John Roach & Sons

John Roach & Sons

Company type	Private
Industry	Shipbuilding, manufacturing
Predecessor	Etna Iron Works
Founded	1864 (1864)
Founder	John Roach
Defunct	1885 (1885)
Fate	Entered receivership and assets liquidated; descendants retained some assets continuing shipbuilding
Successor	Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation (Chester yard after sale)
Headquarters	Chester, Pennsylvania , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	John Roach, William Henry Roach, John Baker Roach
Products	Iron ships, ship engines, steel rails and components, asbestos insulation, iron pipes and tubing, patented propellers
Owner	Roach family (until receivership)
Number of employees	Over 3,000 at peak (1880s)

John Roach & Sons stood as a prominent American shipbuilding and manufacturing enterprise during the 19th century, established in 1864 by the Irish-American immigrant John Roach. Between 1871 and 1885, it led the U.S. shipbuilding industry, crafting more iron vessels than its two chief rivals combined. Throughout this era, it served as the principal contractor for the U.S. Navy and ranked among the country's largest employers after the railroad sector.

Overview

Originally called John Roach & Son, the firm functioned as the operational and sales branch of Roach's Etna Iron Works based in New York, with his eldest son William Henry Roach joining as a partner. Over time, additional sons became involved in the business.

As expansion continued, several subsidiaries were incorporated, most notably the Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works located in Chester, Pennsylvania, which emerged as the primary shipyard, along with the Morgan Iron Works in New York. These facilities were integrated through a network of associated companies, positioning John Roach & Sons as an early adopter of the vertical integration strategy.

Subsidiaries

The main subsidiaries encompassed:

• Etna Iron Works (New York)—founded in 1852 to manufacture ship engines, operations ceased following acquisition of Morgan Iron Works;
• Morgan Iron Works (New York)—purchased from shipping tycoon Charles Morgan in 1867; specialized in ship engine construction and repairs, later expanding to plumbing and finishing tasks for vessels built at Delaware River;
• Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works (Chester, PA)—acquired in 1871 from Reaney, Son & Archbold, it became Roach Sr.’s largest U.S. shipyard;
• Chester Rolling Mill (Chester, PA)—established in 1875 to provide iron and steel structural components for ship construction.

Additional enterprises under Roach family control included:

• Hirsch Propeller Company—producer of patented Hirsch propellers with exclusive sales territories across several states;
• Chalmers-Spence Company—manufacturer of patented asbestos insulation designed for steam piping;
• Chester Pipe and Tube Company (Chester, PA)—supplier of iron pipes and tubing for maritime and other industrial applications;
• Combination Steel and Iron Company (Chester, PA)—created in 1880 to fabricate steel rails and components for ships;
• Standard Steel Casting Company (Thurlow, PA)—founded in 1883 to produce steel ingots supporting other steel manufacturing operations;
• United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company—a shipping line initiated by Roach in 1876.

History

At its operational height, John Roach & Sons employed over 3,000 individuals at both Delaware River Shipbuilding Works and Morgan Iron Works, making its payroll second only to that of the railroads nationwide.

From 1871 until 1885, it maintained its status as America’s largest shipbuilder by iron tonnage produced, surpassing its nearest two competitors combined. A notable achievement came in 1880 with the construction of the innovative coastal passenger steamer Columbia for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. This vessel was pioneering as the first ship equipped with a dynamo and incandescent electric lighting outside Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory.

The firm entered receivership in 1885 after multiple U.S. Navy contracts were rescinded by the Cleveland administration amid allegations of impropriety linked to contracts awarded during earlier Republican administrations. These contracts included the Navy’s initial four steel-hulled warships: , , , and . John Roach Sr. passed away in 1887 while the company remained under receivership.

Following asset liquidation to creditors, Roach’s descendants retained ownership of Delaware River Works and Morgan Iron Works, continuing shipbuilding activities under John Baker Roach until his death in 1908. Over the period from 1871 to 1908, the Roach family constructed a total of 179 ships. After their departure from shipbuilding, railroad heir W. Averell Harriman purchased the Chester yard and rebranded it as Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation to produce merchant vessels during World War I.

References

• Heinrich, Thomas R. (1997): Ships for the Seven Seas: Philadelphia Shipbuilding in the Age of Industrial Capitalism, Johns Hopkins University Press, .
• Swann, Leonard Alexander Jr. (1965): John Roach, Maritime Entrepreneur: the Years as Naval Contractor 1862-1886 - United States Naval Institute (reprinted 1980 by Ayer Publishing, ).
• Tyler, David B. (1958): The American Clyde: A History of Iron and Steel Shipbuilding on the Delaware from 1840 to World War I, University of Delaware Press (reprinted 1992, ).