Biographical Sketch of Isaac M. PEARSON (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Philadel- phia, PA, 1893, pp. 664-5. "ISAAC M. PEARSON, a prominent member of the Warren Manufacturing Company of Virginia, and the proprietor of the Toughkenamon spoke and wheel fac- tory, is known as one of the useful men and highly respected citizens of the county. He is a son of Isaac and Eleanor (Mason) Pearson, and was born near Chandlerville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1826. He received his education in the common schools of New Garden township, and later learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed until he was twenty years of age. He then cast about him for a line of business in which there would be more room for expansion, and less numerous competi- tors than there were in blacksmithing. "Spoke making seemed to be nearest to what he desired, and a favorable opportunity presented itself to him in the spoke factory at Laurel, in New Garden township, which he rented and ran successfully from 1859 to 1861. He then entered into partnership with Samuel Strahon, under the firm name of Strahon & Pearson, and they operated a spoke factory on White Clay creek, near Chandlerville, until 1862, when they admitted James M. Carliss into partnership with them, and added to their business the manufacture of wheels. Two years later their factory was burned, and Mr. Carliss withdrew from the firm and was succeeded by John C. Chandler, the firm name then changing from Strahon, Pearson & Carliss to Strahon, Pearson & Co. "The new firm rebuilt the factory in 1864, and in 1865 removed their spoke machinery and stock to Toughkenamon, where they placed them in Isaac Slack's sash and door factory building, which they had rented. The next year they brought their wheel making machinery to Toughkenamon, and purchased the rented factory building, admitted Isaac Slack into partnership with them, under the firm name of Strahon, Pearson & Co. In 1866 Mr. Strahon transferred his interest to his sons, Joseph and Milton, and the following year the firm established a general carpenter furnishing business at Riverton, Warren county, Virginia. Some time after this Isaac Slack died, and was succeeded by his son, Julius, who in 1886, with Mr. Pearson and others, bought the interests at Riverton of the Strahons, and organized the Warren Manufacturing Company. "The wheel and spoke firm continued in existence until August 1, 1890, when Mr. Pearson became sole proprietor. His large plant has first-class railroad shipping facilities. His manufactory building is a three story brick structure, twenty-eight by one hundred feet in dimensions, with a two-story frame annex, nineteen by one hundred and forty feet. Mr. Pearson makes a specialty of wheels, and puts an article on the market that is highly appreciated and extensively used on account of durability and first-class workmanship. He has won success because he has deserved it and worked for it. He employs twenty men and has an extensive trade. "On August 7, 1851, Mr. Pearson was united in marriage with Anna M., daughter of Joseph Kimble, of New London, Chester county. "Isaac M. Pearson is of Irish-English descent. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Pearson, was born in 1761, and lived in the State of Delaware, where he died in 1848, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He owned a farm which he tilled with fair returns, and when General Jackson was elected in 1828, changed in politics from the Federal to the Demo- cratic party. He married Sarah Cloud, and reared a family of eleven children: John, Susan Gamble, Isaac, William, Joseph, Thomas, Ruth Moore, Mary Wilson, Laban, Hiram and Amos. "Of the sons, Isaac (father), was born in 1791, in Chester county, and learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed for many years at Chandlerville. He was a democrat, held several local offices, and was an attendant at Friends' meeting. He died in 1862, aged seventy-one years."