My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES FREDERICK SPANG, the subject of this sketch, was born in Berks county, Pa., in 1809, His great-grandfather, the progenitor of the family in this country, was Hans George Spang, who emigrated in 1751 from Rotterdam, Holland, to America, and settled in Greenwich township, Berks county, Pa. Of Hans’ six sons, Leonard and George served in the war of independence; the former died a prisoner of war in Trenton, N. J.; the other went to Europe with Gen. Kuyphausen, who had commanded the Hessians, and became a resident of Bremen, where he acquired a large fortune, and died without immediate heirs, in 1826. A portion of his distant relations in America are now claimants of the estate. Another son, Frederick Spang, became the owner of the Oley furnaces at Semple, Pa., one of the oldest works of the kind in the United States, having been erected in 1772. He left this property to his son, Henry S. Spang, the father of the gentleman, whose name heads this article. Mr. Spang’s father, Henry S. Spang, afterward removed to Huntingdon county, Pa., where he established iron-works. The Pennsylvania canal was opened about this time to Huntingdon, thus offering a market in Pittsburgh for their products.

Charles Frederick Spang, the junior member of the firm, came with his father to Huntingdon, and was an active assistant in the conduct of the business. In the prosecution of this he visited Pittsburgh frequently, and with characteristic intelligence and forethought discovered the advantages its location afforded, and its prospective importance as a manufacturing center. The result was the formation of the firm of H. S. Spang & Son, and the erection of the Etna Iron-works on the site of a sickle-factory that had been built at Etna in 1817. The firm was destined to take a prominent place among the manufacturers of the west. The son, now nineteen years of age, became the business manager and a resident here. On the death of H. S. Spang, the firm became Spang & Co. (Charles F. Spang and James McAuley). The business was conducted under this style till 1858, when the present firm of Spang, Chalfant & Co. was formed, consisting of Charles H. Spang, John W. Chalfant, C. B. Herron and George A. Chalfant. In 1878 the Spang Steel & Iron company (limited) was organized as a branch of the above. Its officers are Campbell B. Herron, president; John C. Porter, treasurer, and George A. Chalfant, general manager.

In the year 1858 Mr. Spang removed to Nice, France, where he has since resided, making occasional visits to his native country. He was a pioneer in the iron business here, and was the first manufacturer of iron tubing west of the Allegheny mountains. He was one of the early directors of the Bank of Pittsburgh, one of the founders of the Western Pennsylvania hospital, a corporator of the Allegheny cemetery, and a vestryman of Trinity Church.

Charles H. Spang, son of C. F. Spang, and a member of the firm of Spang, Chalfant & Co., was born in Pittsburgh. He was educated in this, city, and succeeded his father in the business. Norman Spang, the second son, who is connected with the business, resides in Pittsburgh.