by Shelley Nuss

 

I have been researching my great-great-grandparents, James Henry and Sarah (Davies) Hartshorn on and off for decades. I found several references to Hartshorns in the book, History of Clermont County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers by Louis H. Everts, 1880, including a reference to a glass factory located in Moscow.

"Manufacturing interests in Washington Township included the most important glassworks established July 1823 by the firm Pugh & Teater, the former being the father of Senator George E Pugh. The factory was on the south side of Ray’s Run, on the farm now owned by L. German."

 

The book goes on to state that Henry Teater and Lot Pugh purchased the tract of land for the factory. The property was described plus where some of the resources needed in manufacturing glass were sourced. The timber on the property provided energy for the glassworks as did coal from Pittsburgh. Sand was delivered from Cincinnati on flatboats. Twelve log houses were built along the river for most of the 50 workers.

By 1830, Henry Teater was the sole proprietor. He moved the glass factory to Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia). The factory building was sold and used as a distillery until it was destroyed by fire (year not given). The only person named in this book as someone who worked at the factory was my ancestor, James Hartshorn. In another section of this book, James Hartshorn, and Henry Teater both started the Methodist Church in Moscow.

 

I couldn’t find many other references to the glass factory, and there is conflicting information about when this glass factory began and when it moved or closed production.

 

Another reference, to Pugh & Teater glass factory is found in History of Hamilton County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches by Henry A. Ford, 1881. In this reference the factory was built before 1826 and is called Cincinnati Glass Works although it is located in Moscow, Ohio.

 

Although we know that Henry Teater transferred his factory to Wheeling, we don’t know what happened to that factory later. There is evidence that Teater returned to Clermont County, as he is found in the 1850 census for Washington Township, Clermont County. His age is 62 and occupation glass maker. Although Teater returned, I found no evidence of another glass factory returning to Clermont County.

 

Reading about glass making, I learned that it takes a lot of energy to produce. In the late 1820s fuel became very expensive, which might be why glass manufacturing moved to other areas, such as Wheeling, which is closer to sources of coal.

 

This research has brought more questions for me to answer, such as:

 

• Why was James Hartshorn the only person named as a worker for the glass factory in the Clermont County History?

• Did James work in glass factories before he lived in Clermont?

• Did James work in this factory because of his association with Henry Teater?

• Where else was glass produced in the Ohio River Valley?

• Where was glass successfully manufactured long term in Ohio?

• What products besides glass were manufactured for Early American homes?

I can see that I will have many more enjoyable hours researching my family in Clermont County!

 

CCGS Members can read a more in-depth article in the August Newsletter.

---

---

---