Peter Schoenberger (1782-1854)

He was born at Manheim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His father was a Hessian officer who came to America with the British during the Revolution and afterwards settled here, establishing several small charcoal furnaces in the Upper Juniata Valley. Peter graduated from medical school in 1806 but quickly turned his attentions to ironmaking. He acquired vast tracts of land rich in timber, coal, iron ore and other minerals. He built foundries and furnaces and soon became known as the "Iron King of Pennsylvania". He built a 21-room mansion at Claysburg but his principal residence was at 15th and Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh. He was married in 1806 to Sarah Krug and had 7-children to reach adulthood. He died in 1854 with a fortune of $5 million.