Hi! Here is a very long obituary. Additionally, there is a little information about the furnaces of Lawrence County, especially about Pine Grove Furnace. - Jean Griesan Colorado DEATH OF ROBERT HAMILTON. DIED on Thursday, Sept. 11, 1856, at his residence in Hanging Rock, of dysentery, ROBERT HAMILTON, long known as proprietor of Pine Grove Furnace, and one of the most prominent Iron Men of Lawrence county, in the 61st year of his age. Mr. Hamilton was born Nov. 28, 1795, in Fayette Co., Pa. In early life he removed to Adams Co., Ohio, and was for several years Clerk at Brush Creek Furnace. In the Fall of 1827 he made explorations in Lawrence county with the view of building a Furnace, and during the year 1828, in company with Andrew Ellison, Sr., and Andrew Ellison, Jr., built Pine Grove Furnace, under the firm of "Ellison & Hamilton," according to the Journal: "Fired Pine Grove Furnace. Jan. 1, 1829, and Blowed Jan. 13, 1829." Union Furnace and Franklin were built a year or two previous, Pine Grove being the third built in this Iron Region of Ohio. For many years the Iron Business was carried on at many disadvantages; and during the first five years of Pine Grove, it was considerered that it was doing "very fair" to make thirty tons of pig iron a week, or a little over four tons a day - during the latter years ten or twelve tons a day often made. It used to be said that a Furnace could not be stopped on the Sabbath without serious loss; for a long time Mr. Hamilton desired to try the experiment; at length becoming sole owner, and no person but himself to blame or to injure in case of failure, he determined to test the matter. After having made extensive repairs and improvements, Mr. Hamilton again put the Furnace into blast, and from Dec. 20, 1844, dates the stoppage of Pine Grove Furnace on the Sabbath. Difficulties and prejudices were to be encountered, but the experiment succeeded, and at this time most of the Furnaces in this vicinity stop on the Sabbath. But we must be brief: Mr. Hamilton was eminently successful in his undertakings. He amassed great wealth, and became extensively known as one of the most upright business men in the State. Unyielding integrity, amiability, benevolence, charity, fair-dealing were among his characteristics. He was greatly beloved by all his friends, and much honored in all his private relations - he ever shrunk from public stations, and repeatedly declined office. We may add that he was the author of what is known as the "Ironton Liquor Restriction." The following communication, by Rev. Mr. Kelsey speaketh at greater length: Mr. Hamilton was a child of religious parents, and grew up to manhood under the benign influence of Christian instruction and holy parental counsel and example. In early manhood he was induced to leave the parental home and engage in the iron interest, then just commencing in Southern Ohio. The parting counsel of his father to him was - "My son, beware of the tempter; remember the Sabbath; honor God." And with the blessing of a pious mother, he went forth into the world for himself. In the employ of Archibald Paull, owner of one of the furnaces then in Adams county, he made his way down the Ohio river in a flatboat, about the year 1820, at the age of 25, and arrived at his new home. Upon the furnace ground his principles were soon put to the test. Then the hands were accustomed to come for their week's provision on the Sabbath, and as clerk he must wait on them. Wagons used to come from the river on the Sabbath to unload and load again to return; and Sabbath he found his busiest day of the week. He soon sought the owner, and said to him: "Mr. Paull, I cannot do this; let me arrange this business; I can soon make it all right." He was permitted to arrange it as he wished, and soon the store was closed on the Sabbath, and no teams came to load and unload on that day. At the age of 28, he made a profession of religion, and united with the Presbyterian Church of West Union, Adams Co., and was ever considered a consistent and worthy member. About the year 1828, he came to Lawrence Co., and became a partner in building and running Pine Grove Furnace. It is now probably 15 years since he became convinced that if iron is an article given by the Creator for the use of man, and necessary for his convenience and comfort, it could be made without trampling on one of the clear and express commands of God. As far as is known, the experiment of stopping a furnace regularly on the Sabbath had never been tried on this continent; or if it had been tried, it had failed. For years, the subject had occupied his mind, and weighed on his heart. When he obtained the entire control of Pine Grove Furnace, strong in his convictions that iron could be made and keep the Sabbath, he determined to put his convictions and plans, which had been years in ripening, into practice. If he succeeded, it would settle an important subject. If he failed, so that his Furnace became entirely chilled, it might cost him many thousand dollars. Apart from the difficulties inseparable from the experiment, which were to be overcome, and his want of experience in stopping, there were great prejudices among his men and the Furnace owners around him against stopping on the Sabbath. But cordially seconded and aided by a judicious and faithful manager, who never failed for two years to be present and superintend the weekly closing and opening of the Furnace, difficulty after difficulty gave way, and obstacles were surmounted, until the experiment was entirely successful. Pine Grove has never run on the Sabbath since, about 12 years. Thus Mr. Hamilton succeeded in clearly and forever demonstrating for the first time to the Furnace owners of the country, and by a successful experiment, that iron could be made and keep the Sabbath day. And while all around him where (were) heard on the Sabbath, the roar of the powerful blast and the puff of the driving steam, Pine Grove stood there alone year after year, silent on the Sabbath, its people regularly assembling on that day to worship God, order, sobriety and religion, growing under his fostering influence. His Furnace stood alone for years, a silent and unanswerable argument and reproof to all its neighboring Furnaces, that there was no necessity of breaking the Sabbath. In the course of five or six years, one and then another began to approve and fall in with his example and stop their Furnaces on the Sabbath. Now there are 26 Sabbath keeping Furnaces in this vicinity, and no man of Christian principle thinks of running his Furnace on the Sabbath. Mr. Hamilton was one of the founders and original members of the Church of Hanging Rock and Pine Grove, and was elected a ruling elder in it at its first organization. He possessed many of the qualities of an excellent elder, and filled the office with great acceptance to the Church. To give a brief estimate of his character, I should say, 1. He was naturally rather diffident and retiring. He loved retirement and home, and his domestic virtues were always apparent at his home. 2. He was modest and unostentatious. He had no fondness for parade or show. If he was ever surrounded by it, it had sought him and not he it. 3. He was meek and humble. The childlike simplicity of his character was everywhere manifest. Large possessions did not seem to lift him up. He was one of the few whom riches did not exalt nor injure. 4. He was prompt, diligent and ever reliable in business. None could impeach his integrity. Of the many thousands he has had in his employ, no one was ever heard to complain of him. 5. His judgment was sound. If he had not the gift of instant penetration, he had what was far better, the faculty of calmly weighing and discriminating the opinions of others, and when their views and plans were proposed, none had better judgment what to adopt and what reject. 6. He was amiable, kind and benevolent. Amiable in his social and business intercourse, kind to the sick, and benevolent to the poor. He loved every good cause, and no good cause ever appealed to him in vain; something was always bestowed. 7. He was a decided Christian. This is the true key to his whole character. Every virtue he possessed by nature was strengthened and polished by religion. His religion was the religion of principle, and from his principles neither the opposition of neighbors, the ridicule of the wicked, nor the power of self-interest could ever swerve him. And the most of his large property was accumulated after, in obedience to his Christian principles and convictions, he had ceased to run his Furnace on the Sabbath. His death was as peaceful and triumphant as his christian life had been sincere and consistent. He honored God in his life and in his death. For some weeks he had not been as well as usual, but apprehended no serious sickness until the Sabbath before his death. From that time he felt he should not recover, and began to set his house in order for his departure. He said, "I can leave the event with God. My trust is in him. He knows what is best for me, and will order all things right and well." At his request all present several times bowed around his bed in prayer. He appeared to have his senses to the last, while the weakness of dissolving nature could manifest any consciousness. He seemed anxious to say many things to us all, which his feebleness could not utter. He gradually but rapidly sank away into the arms of death. And peaceful as a summer evening, fell asleep in Jesus, and was conducted by waiting angels, through the skies, to that rest that remaineth for the people of God. So he died. Good man! Thou hast fulfilled life's great end. Thy work is done. But we shall miss thee. Thy children shall miss thee. This church will miss thee. Thy neighbors will miss thee. All of us will miss thee. But our loss is thy everlasting gain. "Help Lord, for the Godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from hence forth. Yea, saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them." L. KELSEY. HANGING ROCK, Sept. 15, 1856. Ironton Register, September 18, 1856