sharon Iron Company. This company finally sold it to individual stockholders of said company, who were organized under the style of the Iron Mountain Furnace Company about 1854. In 1861 they abandoned it, selling the whole plant to Francis Allen for $5,000, who sold it out by tid-bits, thus saving himself financially. This furnace could not compete successfully with other establishments along the lines of communication. At present scarcely a vestige of the old pioneer remains to tell its interesting history.

History of Mercer County, 1888, pgs 191-192