Dawes, Rumford, 1744-1819.

Rumford Dawes (1744-1819) and Abijah Dawes were sons of Edward Dawes of New Castle County, Del. Sometime prior to 1783 they erected the Hagley Slitting and Rolling Mills on the Brandywine near Wilmington. By 1787 it was working imported Russian and Swedish iron. Much of the output was sent to the New York City nail factory of J.G. Pierson & Brothers. Josiah G. Pierson had invented one of the first successful American nail-cutting machines, but did not build his own rolling mill until 1795. The Dawes brothers abandoned the Hagley Works around 1811. The site was eventually acquired by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company for the purpose of expanding its powder mills.