Grubb Family Iron Dynasty

The Grubb Family Iron Dynasty was a succession of iron manufacturing enterprises owned and operated by Grubb family members for more than 165 years. Collectively, they were Pennsylvania's leading iron manufacturer between 1840 and 1870.

About 1737, Peter Grubb entered the iron business after discovering the vast and rich Cornwall Iron Mines (Cornwall Banks) in Lebanon County, about 21 miles north of Lancaster. Peter and the next five generations of his descendants operated and expanded the business until they owned or operated in close association with at least 18 iron production operations and several thousand acres of property in eastern Pennsylvania.^[1][2][3][4]

Grubb's heirs sold most of the original properties between 1786 and 1803 to Robert Coleman, who became Pennsylvania's first millionaire and whose operations were continued through the 19th century by his heirs.^[1][5] Beginning in 1800, the heirs of Curtis' brother Peter Grubb, Jr. rebuilt their business on the minority interest they retained, primarily in the Cornwall Iron Mines, and operated for nearly 100 years out of Mount Hope.^[2][3] The Grubb and Coleman families were competitors, but also partners due to their shared interests in the ore fields.

Both families' operations bowed to the advances of iron and steel technology in the latter part of the 19th century and were gradually sold between 1883 and 1926. Many of the Grubb holdings and the Cornwall Iron Mines were sold in 1902 to the Pennsylvania Steel Company, which was acquired by Bethlehem Steel in 1916. The remaining Coleman holdings and the related Robesonia Iron Company were also sold to Bethlehem Steel, in 1919 and 1926 respectively. Bethlehem Steel continued to mine iron ore at Cornwall until 1973.^[1]