The Millerstown Tannery, 1800-1928

The Millerstown Tannery, 1800-1928. Perry County Bicentennial. , On this site in 1800 brothers William, Caleb and Joshua North of a prominent local family, constructed the Rock Oak Tannery the town's first industry. After a business sojourn in Thompsontown, the brothers returned in 1814, enlarged the tannery, and named it the Jordan Tannery. In 1816 Isaac McCord purchased the property and built the stone house on Market Street adjacent to the tannery., McCord's heirs sold the business in 1849 to Henry Hopple who introduced team power in 1867. Hopple sold the tannery to Joseph Howell of Philadelphia who erected a new tannery. He later experienced financial difficulties. In 1882 Howell sold the operation to experienced Newport tanner Charles A. Rippman., Rippman, an energetic innovator, moved his family into the McCord home. He worked with his sons, J. G. 'Harry' and Charles A. Jr to improve the tanning process by putting in "modern" machinery. The tannery thrived in productivity and quality earning the highest award for oak sole leather at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. In 1901 Charles sold the tanner to his two sons but continued working with them until his death in 1923. At his death Charles A. Rippman, Sr had been in the tannery trade longer than any other man in Perry County., In 1907, as their leather markets expanded, the company leased a lot and buildings from the Pennsylvania Railroad located across the Juniata River Bridge and adjacent to the Millerstown Railroad Station. This location greatly facilitated securing hides from all over the world and shipping the finished product to every state and Canada. As many as 20 workers were employed. After Harry Rippman's son Charles Eugene died in 1925, and with no heir apparent, the two brothers closed the business in 1928., In 1942, with the death of Harry Rippman, the tannery equipment was sold and shipped to a South American firm. Ray C. Savercool Sr purchased the buildings and used the property as a sales yard for his clay and brick business. Later Savercool rented the tannery buildings along Market and Apple Streets to Precisionware, a cabinet manufacturer. In 1955 the former tannery burned to the ground. Today, the McCord/Rippman/Savercool stone home, the smokestack, the tannery office, and some of the buildings remain, a reminder of Millerstown's industrial heritage.