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Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, in Huntington County is the small community of Rockhill Furnace.

Family history, passed down by word-of-mouth, through the generations tells that the original deed holder of Pennsylvania, William Penn (1644 to 1718) deeded property to the  Workman family in the early 1700s.  Even though this property was handed down through the generations, at some point, the property was sold.  We haven't had time to research the old Penn Charter however, someday we'll get back to Harrisburg, PA to do a bit of digging.  If anyone has already researched this information or has a source, please let us know. Contact Us

Isaac W. Workman was born on August 12, 1874 in Wiconisco, Dauphin County, PA to Edward (b. 1839) and Mary (Whited) Workman (B. 1844).  Isaac's siblings included: Annie (b. 1864), Joshua (b. 1866), and Edward (b. 1869).  The 1870 Census, on line 18 shows their residence in Daulphin county at the time of the census.  In the early 1900's Isaac Wesley Workman (1874 - 1966) established his group of mercantile stores within the four county area, centered on Rockhill Furnace.

One of Grandpa Isaac's stores, which burnt down in the mid 1940s, was in Mount Union on the site of the IGA Store. - Ref.: Nancy Brassert - Granddaughter of Isaac Workman

In one twist of irony, Grandpa Isaac had a soft drink bottling plant in Mt Union, PA and at one point he was approached by a company to be their Central Pennsylvania representative because he already had an operational plant.  However, because the current plant's sales weren't doing so well he never accepted the offer and finally closed the plant.  Little did he realize the potential of the offer; it was from Coca-Cola. Now isn't that a bummer in history. - Ref.: Nancy Brassert - Granddaughter of Isaac Workman

The 1900 Census on line 31 shows that he resided in Broad Top Township in Bedford County, was married to Annie, and that they had one child, Mary, at the time of the census.  The 1910 Census on line 44 shows that he resided in Rockhill Furnace and he had re-married, after Annie died, to Laura Hallibaugh.  They had two children, Clifford and Zada at the time of the census.  In all, Isaac and Laura had 9 children: Clifford, Zada, Isaac Wesley Jr, Edgar, Paul, Doris, Esther, Willard and Edith.  He also had 3 children, Bertha, Mary, and Marlin, by his previous marriage to Annie Lewis of Six Mile Run. At this time, Paul Workman is the only surviving child of Isaac and Laura.

The Sterner and Workman families joined in the marriage of Doris Lee Workman (b. 1916, d.1997), of Rockhill Furnace, PA, daughter of Isaac and Laura (Hallibaugh) Workman, to James Asper Sterner (b.1916, d.1988), of York, PA, son of Edward Ammon and Jessie Mae (Anstine) Sterner, on May 21, 1942.  - Ref.: Gregg Sterner - Grandson of Isaac Workman.

Family stories tell that just before the Great Depression Grandpa Isaac sold all of his stores except The Village Store (Established in 1905) in Rockhill Furnace, PA.  Needless to say, Grandpa Isaac amassed a rather large fortune, for that time, by selling all but one of his stores.   When the Great Depression hit, he extended credit in his store to those families in need for the basic staples to help them get by.  I remember, as a child, looking through the old shoebox that held the "chits" (transaction records) of that credit.  In 1967, a year after Grandpa Isaac died, I remember Aunt Zada (1907-2003) telling me that the last family had paid off the last of the no-interest credit "chits".  - Ref.: Gregg Sterner - Grandson of Isaac Workman.

After Edgar Workman (1911-1998) died, the Village Store and house were sold to the wife of the late pastor of the Methodist Church of Orbisonia, PA.

Isaac Workman was the second postmaster of the area.  The old Postal Center remained in the store until the store was sold in 1998.  The old Postal Center is now preserved in the home of Nancy Brassert. - Ref.: Nancy Brassert - Granddaughter of Isaac Workman

The old Village Store is still located in Rockhill Furnace however, it is only open on an infrequent basis.  In keeping with the modern age of the Internet, Workman's General Store is now on-line thanks to a partnership with Amazon.com.  Come join us at the new Workman's General Store.