Listed in the 1874 work, Wiley's American iron trade manual of the leading iron industries of the United States: "Steam engines, boilers, saw mills, etc."

      A Henry W. Brown of Warren, PA, received an 1873 patent for a reciprocating sawmill; one of the witnesses was an H. M. Popple. Hiram M. Popple, also of Warren, had received an 1871 patent for a sawmill head-block.

      This firm was founded in 1851 by as a foundry, later Henry W. Brown was admitted a partner and a frame foundry and machine shop was built on the site of the present works in 1855. This building is remembered as having a steam whistle, the first factory plant in Warren to use a steam whistle to summon the workmen. In 1860 Mr. Kingsbury retired, John and Thomas, brothers of Henry W. Brown, becoming interested with him and operating as Brown Brothers. In 1868 Thomas Struthers acquired an interest in the firm, which then and until 1871 was known as Brown, Struthers & Company. About 1871 Mr. McKelvey became a stockholder and the business was incorporated as the Brown Struthers Iron Works, Mr. McKelvey being elected secretary and treasurer, continuing until 1875, when the company became the Struthers Iron Works, the owner being Thomas Struthers, James C. Wells and Alexander H. McKelvey. This company had a prosperous career and is still in existence, although none of the old partners are connected with it. Mr. Struthers and Mr. Wells are both deceased, and Mr. McKelvey sold his interest in August, 1895, having served as treasurer of the company twenty-five years.

      Possibly the oldest manufacturing plant in the town is the Struthers-Wells Co It was established in 1851 in the old Stewart Mill as a Foundry and Machine Shop, the name of the company being—Kingsley & Co. The iron used at that time was brought up the river on flat boats and the coal was hauled from Dunkirk. The name of the firm changed several times, being known as Brown Brothers; Brown, Arnett & Co.; Brown & Struthers; Struthers Iron Works; Struthers Wells & Co.; and Struthers-Wells Co., the present name. James Wells became associated with the company in 1863 and Thomas Struthers in 1867. Both of these men are dead, but there are still associated with the company two men who have been with it for over 50 years; Woodbury James, having started in 1863, and Robert Mackay in 1866. Among othe1 familiar names of those who have been associated with the company are: R. F. Van Dorn, A. H. McKelvey, H. A. Jamieson, M. W. Jamieson G. C. Lott, J. P. Jefferson and E. D. Wetmore.

Information Sources

• Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley Volume 1, 1913 pages 378-379 By John Woolf Jordan
• Warren Academy of Sciences Volume 2, 1911-1912 page 125
• American Steam Engine Builders: 1800-1900 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2006 page 230