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| Revelton Iron Furnace Author's Photo |
Hidden behind a curtain of hemlock and pine lies a portal to the past, a time when Central Pennsylvania’s vast industrial potential was being realized. During that era, much of the region was still relatively untamed. Extracting these sought after resources would require the determination and expertise of a unique breed of men. In the wilds of Clinton County, a short broad gentleman known as “The General” would exhibit all of those qualities, along with many more colorful ones, while taming this rugged country.
Up until the 1830’s, enterprising individuals had struggled to exploit the region’s resources, as they were stymied by the deficit in transportation. One of those desired resources was coal, which had been discovered within the future boundaries of Clinton County in 1826 along Tangascootac Creek.
At that time, little could be done to profit from the discovery until infrastructure and transportation could catch up. The arrival of the West Branch Canal in Lock Haven in the mid-1830’s and later the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad in the late 1850’s, finally provided the missing links. Resources previously out of reach were now easily within grasp.
Now that methods of transport had been established to make it economical to pursue, coal along the Tangascootac was ripe for the taking. All that was needed was someone to fill in the spaces between. Enter John Reaville, a broad chested man from England with a tenacious attitude.
Reaville had been born in 1805 near Nottingham, England. Later in life, he became involved with mining bituminous coal. John and his wife immigrated to the United States sometime in the mid-1800’s. Fortunately for John, he was able to find work in the industry he was already well-acquainted with, coal mining. Reaville was hired by the Potter & Ashfield firm for a special task at one of their mines in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
Up until the 1830’s, enterprising individuals had struggled to exploit the region’s resources, as they were stymied by the deficit in transportation. One of those desired resources was coal, which had been discovered within the future boundaries of Clinton County in 1826 along Tangascootac Creek.
At that time, little could be done to profit from the discovery until infrastructure and transportation could catch up. The arrival of the West Branch Canal in Lock Haven in the mid-1830’s and later the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad in the late 1850’s, finally provided the missing links. Resources previously out of reach were now easily within grasp.
Now that methods of transport had been established to make it economical to pursue, coal along the Tangascootac was ripe for the taking. All that was needed was someone to fill in the spaces between. Enter John Reaville, a broad chested man from England with a tenacious attitude.
Reaville had been born in 1805 near Nottingham, England. Later in life, he became involved with mining bituminous coal. John and his wife immigrated to the United States sometime in the mid-1800’s. Fortunately for John, he was able to find work in the industry he was already well-acquainted with, coal mining. Reaville was hired by the Potter & Ashfield firm for a special task at one of their mines in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
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| John Reaville: "The General" Image Retrieved From: John Reaville and the Deserted Villages of the Tangascootac |
In those days, mines could be hijacked by other companies if the mine was found to be unoccupied for a period of time. To keep this from happening, Potter & Ashfield instructed Reaville to live in the mine to keep it within their possession. For eight months, John Reaville did just that. Food and other necessities were brought to him daily to sustain him.
As the story goes, the sheriff would sneak by to try to catch him outside, but would always leave disappointed. Never for a minute did John leave the mouth of the mine. Apparently after being occupied for a period of time cemented ownership of the mine to the company. John Reaville was hailed as a hero. To reward his efforts, Potter & Ashfield appointed him superintendent of their newly acquired lands in the Tangascootac region of Clinton County.
Reaville arrived along Tangascootac Creek in the spring of 1852. Almost immediately, he began to gather a workforce to etch out a town and open the coal mines. Masses of German, Scotch, and English immigrants soon filled his ranks.
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| Coal and iron ore found around the furnace Author's Photo |
Though his surroundings may have been uncivilized, he was not about to live in such fashion. Reaville built a large English-style mansion, complete with a spiral staircase, elegant fireplaces, and a wine cellar to satisfy his tastes. Alcohol flowed freely at Reaville’s home, with John often showing the effects of “one too many.”
His mansion became the scene of many lavish and raucous parties for businessmen and nobility alike. When expecting guests, he would place a taxidermy black bear at the front door to both impress and frighten visitors. Hearty meals consisting of local game and fish were served. Reaville no doubt entertained his guests with his vast collection of stories.
Reaville earned the moniker of “General” from his workers, a name he may have picked up after his service as a sergeant in the 37th Pennsylvania Militia during the Civil War, a rank he held from July-August 1863. It was a fitting name nonetheless. His deep voice accentuated his blunt and sometimes egotistical demeanor. When miners refused to obey his commands, Reaville did not ask a second time. Instead, he resorted to using his fists to change their mind. Though rough around the edges, John Reaville was popular with his workers. He was described as being honest and exhibiting the highest morals.
By 1854, the community was well-established. 200 out of the total 3,600 acres tract had been cleared for the town and for farming. Twenty or so dwellings housed the miners. A store, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and stables were also present. Reaville christened the town after himself, Reavilleton, later altered to Reveltown, and eventually Revelton.
By 1854, the community was well-established. 200 out of the total 3,600 acres tract had been cleared for the town and for farming. Twenty or so dwellings housed the miners. A store, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and stables were also present. Reaville christened the town after himself, Reavilleton, later altered to Reveltown, and eventually Revelton.
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| A smaller foundation that could have been worker housing Author's Photo |
Other nearby mining communities in the region included Peacock, Eagleton, and Rock Cabin. Reaville also temporarily served as superintendent for Peacock, which stood about a mile from Revelton. Eagleton had been founded by the Eagleton Coal & Iron Company and stood on the ridge above the creek. Downstream sat Rock Cabin, which was operated by the Fallon Brothers and was the largest community along the Tangascootac. Coal from each of these communities was being mined expeditiously and transported via railroad to the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad at Queen’s Run Bridge.
To get the most out of the land for his company, Reaville constructed an iron furnace around 1857 to take advantage of the local deposits of iron ore. A sawmill was later added to capitalize on the area’s rich tracts of timber.
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| One of the foundation walls of the sawmill Author's Photo |
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| Foundation of the saw mill. Notice the circular hole. Water would have spun a turbine under the mill to power the equipment. Author's Photo |
However this initial prosperity would not last long. By the 1860’s, the mines at Revelton were closing as the vein of coal the miners had been chasing became too small to be profitable, a reality that was becoming clear for all of the villages along the Tangascootac. To add to their difficulties, shipping the coal via the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad had become uneconomical due hefty fees for its services being imposed.
By 1870, Revelton's mines had closed and the furnace had gone cold. The buildings that had made up the town were left to fall into ruin, a fate that had befallen the rest of the Tangascootac villages. Reaville and his wife remained in their stately mansion surrounded by the ghost town he had built.
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| Though damaged, the furnace is still in amazing shape. Author's Photo |
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| A close up of one of the furnace portals. The iron pipe was used to inject air into the furnace from a bellows. Author's Photo |
Author’s Note:
Accessing Revelton continues to become more difficult every year. Perhaps, this is not a bad thing. Open pits litter the area around Reaville's home, trademarks of so called “treasure hunters.” This activity is both unsightly and illegal. Thus, I have opted to not publish further details regarding the locations of these sites.
Information Retrieved From:
Bates, S.(1868-1871). History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65. Harrisburg, PA. Retrieved From https://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/1863militia/1863militiainfco37.htm
Furey. J. (1892). Historical and biographical work: or, past and present of Clinton County. Clinton County, PA: Pennsylvania Grit Printing House. Retrieved From https://books.google.com/books?id=n0cVAAAAYAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=reveltown&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Hess, G. (1939). John Reaville and the deserted villages of the Tangascootac. Clinton County Historical Society.
An old blacksmith had taken me to the site many years ago. He described to me the details about what and where certain buildings were. And, he also mentioned that there was a "blooomery forge" there as well. It was used to work and refine the smaller (pigs) pieces of iron into wrought iron.
ReplyDeleteA friend has a hunting camp in this area today which is on state forest land. The foundations of at least half a dozen homes and the furnace are fantastic ruins, but access is extremely difficult. In addition, many of the dwellings have old hand-dug wells lined with mountain stone that are quite deep and unmarked. It’s not exactly the safest place for a hike.
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