Blscksmithing at the Goshenville Shops

The Goshenville blacksmith and wheelwright shops have a rich history. The class will cover the evolution of the shops and the village from the arrival of Welsh Quakers in the late 17th century to East Goshen’s acquisition and restoration of the shops in the twentieth century. Topics will include: George Ashbridge’s arrival in Goshen in 1701 and his wedding gift to his son Aaron ca. 1740. The work done by the blacksmiths and wheelwrights who worked at the shops from 1740 until 1949. The arrival of 10 thousand British troops at the Goshen Meeting on September 16, 1777. Connection of the blacksmith shop to the Battle of the Clouds (Battle of Goshen) and to the Paoli Massacre. A description of Washington’s troop movements after the battle of Brandywine through their departure for Reading Furnace during the hurricane. An account of the British fording of the Schuylkill River on their way to occupying Philadelphia. Special attention will be paid to the role of Founding Father George Clymer and his father-in-law Reese Meredith who owned the shops in 1777. The evolution of the shops through the 19th and into the mid 20th Century.