18th Century Iron works in GA, AL , SC ??

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

In reading about the 1760 Massacre of Long Cane SC I stumbled across this info re Tobler's FT at Beech Island, New Windsor Township across the river from Augusta GA

 "John Tobler, a Swiss settler, had set up a thriving plantation there that included an ironworks, a clock making business, and a printing shop that published The South Carolina Almanack. He, like William Calhoun, was engaged in Indian trade. It is likely that the Calhouns and Tobler were already well acquainted. Tolbert's extensive compound was enclosed inside a sturdy palisade fort.
"
You suppose there might have been a gunmaker??

What other pre revolutionarty war ironworks are known on the SW frontier? 

[woodsrunner]

I'm not sure about the initial date of operation, but the iron works at Hanging Dog N.C. was leased from the Cherokees early on as a source of iron ore. This location isn't far from where NC, SC & Ga come togather not far from Clayton, Ga and Franklin, NC. I know that Hanging Dog was a source of iron for early rifles made in the region. Early Gillespie rifles possibly used this ore......Dennis? Any knowledge of this??

[Dennis Glazener]

All I know about Hanging Dog iron works came from Woodsrunner and from this link http://www.newrivernotes.com/nc/wnc24.htm but I do know that Philip Sitton had an iron works in Mills River NC in the early 1800's. Remnants of the furnace etc are still there. The furnace was fired with charcoal (as all early southern furnaces were) and the pits where he made charcoal are still there on the side of Forge Mountain. Locals tell of him selling charcoal to makers of gun powder but that is only rumor and nothing to back it up.

Right now I am working on information that indicates John Gillespie had an iron works in what today is Easley SC. He moved there just after the Rev war and ran Gillespie's forge. His future father in-law and iron monger Philip Sitton also lived in this same area prior to moving to Mills River. There is some speculation that remnants of his operation has been found. That's about all I have at this time.

Dennis