Jacob Stroup played a major role in developing the iron industry in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. His sons' Moses and Jacob Decatur Stroup did the same in Alabama.
Jacob was born at
York Co., Pennsylvania, on 18 March 1771. He was the son of
Adam Stroup and
Catherine Alexander. Jacob David Stroup was When Jacob was about 15 years old, he was learning the ironmaster trade. In 1786. He married
Elizabeth "Betsy" Dellinger at
Lincoln Co., North Carolina, on 25 August 1790. He married
Hannah Hoyle at
Lincoln Co., North Carolina, on 19 March 1809. Jacob David Stroup began military service in 1812. He was census 1820 in 1820 at
York Co., South Carolina; By 1820, Jacob Stroup had come to York Co., South Carolina as an Iron Master where he built an iron furnace. Later he moved to Spartanburg Co., South Carolina where he built another iron furnace. He sold these furnaces to a Colonel Nesbitt, and left his son Moses to help with those operations. He married
Sarah Jennings in 1820 at
Georgia. Jacob David Stroup was census 1830 in 1830 at
Habersham Co., Georgia. He was migration in 1837 at
Bartow Co., Georgia; In 1836, Jacob sent his son Alexander to Bartow Co., Georgia to buy some land. Alexander purchased Land Lot 298 in the 21st District of the 2nd Section from Jesse Lambert. On this land Jacob built a cold-blast furnace and a grist mill. This area of Bartow Co. is now covered by Lake Allatoona. Mark Anthony owned a half interest in the operation. Anthony later bought out Jacob's interest of the operation and the operation became known as the "Cooper Iron Works" - ruins of which are still standing.
Jacob went on to erect another furnace on the east bank of the Allatoona Creek which he continued to operate until his death. Jacob died on 8 October 1846 at
Cassville, Bartow Co., Georgia, at age 75. His body was interred in November 1846 at
Bartow Co., Georgia, at Goodson & Tidwell Cemetery. The cemetery is located across the road from Jacob's last home..