Whitaker iron family
Encyclopedia
Members of the Whitaker family and related families were important in the iron and steel business in America during much of the 19th and 20th centuries.
First Generation
- Joseph Whitaker I (1755-1838) was the son of a LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
cloth manufacturer; he came to America as a British soldier during the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and deserted, settling in Pennsylvania near Hopewell FurnaceHopewell Furnace National Historic SiteHopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural "iron plantation"...
. He was merely a woodcutter for the ironmakers, but three of his children became prominent ironmakers.
Second Generation
- Joseph Whitaker II (1789-1870) was a prominent ironmaster, businessman, and politician. He was the ironmaster at the Phoenix Iron WorksPhoenix Iron WorksThe Phoenix Iron Works , located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was a significant manufacturer of iron and related products during the 19th century and early 20th century. Phoenix Iron Company was a major producer of cannons for the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, the Principio FurnacePrincipio FurnacePrincipio Furnace and village, Cecil County, Maryland, 4 mi/6.4 km NE of Havre de Grace, MD. The Principio Iron Works, part of the larger Principio Company, were started here in 1719 by Joseph Farmer with capital from England and an ironmaster, John England, who made it one of the most...
, and owned parts of these businesses and others, along with others of his family. - George Price Whitaker (1803-1890), brother of Joseph Whitaker II, was his partner in most of his enterprises. He received his early training at an iron works in New Castle CountyNew Castle County, DelawareNew Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
, DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and also saved enough money to receive some formal education in Philadelphia. He went on to manage a forge near ReadingReading, PennsylvaniaReading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. His first investments were in a rolling mill near ElktonElkton, MarylandThe town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and (with his brother James) a forge in North EastNorth East, MarylandNorth East is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,733 at the 2000 census.-History:The Turkey Point Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002...
, Maryland, which he managed for seven years. In 1836 George and his brother Joseph Whitaker II purchased the Principio Furnace and related properties, which had been in ruins since being burned during the War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, and rebuilt. In 1845 George, Joseph, W. P. C. Whitaker and a partner built an ironworks at Havre de GraceHavre de Grace, MarylandHavre de Grace is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. Located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Havre de Grace is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which was first named Le Havre de Grâce, meaning in French "Harbor of Grace." As...
, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. In 1848 George, Joseph, and partners purchased the old Durham Furnace (once run by George TaylorGeorge Taylor (delegate)George Taylor was a Colonial ironmaster and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Pennsylvania...
, a signer of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of independenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
) in Durham Township, Pennsylvania and revived that. In 1855 George and Joseph purchased an interest in the Crescent Iron Works in WheelingWheeling, West VirginiaWheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in what was then Virginia. At the beginning of the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
George and Joseph divided their properties, George receiving the Maryland and Virginia share, Joseph the Pennsylvania holdings. In 1863 George purchased the Crescent ironworks outright and ran it until 1868, when it was bought by others. George repurchased the works after the owners went bankrupt and created the "Whitaker Iron Company", with George as president and his son Nelson E. WhitakerNelson E. WhitakerNelson Evans Whitaker was an American businessman and politician, principally in the state of West Virginia....
as secretary. George P. Whitaker served one term in the Maryland legislature, in 1867, and also represented Maryland on the board on of the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio RailroadThe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
. - James Whitaker (1782-1875) began producing nails in Philadelphia about 1805, and in 1816 he and his brother Joseph II leased a rolling mill at the Falls of the SchuylkillSchuylkill RiverThe Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
, beginning a long series of investments in the iron trade. He was the managing partner at the Phoenix Iron WorksPhoenix Iron WorksThe Phoenix Iron Works , located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was a significant manufacturer of iron and related products during the 19th century and early 20th century. Phoenix Iron Company was a major producer of cannons for the Union Army during the American Civil War...
for several years and later was active in family interests at Reading. In 1846 he returned to Philadelphia and mostly retired from iron work, although he remained an investor in several enterprises. He became a Quaker late in life.
Third Generation
- Nelson Evans WhitakerNelson E. WhitakerNelson Evans Whitaker was an American businessman and politician, principally in the state of West Virginia....
(1839-1909) was the son of George Price Whitaker and inherited a share of his iron and steel interests in West Virginia and Maryland. He ran the businesses successfully and became a politician in West Virginia as well, serving as president of the state senate 1897-9. - Edmund Simmons Whitaker (1838-1898) was another son of George Price Whitaker. He managed the Durham Iron Works in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and the Principio Furnace for many years.
- Joseph Coudon (III) (1823-1880), a member of a wealthy Maryland family (owner of the estate WoodlandsWoodlands (Perryville, Maryland)Woodlands is a historic home located at Perryville, Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It appears to have been constructed in two principal periods: the original -story section built between 1810 and 1820 of stuccoed stone and a -story rear kitchen wing; and two bays of stuccoed brick, with...
), married Caroline Whitaker (1833-1898), daughter of George Price Whitaker, in 1854. He became a partner in Whitaker & Coudon, which sold iron products from the family furnaces and elsewhere in Philadelphia. His son Joseph Coudon (IV) (1858-1940) was one of the executors of George Price Whitaker's will, and helped to defend the actions of the executors from legal challenges by some of the other members of the family.
Fourth Generation
- Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker (1843-1916) was a grandson of Joseph Whitaker II; he was a judge, historian, and governor of Pennsylvania. As a young man he worked at the firm of Whitaker & Coudon, iron merchants, in Philadelphia, which sold iron from the family ironworks and other furnaces.
- William Perkins Tyler (about 1849-1902) was a son-in-law of Nelson E. Whitaker, and his Tyler Tube and Pipe Company ultimately leased Principio Forge from Whitaker (1900-1925). Their works at WashingtonWashington, PennsylvaniaWashington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, Pennsylvania were very large; in 1896 it was reported that the company had installed "two lap-weld furnaces, which are said to be the largest in the country". His New York Times obituary said he "was the originator in this country of the old Egyptian manufacture of charcoal iron, and it has become standard for use in the manufacture of boiler tubes". He died at the Waldorf-Astoria HotelWaldorf-Astoria HotelThe Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and his funeral was the first one ever held in that hotel. - Alexander Glass (1858-1941) was a son-in-law of Nelson E. Whitaker. After working for both the LaBelle Iron Works in SteubenvilleSteubenville, OhioSteubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(which his father Andrew Glass had helped found) and Whitaker family steel plants, he started the Wheeling Corrugating Company, with the help of an investment from his father-in-law. It was the first firm in Wheeling to make zinc-coated steel, corrugated for strength, for building, and it was a success. In 1919 Glass' company, the La Belle Iron Works, the Whitaker-Glessner Company, and the Wheeling Steel and Iron Company combined to form the Wheeling Steel Corporation, which Glass led until his death in 1941. Wheeling Steel merged with Pittsburgh Steel to form Wheeling-Pittsburgh SteelWheeling-Pittsburgh SteelWheeling-Pittsburgh Steel was a steel manufacturer based in Wheeling, West Virginia, which is located at the edge of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area...
in 1968. Glass incidentally made Wheeling, West Virginia famous by placing a large red "Wheeling" label on the company's garbage pails, which were widely used. - Albert C. Whitaker (1867-1951) was a son of Nelson E. Whitaker; he served as president of the Whitaker Iron Company, the Wheeling Corrugating Company, and the Riverside Bridge Company. He retired from business in 1921.
- Nelson Price Whitaker (1873-1922) was a grandson of George Price Whitaker (through his son Cecil, who predeceased him). He helped manage the family businesses, serving in 1910 as the general manager of the Whitaker-Glessner Company, Wheeling Corrugating Company, and the Portsmouth Steel Company. He was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1916, and was chairman of the state Highway Commission until shortly before his death.
Fifth Generation
- Andrew Glass (1881-1925) was a nephew of Alexander Glass. He started as a salesman for his uncle's Wheeling Corrugating Company, managed the PortsmouthPortsmouth, OhioPortsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
ironworks of the Whitaker-Glessner Company, and later served as president of the Whitaker-Glessner Company and vice-president of the Wheeling Steel Company (after their consolidation). He died of an illness at the age of 44. - George Parks Whitaker (1891-1948) was the son of Albert C. Whitaker. A Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
graduate, he helped run some of the Whitaker family enterprises, serving as secretary/treasurer of the Whitaker Iron Company, assistant treasurer of the Whitaker-Glessner Company, and assistant treasurer of the Wheeling Corrugating Company.
Sixth Generation
- George Parks Whitaker Jr. (1922-2003) was the son of George Parks Whitaker. He served in the Army Air Force (Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross) during World War II, graduated from Kenyon CollegeKenyon CollegeKenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
, and traveled around Europe, meeting his future wife Marie Stifel while working at the Sandvik Steel Works in Sweden. He returned to Wheeling to join the Wheeling Steel company and retired after 25 years as the General Manager of the Ohio Valley Division of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. He then became president of the Wheeling Stamping Company, a manufacturer of tubes.