When Metal Was King, Part Two: The Carnegie Men

This article was written by James Wudarczyk and was posted on August 26, 2007.

For the introduction to this series see:
http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=41

Although the life of Andrew Carnegie is well documented, not a great deal of information exists on the lieutenants in Carnegie’s steel army. It has been said that Carnegie’s genius laid in his ability to pick the right man for the right job. Carnegie had a firm policy: “Take orders and run full.” However, Carnegie knew that without a competent management staff, his policies and directives would be ineffective. Fortunately for historians interested in the steel industry – and particularly fortunate for Lawrenceville historians – William B. Dickson in 1938 compiled a History of the Carnegie Veteran Association, which provided documentation of some of the men who worked for Carnegie. Dickson set up the biographies of the men in a resume format. For the purposes of this study, the information pertinent to the steel and iron industry in Lawrenceville will be extracted.

William Wallace Blackburn was born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 1859. His first employment was as general clerk with the Hollidaysburg Iron & Nail Company, where he remained for two years. Afterwards, he moved to Pittsburgh, where in 1880 he secured a position as bookkeeper for Wilson, Walker & Company, which later became known as the Lower Union Mills. Eventually, Blackburn was promoted into other positions at the Lower Union Mills, which included Assistant Superintendent of the Lower Union Mills, and Chief of Bureau of Costs, Assistant Treasurer, Vice President & Secretary, and Director of Carnegie Steel Company. On October 21, 1886 he married Harriet Alice Bloom, and was the father of Joseph Bloom Blackburn and Frederick George Blackburn. In addition, he served on the board of directors of a number of educational and benevolent societies and was a social member of a number of prominent clubs. These organizations included: President and Trustee, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; Director, Athalia Daly Home; Trustee, Pennsylvania College for Women; President and Trustee, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children; Trustee, Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh; Director, Homewood Cemetery; Trustee, Carnegie Hero Fund Commission; Member, American Iron & Steel Institute; and, a member of Third Presbyterian Church, Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh, Oakmont Country Club, University Club of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Golf Club, and Pittsburgh Athletic Club. He died on December 11, 1931.

Biographical information relating to Lewis T. Brown tended to be much more sketchy. Dickson simply indicated that Brown was born in Pittsburgh on February 15, 1845, and entered into the Carnegie service in November 1892 as Superintendent of the Upper Union Mills. He was subsequently promoted to Manager and General Superintendent of the Union Mills, and later General Superintendent of the Carnegie City Mills. He retired from the Carnegie service on December 31, 1904, and died on March 19, 1911. Apparently Dickson attempted to obtain further information. However, in a letter from the American Consulate General in Paris, France, dated March 21, 1938, Robert D. Murphy indicated that Mrs. Elizabeth Brown replied she did not have any information to give.

James Grant Hunter seemed to enjoy a varied business career. Born in Pittsburgh on October 1, 1852, Hunter served with the Pittsburgh dry goods firm of McKee, Murphy & Company during the early 1870’s. Afterwards, he served as chief clerk for the City of Pittsburgh’s Board of Health until 1881, when he resigned to assume a position with the Freight Department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. On January 1, 1889, he accepted a position as clerk at the Upper Union Mills. Eventually he assumed other positions in the Carnegie’s Lower Union Mills: Assistant to Shipping Clerk, Shipping Clerk, Chief Clerk and Paymaster, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent. He resigned in 1901, shortly after the formation of the United States Steel Corporation. James Grant Hunter married Elizabeth Phipps on November 1, 1888, and the union bore three children: Henry Phipps Hunter, John Stafford Hunter, and Francis Wylie Hunter. At the time of his death on March 22, 1912 he was residing in Atlantic City.

Born on June 17, 1861, in Pittsburgh, William Pendleton Palmer joined the Carnegie service on May 25, 1881 as a clerk in the Lower Union Mills. Over time, he was draftsman for the Lower Union Mills; salesman for Carnegie, Phipps & Company, Ltd.; secretary for Carnegie, Phipps & Company, Ltd.; General Sales Agent for Carnegie, Phipps & Company, Ltd.; General Sales Agent for Carnegie Steel Company; and Assistant to the President, Carnegie Steel Company. He retired from the Carnegie service on February 1, 1896 to accept a position as Vice President of Illinois Steel Company. Later he became President of American Steel & Wire Company, which, on April 1, 1901, became a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation. Afterwards, he served as a director of the United States Steel Corporation. On June 23, 1899, he married Mary Boleyn Adams, and the marriage produced two children: Jane Boleyn and William P. Palmer. In addition to his affiliation with various steel concerns, William Pendleton Palmer also served as a director of the National Bank of Commerce and Cleveland Trust Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Dickson indicated that Palmer was a member of the Engineers Club of New York; Railroad Club, New York; Union Club, Cleveland; Rowfant Club, Cleveland; Country Club, Cleveland; Tavern Club, Cleveland; Hermit Club, Cleveland; Mayfield Club, Cleveland; Euclid Club, Cleveland; Kirtland Country Club, Cleveland; Chicago Club, Chicago; Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh; and Pittsburgh Club, Pittsburgh. He was also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and of the Society of Colonial Wars. Palmer also served as a trustee of Lakeside Hospital, Case Library, and Western Reserve Historical Society.

Dickson also identified Lawrence Cowle Phipps and James Scott as being affiliated with the Carnegie concerns in and about Lawrenceville. Phipps was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 1862. He started to work at the Upper Union Mills on October 30, 1879 as Clerk. Subsequently he was promoted to Shipping Clerk, Upper Union Mills; Assistant Bookkeeper, Carnegie Bros. & Company, Ltd.; Treasurer, Carnegie, Phipps & Company, Ltd.; Assistant Treasurer, Carnegie Steel Company; Treasurer and Manager, Carnegie Steel Company; Second Vice-President, Carnegie Steel Company; and Vice President and Director, the Carnegie Company. On April 1, 1901 he retired from the Carnegie service, and moved to Denver, Colorado, where he took an active role in business and civic affairs. He was credited for developing or expanding a coast-to-coast airmail service, as well as establishing the Nevada-California Electric Corporation to serve the mining towns and farming communities of those states. His work with the Denver Civil and Commercial Association assisted farmers with cultivating additional lands, and he was active with the Colorado Taxpayers Protective League, which crusaded for better state and city administrations. Phipps was well known for his financial support of the American Red Cross, as well as the establishment of loan companies to assist farmers. He also worked to expand the railway system in the west, and served two terms in the United States Senate.

According to Dickson, James Scott was born at Dalkeith, Scotland on December 18, 1850 and entered the Carnegie service as a Machinist at Lucy Furnace on January 1, 1877. While at the Lucy Furnaces, Scott was promoted to Master Mechanic, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent. Then he was appointed General Superintendent of the Lucy, Isabella, Edith, and Neville Blast Furnaces. Prior to coming to the United States, James Scott served a six-year apprenticeship in the steel industry in Scotland. In 1872 he came to America and worked for five years in Brooklyn. Carnegie was so impressed with Scott’s mechanical genius that he dubbed him “Dean of the blast furnace corps of the world.” The title was well deserved considering that Scott was the first to build a thin-lined furnace, introduced the Scott bronze bosh plate and pig casting machine, and under his direction made the first practical application of James Gayley’s dray blast method at the Isabella Furnace. He was married to Helen E. Johnston on June 20, 1876. Their children were: Jessie B., Frances M., James, Margaret M., Helen E., Bessie, and George J. He was a member of the American Iron & Steel Institute and of the Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania. He died on May 19, 1920.

In addition to providing a record of some of the managers of the Carnegie mills, the Dickson study also included a brief historical sketch of Carnegie’s various business ventures. The book also contains photographs to accompany the biographies of the men highlighted in the publication.