Christopher Werner

Christopher W. Werner (1805–1875) was a nineteenth-century wrought iron manufacturer, artisan, and entrepreneur based in Charleston, South Carolina, US. He was one of three noted German-American ironworkers in Charleston, who created most of its high-quality wrought iron. He had immigrated from Prussia in his late 20s, already an accomplished businessman. In Charleston he married a young woman from England, another immigrant, and they had a family.

Werner is known for crafting the "Iron Palmetto", dedicated to South Carolina's Palmetto Regiment that fought in the Mexican–American War. Erected in 1853, it is the oldest monument on the grounds of the state Capitol. He was highly influential, completing high-quality iron design and manufacture in Charleston and throughout the state, including gates, architectural ornamentation, and balconies.

In Prussia, Werner would have to serve compulsory years in the authoritarian Prussian Army. He decided to emigrate to the United States, which he did in the early 1830s. According to the next census, in 1860 Werner was 55 years old and his wife 14 years his junior, 41 years old, the other family members being Robert Werner (18), Mary Werner (15), Jno. H Werner (4), Grace Werner (1), and Ann Lee (70). They lived in Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina.

During the nineteenth-century there was a type of guild of the "mechanic class" in Charleston, which was a group of men with special skills related to the mechanics of blacksmithing. They constituted a more or less secret society, keeping this "mechanic class" technology information to themselves. It was not shared publicly. He was one of three German immigrants in Charleston who "created an abundance of the mid-nineteenth century ironwork." The other two were J. A. W. Iusti and Frederick Julius Ortmann. He also made all the wrought ironwork for the Abbeville, South Carolina, county courthouse.

He was known for his manufacture in 1853 of the wrought iron Palmetto Monument, located on the Capitol grounds in Columbia. Made of iron, brass and copper, it represented the palmetto tree and commemorated the Palmetto Regiment that had fought in the Mexican–American War. The lifelike tri-colored metal sculpture—"scarcely distinguishable from a real tree" —was designed by Henry Steenken, who worked in Werner's shop. He had done it is an homage, embodying the State Seal's palmetto tree and recognizing the sacrifices of men from the state in the Mexican War (1846–1848). The question of payment for the monument and for the associated plaques became embroiled in politics, leaving Werner unhappy and dissatisfied.

He manufactured the "Sword Gate", likely designed by well-regarded Charleston architect Charles F. Reichert. It is one of the two most notable iron gates in Charleston, the other being the St. Michael's Cemetery Gate by Iusti. Like many of Werner's other works, it was probably ordered by one patron and installed for another, because the work exceeded the initial contractual cost.

According to a 1907 newspaper report, Werner's wrought ironwork could be seen at Mayor Rhett's "handsome old house" on Broad Street in Charleston, previously (and later) known as the John Rutledge House. Werner had made the wrought iron work for the original owner, Thomas N. Gadsden. The Rutledge house incorporates two of Werner's favored design elements: palmettos and eagles. Werner also made the entrance gate to Judge Simonton's house at Tradd and Legare streets. The design includes Irish harps. He is considered a successor of other master craftsmen in Charleston, and he was one of a triumvirate of 19th-century German masters of fashioning iron into artful gates. According to traditional folklore, some of Charleston’s "finest" cast iron gates were cut down during the American Civil War and reworked as horseshoes. Others were said to be melted down to create the sides of the ironclad CSS Virginia, formerly the . Another Werner patent was filed posthumously in 1877 by his widow Isabella as No.194,278, on improvements of Werner's previous patent.

Death and burial Werner died on June 11, 1875. A large wrought-iron cross was erected at his grave, near the entrance to the St. Lawrence Roman Catholic cemetery, Charleston. His family was surprised by this request because they were reared as Lutheran, but his wishes were honored.

Werner's grave is numbered Range Center Plat 1, Lot 1, Grave 1. His age at death was given as seventy years and four months, and the cause of death as chronic hepatitis. After his widow died on June 29, 1894, she was buried alongside him. When the monumental cross was dismantled to be restored, the remains of both were found beneath it.

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