The Hopkin Thomas Project
The
Hopkin Thomas Project has been on-going since 1995.
It is a historical research project concerning the
activities of a Welsh engineer who emigrated to
America in 1834 bringing with him technical knowledge
which was instrumental in the development of anthracite-fueled
steam locomotives used by the Beaver Meadow and
other railroads in the eastern Pennsylvania coal
fields. He witnessed the utilization of his expertise
related to the iron and coal industries at the Crane
Iron Co., Catasauqua, Pa. in the 1850-1870 time
period; he trained a cadre of followers who went
on to succeed as leaders in the iron and steel industries
in the late nineteenth century. He is the patriarch
of seven generations of engineers and industrialists
who can trace their roots to the Lehigh Valley of
Pennsylvania.
This project consists of the following:
Coal,
Fire, Iron & Steam - A history of the life
of Hopkin Thomas and the technology that he utilized
and helped develop in the mid-nineteen century.
This work is published on this web site (Internet-browser-based)
form and will be also distributed to interested
parties on disk. The history covers with Hopkin’s
life in Wales and the technological developments
that occurred there during his early years, Philadelphia
at the time of Hopkin’s emigration, and his subsequent
activities at Beaver Meadow, Tamaqua and Catasauqua,
Pennsylvania.
Hopkin
Thomas Family Ties - a genealogical data base
showing the connection between the Hopkin Thomas
family and other prominent Lehigh Valley families.
Included are connections to Asa Packer, organizer
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and Lehigh University;
to the Heller and Horn families who were prominent
in the development of Easton and Hellertown; to
the David Thomas family of Catasauqua who pioneered
the hot-blast method of producing iron; to the Laubach
family that at one time held 40% of the land area
of Northampton County; and on and on. There are
currently 49,000 persons in the data base.
James
Thomas of Pennsylvania and the Alabama Iron Industry
(1872-1879). This is a monograph directed at
documenting the efforts of James Thomas, son of
Hopkin Thomas, during the post-civil war decade
when he played a prominent role in the reconstruction
of the Birmingham Alabama iron industry. The object
of this work is to correct some of the confusion
which permeates the very thoroughly documented history
of this industry - confusion resulting from the
fact that two Thomas families from the Lehigh Valley
had interests in that reconstruction.
Please send comments, correction,
additions, etc to the compiler: jb.mcvey@roadrunner.com
April
2020