Southeast Messenger - March 24th, 2019

PAGE 6 - SOUTHEAST MESSENGER - March 24, 2019
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A look back at the town blacksmith
This ad appeared in the July 5, 1890 edition
of the Groveport Observer newspaper:
BLACKSMITHING!
Wagon maker
Carriage and wagon repairing neatly done
Both wood and iron work
All kinds of blacksmithing
Horse shoeing a specialty
F. E. Williams, prop.
According to historian George Bareis in
his book, “History of Madison Township
Including Groveport and Canal
Winchester,” throughout the 19th century
Groveport was home for several blacksmiths,
but by 1900 only three remained:
Frank Williams, who operated a blacksmith
shop on Crooked Alley near the
banks of the Ohio and Erie Canal; Joseph
Nailer (whose last name seems perfect for
a blacksmith and which also appears as
“Nailor” on some documents) had a shop
near the railroad tracks west of Front
Street; and Thomas Thompson, whose
shop’s location I have been unable to
locate. It’s possible Thompson may have
worked for Williams or Nailer.
Though Groveport’s population in 1900
was only 519, the blacksmiths were no
doubt kept busy because they could also
draw customers from the many farms of
Madison Township.
Blacksmiths played a vital role in those
days in keeping horses’ shod to protect the
Editor’s Notebook
animals’ feet. Horses
and mules were the
life blood of the agricultural
economy performing
the work that
Rick
Palsgrove
was later done by machines. Horses also
served as people’s main form of transportation
before the advent of the car, bus, and
electric railway.
But horseshoeing was not the only function
of the town blacksmith. According to
growingseasons.com’s “Blacksmithing in
Rural America,” the blacksmith could
repair equipment, sharpen plows and
saws, and make things such as fireplace
utensils, hinges, nuts, bolts, chains, and
many more useful items.
To me, the blacksmith created things of
functional beauty.
In this early 20th century photo at right,
blacksmith Frank Williams is shown at
work in his shop along Groveport’s Crooked
Alley. Note the kegs of horseshoes!
An interesting aspect of this photo is
that several names are written on the back
wall of Williams’ shop, some of which are
slightly visible in this photo. Some of the
legible names are P. Sims, J. Sims, A.
Weaver, J. Decker, H. Miller, Lowry, and
Beard.
Area resident Jaime Chambers
offered an excellent explanation for the
names on the wall after she saw the
photo posted on Facebook. Chambers
observed, “Looks like the name was for
their horseshoe order, with horseshoes
dangling below, in different sizes.”
I wonder if Williams’ shop was a
place where people would hang out,
sort of like how auto service stations
were places guys hung out in during
the mid- to late- 20th century. If so,
what did they talk about back in 1900
while idling around the blacksmith
shop? Did they talk about President
McKinley? The prospects of the
Cruiser baseball team? They could
have discussed horses, the recent corn
crop, the latest performance of the village
band in the town bandstand, or
noted how there were fewer and fewer
canal boats passing through town. Or,
like humans have done for centuries,
talked about the weather!
I’m not sure when the blacksmiths
stopped operating as such in
Groveport. On a 1922 map, Williams’
shop is still marked, but Nailer’s is gone. A
1944 map shows no blacksmith shops at all.
While the automobile spelled doom for
harness makers and livery stables, the
blacksmiths’ many skills and talents
Photo courtesy of the Groveport Heritage Museum
In this photo from the early 20th century,
Groveport blacksmith Frank Williams is working
on horseshoes in his shop that once stood on
Crooked Alley along the Ohio and Erie Canal
just south of Main Street in Groveport.
enabled them to adapt to the changing
economy by evolving their occupation into
things such as hardware dealers or
machine and auto repairmen.
Rick Palsgrove is editor of the Southeast
Messenger.
Ladies Night
Wine and Cupcake Tasting
at the Paddock Pub and Links of Groveport
Thursday, April 4, 2019
6:00 - 8:00 pm
$15 per person, prepaid
Join us as Elizabeth, our Event Manager, and
Danyel from Cake Decor guides you through a tasting of
wine and Cupcakes. Theresa Valentine will be on site with
Paparazzi Jewelry for purchase.
March 29
Live Music with Less Hostile
March 30
Live Music with Dwayne Haggy
The Paddock Pub
The Paddock Pub
For reservations for this limited seating
tasting event, please call 614-610-6988