Milton History

a pictorial history of Milton, PA

• Contents
• Families
• Contact
• NEW
• About
• Personal

F. A. Godcharles Company - Iron & Nail Mill

F. A. Godcharles Company - Puddle Department

Drawing of the Premises

Use the slider or mouse wheel to zoom; click and drag to move around

This factory was south of Cameron Avenue between the canal and the P & E Railroad tracks. It was also south of the Milton Manufacturing Co. Shell Plant.

The F. A. Godcharles Company succeeded the C. A. Godcharles Company, which was established by the late C. A. Godcharles in 1875 and enlarged in 1889. It was destroyed by fire on December 3, 1898, but was rebuilt and put into operation in May of 1899. The company was incorporated June 25, 1905, with Frederick A. Godcharles president and general manager, Walter A. Godcharles vice-president, and William B. Godcharles secretary and treasurer.

Under the present management the business has been materially increased, both as to tonnage and manufactured products. The Nail Department consists of 101 cut nail machines with an annual capacity of 200,000 kegs of nails. William Geiling is foreman of the factory. The Plate Mill consists of three heating furnaces and a twenty-inch train of finishing rolls, with a capacity of 24,000 tons of finished nail, tack, hinge and washer plate.

William Goodman is foreman and boss roller. The Puddle Mill consists of nine double and two single furnaces with a capacity of 1500 tons annually, of 3, 4, 5 and 6-inch muck bars. M. P. Johnson and John Harpster, Jr., are foremen. The Washer Department, under Grant Kase, produces plate washers of all sizes and will be doubled in capacity this year. The Hinge Department is the latest addition to this plant and is modern in every detail. All sizes and weights of strap and T hinges and hinge hasps are made here, and when the machinery under contract is installed, the output will rank with the best in the country. H. M. Johnson is foreman. The outside work is under the supervision of Charles Deitrick. All the products of this company are made from new material rolled for the purpose. About four hundred employees are on the pay rolls of the various departments.

Competition from the steel industry eventually forced the mill out of business. The company continued operations until 1914, and on May 6, 1915, the assets were purchased by the Milton Manufacturing Co. under George S. Shimer.