Cornwall Furnace

James Noble Sr. and his five sons operated the the Noble Brothers & Co. foundry located in Rome, GA.  They had been in business since the 1855 and manufactured iron goods of all types.  When the Civil War started in 1861, they began manufacturing cannon, caissons and other war materials for the Confederacy.  The first cannon they manufactured was in 1861 and was made of iron from Round Mountain Furnace in Cherokee County, Alabama.  In order to increase the supply of iron to the foundry, the Confederate government offered financial assistance.  On August 13, 1862, the government signed a contract with the Noble Brothers. The Confederate government would provide $20,000 to the Noble Brothers for the building of 2 furnaces.  The loan would be payed back with iron and materials that the Nobles provided to the government.