The brothers operated the Cornwall Ironworks, making significant contributions to the American Revolutionary War effort, and Curtis Grubb served several terms in the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly.
18 Facts About Curtis Grubb
1.
2.
Curtis Grubb was one of the largest enslavers in Pennsylvania at the time of independence, registering twenty-five people as his property in 1780 in accordance with state gradual abolition law.
3.
The brothers inherited the ironworks from their father in 1754, with Curtis Grubb receiving a two-thirds interest and Peter one-third.
4.
Curtis Grubb operated the Cornwall Furnace that produced pig iron, and Peter, who had more ironmaking experience, ran the nearby Hopewell Forges on Hammer Creek that produced more valuable bar iron.
5.
In 1773, Curtis Grubb paid taxes on 1,000 acres at the furnace location and Peter paid taxes on 500 acres at the forges location, reflecting both the size of the operation and their proportional ownership.
6.
Curtis Grubb was an outspoken radical and an early supporter of the Revolution.
7.
Curtis Grubb was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1775,1777,1778 and 1782.
8.
Tensions between the brothers reached the crisis point in 1783 when Curtis decided to marry his 20-year-old cousin Ann Grubb, granddaughter of the brothers' uncle Nathaniel Grubb.
9.
Curtis Grubb conveyed to his son an interest in the ironworks, which unfortunately required a legal subdivision of the assets that had previously been shared informally.
10.
Curtis Grubb reacted to the competition from his brother and allied himself with Coleman, trying various tactics to put his brother out of business.
11.
Curtis Grubb was the more gregarious of the brothers and led a sometimes unconventional life.
12.
Curtis Grubb married Ann Few in 1754 and in 1757 they had a son, Peter Grubb III.
13.
Ann, believing Curtis Grubb to be dead, remarried to Archibald McNeal in 1763 and had a child.
14.
Curtis Grubb' divorce was allowed to become final, but in 1772 the Governors of the Colonies were directed not to accept any further acts of divorce passed by colonial legislatures.
15.
In 1783 Curtis decided to marry his 20 year old cousin Ann Grubb, which of course led to the family crisis described above.
16.
Curtis Grubb was buried at the Tabor Reformed Church cemetery, later removed to the Old Hebron cemetery in Lebanon.
17.
Curtis Grubb probably remained in Curtis' household until he decided to marry Ann, at which time she and their son Jehu would have been forced to move out.
18.
Ironically, Curtis Grubb's only documented descendants still carrying the Grubb surname are through Jehu.