Roane Iron Company
Biography
Roane Iron Company was located in Roane County, Tennessee. It was founded in 1867 by General John T. Wilder and two other Civil War Veterans- Captain H.S. Chamberlain and Major H. W. Rockwood. The surrounding town was named Rockwood after its founder and was primarily comprised of the iron company's employees.
At first, Roane Iron Company depended on the Tennessee River to transport its products. This meant that most of its business was with the nearby river cities of Knoxville, TN, and Chattanooga, TN. In 1879, Roane County became as stop on the Cincinnati-Southern Railroad. This greatly broadened Roane Iron Company's customer base.
Roane Iron Company filed for bankruptcy in 1930 January, due largely to the economic devastation of the Great Depression.
Citation:
The Roane County Chamber of Commerce, "History- Prehistory to End of the Civil War", Roane County Chamber of Commerce (2015).Citation:
Williams, Samuel C. "General John T. Wilder." Indiana Magazine of History 31, no. 3 (1935): 169-203.Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Douglas Chamberlain papers
John T. Wilder papers
This collection contains correspondence and military records regarding Brigadier General Wilder's service in the Union Army during the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865 as well as personal correspondence and papers dating from 1865 to 1937.