George West
Encyclopedia
George West was a U.S. Representative
from New York
. Born in Bradninch, England, West attended the common schools. West immigrated to the United States in February 1849 and settled at Ballston Spa, New York
. He engaged in paper manufacturing; served as member of the New York State Assembly
from 1872 to 1876; was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1880, and was president of the First National Bank of Ballston Spa.
West was elected as a Republican
to the Forty-seventh
Congress, holding office from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1882 to the Forty-eighth
Congress.
West was elected to the Forty-ninth
and Fiftieth
Congresses, holding office from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1889. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1888 and resumed his former business activities.
West was called "The Paper Bag King" because he was one of the first men in the country to manufacture paper bags at a time when most bags were made from cotton. In 1869, he and the few other bag manufacturers in the country joined with Francis Wolle, inventor of the first paper bag machine, to form the Union Paper Bag Machine Company. Its only purpose was to "buy and fight patents." This early trust was highly successful, as each member had access to all of the earliest paper bag patents and agreed not to compete with each other.
West manufactured bags from manila paper made of inexpensive jute
butts from India. Thus, he was able to sell them at a much lower cost than cotton sacks. They became extremely popular, and he sold millions per week. His paper bag factory in Rock City Falls was one of the first in the country to manufacture bags with machinery.
The success of his bags compelled West to purchase or build additional paper mills. By 1880 his mills consisted of the Union, Union Bag
, Island, Eagle, Pioneer, Glen (pulp), Empire, Excelsior, and Middle Grove Upper and Lower mills, all situated on the Kayaderosseras
Creek in Milton (town), New York
. He also purchased his largest mill in the town of Hadley, New York
on the Hudson River
.
West was also known as a philanthropist, donating funds to build a museum in Round Lake, New York
, a Methodist church in Ballston Spa, and contributed liberally towards the two soldiers' monuments in Saratoga County (at Ballston Spa and Schuylerville).
West sold his paper mill empire to the Union Bag & Paper Company in 1899 for $1.5 million. His original residence in Rock City Falls still stands on Route 29 as The Mansion Inn.
West died at his mansion in Ballston Spa in 1902 with a fortune that would today be worth $75 million. His remains were interred in the Ballston Spa Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Born in Bradninch, England, West attended the common schools. West immigrated to the United States in February 1849 and settled at Ballston Spa, New York
Ballston Spa, New York
Ballston Spa is a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,556 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Saratoga County. The village is named after Rev. Eliphalet Ball, a Congregationalist clergyman and an early settler. The village lies on the border of two...
. He engaged in paper manufacturing; served as member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from 1872 to 1876; was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1880, and was president of the First National Bank of Ballston Spa.
West was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Forty-seventh
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
Congress, holding office from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1882 to the Forty-eighth
48th United States Congress
The Forty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1883 to March 4, 1885, during the last two years...
Congress.
West was elected to the Forty-ninth
49th United States Congress
The Forty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1887, during the first two years...
and Fiftieth
50th United States Congress
The Fiftieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
Congresses, holding office from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1889. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1888 and resumed his former business activities.
West was called "The Paper Bag King" because he was one of the first men in the country to manufacture paper bags at a time when most bags were made from cotton. In 1869, he and the few other bag manufacturers in the country joined with Francis Wolle, inventor of the first paper bag machine, to form the Union Paper Bag Machine Company. Its only purpose was to "buy and fight patents." This early trust was highly successful, as each member had access to all of the earliest paper bag patents and agreed not to compete with each other.
West manufactured bags from manila paper made of inexpensive jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
butts from India. Thus, he was able to sell them at a much lower cost than cotton sacks. They became extremely popular, and he sold millions per week. His paper bag factory in Rock City Falls was one of the first in the country to manufacture bags with machinery.
The success of his bags compelled West to purchase or build additional paper mills. By 1880 his mills consisted of the Union, Union Bag
Union Mill Complex
The Union Mill Complex, formerly Bischoff's Chocolate Factory, is located at the junction of Milton Avenue and Prospect Street in Ballston Spa, New York, United States...
, Island, Eagle, Pioneer, Glen (pulp), Empire, Excelsior, and Middle Grove Upper and Lower mills, all situated on the Kayaderosseras
Kayaderosseras
The Kayaderosseras Creek is the largest river that lies completely within Saratoga County, New York State. It originates in the northern part of the county, and passes through the Town of Greenfield and the Town of Milton before emptying into Saratoga Lake....
Creek in Milton (town), New York
Milton (town), New York
Milton is a town in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 17,103 at the 2000 census. Some believe that the town was named after the poet, John Milton, while other sources state that it is a shortening of "Mill-town" for the early mill activity....
. He also purchased his largest mill in the town of Hadley, New York
Hadley, New York
Hadley is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,971 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Hadley, Massachusetts.The Town of Hadley is in the northern part of the county and is west of Glens Falls....
on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
.
West was also known as a philanthropist, donating funds to build a museum in Round Lake, New York
Round Lake, New York
Round Lake is a lake and a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 604 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a circular lake adjacent to the village...
, a Methodist church in Ballston Spa, and contributed liberally towards the two soldiers' monuments in Saratoga County (at Ballston Spa and Schuylerville).
West sold his paper mill empire to the Union Bag & Paper Company in 1899 for $1.5 million. His original residence in Rock City Falls still stands on Route 29 as The Mansion Inn.
West died at his mansion in Ballston Spa in 1902 with a fortune that would today be worth $75 million. His remains were interred in the Ballston Spa Cemetery.
Source
- Lost Industries of the Kaydeross Valley: A History of Manufacturing in Ballston Spa, New York; Timothy Starr, 2007
- The Paper Bag King: A Biography of George West; Timothy Starr, 2009