The Industrial Heritage of Albert Gallatin's New Geneva

THE EARLY YEARS

Albert Gallatin is best known for his role in politics, notably as Secretary of the Treasury for Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. A lesser known aspect of Gallatin's life is in the fields of land speculation and industry. It was with these two activities that Gallatin planned to make the American dream come true.

As a young man in Geneva, Switzerland, Gallatin came to realize that his future was not as a watchmaker (as his father) in that central European city, but as a farmer. Leaving his native country in 1780, Gallatin emigrated to the United States to begin a new life in agricultural pursuits. He and a school mate Henri Serre encountered several setbacks as they ventured through Massachusetts and the district of Maine. In time, Gallatin would acquire a new friendship with a Frenchman named Jean Savary. With this new partner, Gallatin now had the capital to purchase warrants of land on the Virginia frontier, nearly 120,000 acres.

EXPLORATION & SETTLEMENT

Albert Gallatin surveyed his holdings along the upper Ohio River in the mid-1780's. As he traveled through the Monongahela River Valley he fell in love with the region. In 1786, he bought 370 acres of land which he thought well suited for farming and as a staging area for selling land and goods. Gallatin honored his friends by naming the new property Friendship Hill.

CREATION OF NEW GENEVA

In 1794, Gallatin was hearing rumors of mass exodus of Europeans fleeing the French Revolution. An idea struck his fancy; perhaps he should develop a settlement for these emigrants. Throughout the spring and summer of 1795 Gallatin pondered, planned and finally selected Wilson's Port, a small river town located one mile north of his Friendship Hill. Collecting four other investors, three of which were also Swiss, Gallatin had the partnership incorporated as Albert Gallatin & Company. Together they purchased Wilson's Port, Georgetown and vacant lots across the river in Greensboro. The partners named their new settlement New Geneva. With a company store, boat yard and mills along Georges Creek the partners awaited the rush of settlers.

GLASS

An improved European situation and mild economic recession in 1796-1797 did not being the expected wealth to the Gallatin partnership. As Gallatin struggled with the Federalists in the Congress, his partners happened upon six German glassblowers traveling to Kentucky. Convinced that glass would revive their sagging investment, the partners asked the Germans to set up shop in New Geneva. Gallatin was appalled with the idea and considered it to be a lottery ticket. Nonetheless production of glass began on January 18, 1798. Window glass, whiskey bottles and other hollow ware were produced. This was the first glass blown west of the Alleghenies.

The glass business was not without its problems. Poor initial profits, material shortages and a labor "insurrection" combined to make Gallatin believe that the glass industry should be abandoned. By 1800, though, the business had made a turn around. With the availability of coal across the river, the glass works were moved to Greensboro in 1807. Later in 1816 Gallatin would call the glass works his most "productive property".

GUNS

Another industry to make its appearance at the New Geneva complex was the manufacture of muskets. In 1797 a crisis with France had flared into an undeclared war. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania called out to its militia only to find a shortage of muskets, bayonets and cartridge boxes. Contracts were awarded to private manufacturers to produce 12,000 stands of arms.

Seeing an opportunity to relieve festering debts from the land and glass businesses, the western partners sought Gallatin's advice and political pull in the state government to acquire an arms contract. Initially against the idea, the mounting debts forced Gallatin to reconsider. He signed a contract in January 1799 to produce 2000 muskets with bayonets. The Gallatin partners subcontracted Melchior Baker of Haydentown to make the muskets. Lack of skilled labor and quality steel supported by poor management plagued the business. By April, 1801 only 600 muskets had been delivered, fifteen months behind schedule. Seeing only complete financial ruin if he remained in the agreement, Gallatin transferred all contractual obligations to Melchior Baker and Abraham Stewart.

LEGACY

During his fifth year as Minister to France, Albert Gallatin longed for retirement to Friendship Hill. Hoping to live off the profits of the glass business, Gallatin made substantial improvements to the house and grounds. It was not a happy homecoming. The economic "Panic of 1819" caught up with the glass business and forced its closure in 1821. While

"contented to live and die amongst the Monongahela hills"

Albert Gallatin sold his beloved Friendship Hill and other western holdings at great financial loss.

Beginning in the 1840's, New Geneva enjoyed a renaissance of industry. Potters found the clay to be excellent for the production of salt glaze stoneware. The booming pottery business thrived into the early twentieth century. Although Gallatin's New Geneva never bore him the abundant fruits of wealth first envisioned, his spirit and drive remained to inspire others toward making the American dream come true. New Geneva is Albert Gallatin's democratic monument.