The Mary Ann Furnace began in 1762 at Furnance Creek, York County, Pennsylvania, It was erected by George Ross and Company. There was another, the Mary Ann (Dowlin) Forge on the Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania erected in 1785 by Dowlin. Still another, called Mary Ann Furnace, located in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania - erected in 1795 by Jacob Lesher. This was a fairly large furnace, 30 feet high and a bosh of 7 feet. And one more, a Mary Ann Furnace at Haydentown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania - erected in 1800 by J. Martin. Source of all above: "Iron Manufacture in the Eighteenth Century" published by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission. I don't have the whole book, but my selected photocopied pages do not mention a family named GWYNN. Could the family name be spelled as GWIN? The records of Christ Church, Philadelphia has burial records for a John and Mary GWIN around 1726-1727. Also, there is a Hugh GWYNN listed as a Revolutionary soldier or Patriot in the book "Central Pennsylvania Marriages" compiled by Dr. Charles Fisher. GWYNN lived in Union County and had a wife named Margaret. Another book by Fisher lists Hugh GWYNN as living in Penn Township and having sons named Thomas and William. The will of Hugh GWYNN was probated 4/28/1806. You might also try looking for your ancestor in the "History of Chester County, Pennsylvania" by Cope which includes much on Penn's "Welsh Tract" running from about Narberth in Montgomery County to about Downington in Chester County and north to Berks County - in fact three of the early Berks County Townships were primarily of Welsh settlers. I'm not a GWYNN researcher, but enjoy learning of the history of the Welsh in Pennsylvania. The entire old histories of Northumberland County by both Bell and Floyd are on-line through Rootsweb Genweb. Union County was originally a part of Northumberland. Good luck, Elida in South Carolina, USA Researching: POWELL, PARSELL, THOMAS, JONES, SCHAEFFER or SHAFER, SCHNEIDER or SNYDER, STUTZMAN or STUTSMAN, WEARY or WERI, or WEHRY or WERY, DIETERICH, and REDEBACH. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Gwynn" <gwynn@inreach.com> To: <WLS-PEMBROKESHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 23, 2001 9:17 PM Subject: [WLS-PEMBROKESHIRE] Gwynn > I need help on my Gwynn Line. It has been passed down through the family by word of mouth that the original Gwynn in my line left Wales in the early 1600's (having to leave the Country quickly), and came to the Baltimore area in the America. However, I have only been able to establish that William Gwynn b. 1749 arrived in York County Pennsylvania about 1772 having emigrated from Ireland. He was an iron master and either owned or operated the Mary Ann Furnace, a blast furnace. He had no children. About 1775, his brother John Gwynn b. 1748 emigrated from Ireland to Fredrick County area of Maryland. He had a wife (unknown) and two children Ann b. ? and William b. 1775, both in Ireland. He had five more children in America, one being Elizabeth who married her cousin Robert Gwynn b.about 1774 in Great Britain and d. 22 August 1805 at sea. > Being Elizabeth's cousin, it is probable the John and William had a brother. > > I have not been able to establish and connection in Ireland or Wales beyond the above. It could be that the original Gwynn went to Ireland instead of Baltimore. > > However, I received an article on the Kidwelly Tin Works (1737 to 1798) wherein Charles Gwynn, Anthony Rogers, Mary Gwynn, Leonard Bilson Gwynn, Robert Morgan, Catherine Middleton Gwynn, Lieu. General Francis Gwynn and William Gwynn of Kent were related and/or involved with the Tin Works or the iron works, blast-furnaces and forges at Carmarthen, Whitland and Cwydwyfran. The thought crossed my mind that this might be where my William Gwynn received his training as an iron master. > > Any ideas you might have would be appreciated. I'm going to post this message on the Cardignanshire, Monmouthshire, Dyfed and Pembrokeshire Lists as well, so you might run into it again, but please give it some attention and respond if you have any ideas for me. > > Thank you very much, > > John Gwynn > San Francisco, California >