The Slut lamp pictured wass owned by Mrs. Wilson (Merdith) Knox of West Union who coincidentally is the great-great-granddaughter of John Fisher. Fisher at different times owned and operated the Brush Creek Furnace at Cedar Mills and the Brush Creek Forge Furnace at Bloody Bridge.
(By Stephen Kelley from the Peoples Defender, 1981)
Despite the historical data available, evidently very few Adams Countians are aware that the county at one time hosted a thriving iron industry.
We have fleetingly referred to some of the various Adams County furnaces and forges in past columns.
When the first explorers and surveyors entered this area they noted vast deposits of iron ore especially on
the ridges and mountain tops. The ore was so prevalent that when the townships were first being organized one was Iron Ridge Township (later renamed
Green Township). Development of iron furnaces to smelt this ore began early. The first constructed was in 1811 on the site of present day Cedar Mills. Known as Brush Creek Furnace, it operated until about 1840. The Steam Furnace near Jacksonville was built in 1814 and had the distinction of being the first steam powered iron furnace west of the Appalachian
Mountains. The third furnace built in Adams County was called Marble Furnace and was erected in 1816. Brush Creek Forge Furnace was built in 1829 and stood just south of the Satterfield crossing of Ohio Brush Creek where Bloody Bridge spanned that stream. There was also a small furnace located on lower Ohio Brush Creek built about 1818. Instead of water power to propel the machinery, this furnace utilized the brute strength of bull oxen and was therefore known as the Bull Forge Furnace.
To quote Evans and Stivers in A History of Adams County, Ohio, “These all were what is known as the cold-blast, charcoal furnace, with water power, except the Steam (and Bull Forge) Furnace, and produced from one to two tons each of iron per day. They were kept in blast from seven to ten months in the year, and gave employment to hundreds of men in the various divisions of the industry.”
The Marble Furnace was so named as a result of the large chimney stack being built of white limestone. When viewed at a distance the material resembled marble in appearance to the people of the area. Although the furnace is long gone the small community near Peebles still bears the name given to it so many years ago. As did the other furnaces in Adams County, The Marble Furnace had an accompanying forge where the pig iron from the furnace could be fashioned into dog irons, stoves, kettles, pots, etc. The furnace and forge at their peak employed up to 600 men.
One of the most unique of the products produced at the Marble Furnace is pictured here. Measuring five inches in diameter by five inches tall, this unusual looking object is a Slut Lamp. Designed to use fatty animal wastes (slut), they are known by several other names including Whale Oil Lamps and Betty’s Lamps. The grease or fat was placed in the top cup and string or cord was laid in the two spouts and used for wicks. The large saucer at the bottom caught any drippings. The Marble Furnace is the only known location that these lamps were ever manufactured in the United Staes. Most are crude in appearance due to being hand forged but generally bring high prices due to their scarcity.
