Written by Fran Cable
Additional info; Andover News
Submitted by William A. Greene 2006
Anthony O'Donnell was born November 1st, 1830 in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1847 with his father and mother, Dominick and Mary, they immigrated to Canada. While there, Anthony worked in a bakery for a year, then moved to Rochester, but only stayed a few months. Dominick came to Andover in 1851 then moved to Alfred in 1856. Anthony came to Alfred in April of 1856 and worked with his father on his farm. On December 1st, 1858 Anthony moved to Oakland, (don't know where tha tis) and learned the molder's trade.
Anthony's parents both passed away in the 1870's; Mary died on March 8th, 1874 and Dominick died on June 12th, 1876. They are both buried in St. John's Cemetery in Andover.
After learning the trade Anthony moved back to Andover in 1861 and started building his new foundry on the East side of North Main Street, opposite of 59 North Main Street, which is now a vacant lot.
The foundry was a wood frame structure, rectangular in shape. It was completed in 1862, and the first casting was poured on September 30th, 1862. A steam engine was used to operate the bellows that pumped air into the furnace.
Some of the castings made were: iron kettles and griddles, parts for farm machinery, carriage platforms and hitching posts. Also hitching weights to tie horses to. These castings were about 6-inches thick and 8-inches in diameter with a ring in the top to tie to. These were placed at intervals along Main Street.
Other castings made were pig troughs, manger feeding basins and grill work including porch steps.
The foundry closed in about 1898 and on March 9th, 1898 a George Popple and Charles Reimann opened the business as “Popple & Reimann, Foundry and Novelty Works”. I have no clue as to when the business closed but Leo “Pete” DeRemer remembered in 1905 when he was 5 years old there were still castings in the building. He also remembered watching some men put together a farm roller.
Anthony lived next to the foundry on the north side of the street.
He died on September 5th, 1916 and his wife Susan Loughlen, whom he married in 1852 died on December 25th, 1913. They are buried in Hillside Cemetery in Andover.
On Monday February 19th, 1917 the foundry was no more. The Andover Hook and Ladder Company and guests were enjoying their Seventh Annual Firemen’s Dance the call came out that the foundry was on fire. They responded in their Sunday best to North Main Street.
The building was now owned by Jesse O’Donnell of Hornell, Anthony’s son, and had been unoccupied for many years.
When the firemen reached the scene they found the water pressure better than it had been at a fire a week earlier but it soon dwindled down until it was almost impossible to get water on top of the roof. In fact had not the nozzle men forced the stream by putting their hands over part of the orifice of the nozzle it would not have reached the fire in many places. However even with this handicap they succeeded in saving the upright of the building.
It is believed that either tramps had gone there to roost for the night or young men had congregated there for a quiet game and accidentally left the fire.
What was left of the building was torn down and hauled away. The lot today is still vacant.