Blacksmithing on my property?

Holly_squirrel · Mar 11, 2013

Ok, found these three things in my yard in close vicinity , but assumed unrelated ... Until ....

( mine is rusted one) I found an identical replica , that they are calling a " antique blacksmith cutoff hardy for a stake plate "

I assumed the cup looking thing was just a peice of pipe , until I accidentally stumbled on this picture.

It even has that seam in it.
The pin I assumed was just a tow pin or something , until I started connecting the 3 things.
Ideas and thoughts , please?

Scotdixon · Mar 12, 2013

Hollysnow go to your local county RMC office, if you have a tms # take it- ask for the latest plat. the plat should reference previous owners and adjacent plats back to deeds, you may find a map(plat) of your land showing roads,bldgs etc. It may take some searching but you will gain the history of your place. I have been a surveyor for 30 years, this helps me with my search of detecting lands also. Ask the office folks for help, it can be a bit confusing. I dont know where you live but here around Charleston our history dates to 1670, making research a chore!

Holly_squirrel · Mar 12, 2013

Well Washington n Ben Franklin resided in my neighborhood for brief stints, but before that time it was pretty vacant here from what I gather ... I will look into it Ty!

Ism · Mar 13, 2013

There is usually a (main) county map of the townships. It should have a legend and might indicate what your reference means.

dieselram94 · Mar 30, 2013

Holly, I agree tool is a hardy tool, the "cup" is a piece of pipe. The seam is from the manufacturing process of pipe. and the bolt is just scrap metal. Sweet finds though and I would say it is very likely the site of a old blacksmith shop. I would for sure put the hardy into electrolysis...

AU Seeker · Mar 30, 2013

Holly see if any of these mid to late 1800s maps helps find any info on your land.

PA State Archives - MG-11 - County Maps - Interface Page

This link to original surveys of unclaimed land may help as well, if for no other reason you may find the original owner of your land, but it will be painstaking, as there is no indication of where each survey is until you click on the first file which opens another list of other files and then you may get lucky and find one within your township range, but it's very likely that your land is on one of these surveys but will not have any buildings on the land at the time of the survey because of this being unclaimed land at the time of the surveys, these files date from 1681 to 1912.

PA State Archives - RG-17 - Copied Survey Images - Main Interface

Here's another link to maps of the original owner of properties of selected portions of lands within some township ranges across the state.

PA State Archives - RG-17 - Connected Draft and Other Warrantee Maps - Main Interface

All of the above links came from this website, and there maybe more there that can help you.

Land Records

CoilyGirl · Mar 30, 2013

Great finds Holly!

kuger · Mar 30, 2013

Holly,my families ranch as did all of the big ones around here had there own Blacksmith shop,and would often do work for anybody around...the smaller farms,aside from all of their own.You mentioned in another thread a large barn....not un-likely had a Smthy as well

Holly_squirrel · Mar 31, 2013

AU Seeker said:
Holly see if any of these mid to late 1800s maps helps find any info on your land.

PA State Archives - MG-11 - County Maps - Interface Page

This link to original surveys of unclaimed land may help as well, if for no other reason you may find the original owner of your land, but it will be painstaking, as there is no indication of where each survey is until you click on the first file which opens another list of other files and then you may get lucky and find one within your township range, but it's very likely that your land is on one of these surveys but will not have any buildings on the land at the time of the survey because of this being unclaimed land at the time of the surveys, these files date from 1681 to 1912.

PA State Archives - RG-17 - Copied Survey Images - Main Interface

Here's another link to maps of the original owner of properties of selected portions of lands within some township ranges across the state.

PA State Archives - RG-17 - Connected Draft and Other Warrantee Maps - Main Interface

All of the above links came from this website, and there maybe more there that can help you.

Land Records

Oddly enough, my rather large county is missing from the lists

AU Seeker · Mar 31, 2013

HollySnow said:
Oddly enough, my rather large county is missing from the lists

Maybe your county isn't listed on any of the links because of when it became a county, see if your county is listed at this link as to when the counties were formed.

Tools: Pennsylvania Counties

scotk9 · Mar 31, 2013

Holly, have you tried Ancestortracks.com? I am trying to find info about my family farm in Tioga county and found this helpful. Also, In the PA info fro A U Seeker you may need to look at adjacent counties depending on where you live. I am finding the lines changed often for boundries in the very early mappings.
hope it helps. Good finds BTW.

Holly_squirrel · Mar 31, 2013

scotk9 said:
Holly, have you tried Ancestortracks.com? I am trying to find info about my family farm in Tioga county and found this helpful. Also, In the PA info fro A U Seeker you may need to look at adjacent counties depending on where you live. I am finding the lines changed often for boundries in the very early mappings.
hope it helps. Good finds BTW.

Funny just passed through tioga on the way to visit some family in Potter county.

Holly_squirrel · Mar 31, 2013

I tracked down a house and landowner on the property our house sits on. 1865 map shows it.... Before that... May just have been woodland. Not sure where the house was that say here then.... We had the barn , I think The house was on neighboring property somewhere. Hard to tell

taz42o · Mar 31, 2013

Holly, I dont remember if I gave you this link but lists PA. Blast furnaces by county.
I ran a slag recycling plant for several years here in ohio The slag came from Pa furnaces pre ww2.
That slag you find could have been brought in from somewhere else or possibly was a small blast furnace on your land.
Those iron parts you find could have came there with the slag from somewhere else.
We would find all kinds of tools and iron parts mixed with the slag brought from PA.
Worn out tools and parts end up mixed in and hauled out with the slag.
Anyway, just some things to think about.

Pennsylvania County Index - Pennsylvania Iron Furnace Sourcebook

steelheadwill · Mar 31, 2013

I'm not much help in Iding those items, looks like you got it taken care of anyway.
What I will say is pulling that big iron will unmask other targets.
When I encounter a dense patch, I turn it over and drag a 250 pound (power not weight) magnet across the dirt.
I spent a couple hours clearing my latest site of brush and iron, (below)
next time I searched I got a bunch of new goodies.
I also have history on my own homesite, nothing like being able to dig relics right out in the
"back forty" (more like five for me...)
Best wishes & HH, :thumbsup: