Henry and his heirs rebuilt the family business after most of the original Peter Grubb holdings were gradually acquired by Robert Coleman between 1783 and 1802.

The ownership of the iron making properties, resulting from legal partitioning of the various Grubb holdings, had become very contentious between their father Peter and his brother Curtis, and also involved Robert Coleman.

[1] Henry apparently decided early on to enter the iron business, because he was still not of age when he purchased his older brother's share of the inheritance in 1798, for $29,266 to be paid over time.

Their father's friend and prominent attorney Jasper Yeates, and Edward Burd, had been appointed the boys' guardians and certainly assisted with the transaction.

Mount Hope Estate became the center of the family's iron making empire and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Three of their sons, Edward Burd, Clement Brooke and Alfred Bates, grew to adulthood and further expanded the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty.

[2] Henry Bates Grubb died at Mount Hope on March 9, 1823, at the age of 49, and is buried there with Harriet at St. James Episcopal Church.