J.G. Rempp's Blacksmith and Carriage Shop
- Yen Ho
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
Before cars became popular, horses and buggies were widely used to get to one plac eto another, and blacksmith and wheelwright shops were opened at every corner to assist those in need in repair their transportation. One of the most well-known blacksmith in the area was Jacob G. Rempp.
Jacob G. Rempp
Jacob Gottlieb Rempp (1850-1914) grew up in Philadelphia and attended public schools until he started finding work at 11 years old. By the time he was 18, he learned the trade of general blacksmithing with Joseph Henry of Montgomery Square for seven years. Once he established himself as a blacksmith, he opened a blacksmith and wheelwright shop in Spring House in 1876. Six years later, he purchased the property in Spring House.
In 1901, after 26 years of establishment, he renovated and expanded his shop to continue his successful business.
"The building at present is two stories in height, with a frontage of thirty-two feet and a depth of a hundred feet, and he employs a force of eight men, but contemplates its enlargement to meet the increasing demands of his business."
- Elwood Roberts, 425
His son Julius H. Rempp (1882-1965) became his partner in 1901 under the name "J.G. Rempp and Son," and a large plant was built on the property.
The shop remains opened until 1964, and the building remained intact until it was torn down in 1976.
Julius Rempp and His Restoration Works
Julius continued his father's business after his death, and followed his father's ways ever since. Over time horses and buggies no longer existed, and there was no need to have a blacksmith shop. Instead of closing down, Julius continued the business as a restoration shop. He became a professional of making hand-wrought hardware for builders of finer houses and reproducing of hardwares like latches and hinges. The hardwares he reproduced were actually found in 18th century colonial homes in the countryside. They were even found at Valley Forge.
He studied those hardwares and became faithfully skillful in reproducing them that many antiquarians, architects, and builders came to him to help reproduce the hardware they need.
"The secret of successful work is a good fire... Coal requires a certain amount of air to burn properly, and as it burns it consumes oxygen. When too much blast is used, the oxygen is not all burned out of the air, and this will affect the hot iron in the fire. Whenever a piece of hot iron comes in contact with the air the oxygen attacks the iron and forms oxide, which is the scale or gray flakes seen on the outside of iron. The higher the temperature to which iron is heated, the more easily the oxide is formed. If two pieces of iron or steel are heated in a fire which allows them to scale or oxidize too much they cannot be welded while this scale is present."
- Julius Remp on describing the best method to iron working
After the shop closed down, the contents inside the shop were removed to the Americana Museum of Bird-In-Hand in Lancaster County where they were auctioned off. Today, the museum no longer exists, but an antique store took over the space.
Bibliography
Baist, G. Wm. Montgomery County 1891, Ambler Borough, Spring House, Penllyn Sta. Left, Plate 009, 1891.
Di Domizio, Tony. "Gone but not forgotten…" The Reporter. Last modified September 24, 2021. https://www.thereporteronline.com/2006/11/02/gone-but-not-forgotten-8/.
Herman, Andrew Mark. Eastern Montgomery County Revisited. (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005): 75.
"Jacob G. Rempp." Ambler Gazette. September 3, 1914. Pages 1, 8. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_7285.
"J. G. Rempp & Son Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop." Fold3® by Ancestry. Last modified September 12, 2008. https://www.fold3.com/subject/83001374/j-g-rempp-amp-son-blacksmith-amp-wheelwright-shop/.
Roberts, Ellwood. Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens, Volume 2. (New York: T.S. Benham, 1904): 425-426.
"Rotary Talk On The Forge and Fire." Ambler Gazette. October 10, 1935. Page 6. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_23388.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.
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