This episode is about John Adams, the founder of Adams & Co., a Victorian glassworks founded in 1851 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

There was much more to Adams’ life than the glassworks. He was also a capitalist, a civic leader, an active member of his church and a staunch believer in temperance.

There are also a few tragedies attached to his life and the works.

#victorianhistory #antiqueglass #eapg #pittsburghhistory #adamsglass #southsidepittsburgh

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Transcript

[Intro music] 00:00:00:00 - 00:00:35:09

Hi, I'm Melanie, and this is Artifact and Landmark. This episode is about John Adams, the founder of Adams and Co, a Victorian glassworks founded in 1851 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There is much more to Adams life than the glassworks. There was much more to Adams’ life than the glassworks. He was also a capitalist, a civic leader, an active member of his church and a staunch believer in temperance. There also a few tragedies attached to his life, as well as his glassworks.

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I ran across this article and I think it sums up the character and life of John Adams.

I ran across this article and I think it sums up the character and life of John Adams.

In Memoriam.

IRON & GLASS DOLLAR SAVINGS BANK OF BIRMINGHAM, PITTSBURGH, S. S.,

Nov. 9, 1886.

By the dispensation of divine providence we are called to mourn the death of one of our most esteemed members of this Board - Mr. John Adams.

It can be truly said that, as a Christian, he was sincere and charitable, as a citizen, patriotic and liberal, as business man, honorable and upright, and as a friend

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true and reliable.

Ripe in years he had met life's tribulations and had conquered, and now passes on to another state of existence to receive that reward he so richly deserves.

In his death this bank loses a valuable director and we, his associates of this Board, bemoan his loss as that of a personal friend. This memorial to his memory is ordered to be entered in the records of the bank, printed in the daily papers and a copy sent to his family.

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It is further ordered that this board attend the funeral in a body. Thomas B Atterbury, president. Henry Stamm, Secretary.

If you were a glass collector, you may recognize Thomas B Atterbury, who, like many businessmen of the day led both this bank and the glassworks of Atterbury & Company. He would also be one of the pall bearers at his funeral.

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So John Adams was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on February 15th, 1823. At 14 years old, Adams joined Bakewell, Pears & Co, a Pittsburgh glass manufacturer. So in April 1845, a fire spread quickly and fiercely throughout the borough of Pittsburgh. It destroyed the home and works of Thomas Bakewell, which is, of course, Adams employer. So we have a painting here from a longtime resident of Pittsburgh and artist William C. Wall that he painted right after this fire, and it shows the extent of damage.

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And we've pointed out here the Bakewell glass house and the amount of damage it sustained. So we're not sure if this fire and the destruction of the works is the reason why he made his next decision to move. After his apprenticeship ends in 1846, he moved to Saint Louis and joined the new glassworks of Nelson, Eads and Robbins. The main force behind this works was James B Eads, and I'm sure he made quite the impression on the young Adams. Before starting the glassworks,

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Eads was in the business of salvaging ships and cargo in the rivers, under the partnership of Keith, Nelson and Eads, and was very successful. At about that time, in 1846, John Adams would have been about 23 years old and recently married. His wife Mary Ann Howe was born on March 21st, 1825, in Washington, Pennsylvania. Their first son, John, would be born the next year in about 1847.

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Unfortunately, the glassworks partnership wasn't a success, and one reason was that they couldn't get enough lead. So John Adams, being ever inventive, began to experiment with lime as a good substitute for lead. He was able to produce the first lime glass in Missouri during this time, and then Adams returned to Pittsburgh, and Eads rejoined the salvage business. In about 1848, when Adams returned to Pittsburgh, he first joined the glassworks of William McCully and Co, where he learned to blow bottles.

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He also worked for S. McKee Co, which, if you've watched that video, focused on window glass bottles and jars. By this time, Adams had saved $500 and decided to go into partnership with Joseph Roseman in the style of Adam Roseman and Co. It advertised itself as the Bohemian Glassworks. The works would have been at the intersection of Ross and Water Streets in Pittsburgh.

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Adams would have been 28 and Joseph Roseman would have been 30. By the time Adams starts this new partnership, his family would have grown to include two more sons. The first is William, born in 1849, and the other one is Adolphus Augustus, born in 1851. These two sons would eventually join the glassworks in 1875. The initial partnership of Adams and Roseman would only last until about 1854, when Adams takes on a new partner, which is Thomas Macklin, who's a grocer.

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Macklin unfortunately soon passes from cholera during the outbreak of this infection in September of 1854. Macklin is buried in Allegheny Cemetery along with his son, who dies unfortunately at the age of five, and his brother, who died at the age of 30 from tuberculosis. By 1857, the glassworks goes bankrupt and Adams eventually comes to an agreement with two of his major creditors, Alexander King and Michael McCullough,

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both wholesale grocers at the time. King was also a supplier of soda ash, a main ingredient in glass production. The business continues under the name of Adams, Macklin and Co until it's moved to the South Side a few years later. They also continue to market their fruit jars. We also see Adams continue to perfect his wine glass recipe, but he wasn't the only one.

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We know that both Adams and William Phillips of Phillips and Best, also Pittsburgh, were working with lime glass in the 1850s. And part of this evidence comes from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporting on the goods that arrived by river in 1859. A shipment arives from Wheeling inFebruary of 1859, and includes 30 barrels of lime for Adams and Co and 50 barrels of lime for Phillips and Best.

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In the 1860s, William Leighton of Hobbs glass would be credited with a new recipe that substituted soda ash with sodium bicarbonate, making the lime glass lighter in weight along with other advantages. Some would argue that Adams’ own glass formula is said to have changed the glass industry, and this may be one reason why Pittsburgh grew to dominate the glass industry in the following decades.

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In 1858, ever inventive, we see a patent for a molded glass washboard by John Adams. John Adams is now 37 years old, and the census indicates that by this time his first son, John, has unfortunately passed, but we also see new additions to his family: his first daughter, Anna. In that year we also see some major changes to his business.

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He moved the work to the south side, with the original works in Pittsburgh being sold off and torn down. With this move, we see John's family expanding and him taking on new civic and business responsibilities. In 1862, we see Alexander King part ways with Adams forming his own glass works of King and Co. That same year, we see Adams getting a new patent for improvements in fruit jars. After the Civil War in 1866, we see that John is leading the Birmingham City Council committee for the new Lincoln Hose Company, which is essentially the fire company.

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Using fire hoses is actually fairly innovative, at least in Pittsburgh. And what it was replacing were these long bucket lines, where they essentially filled buckets with water to put out the fires. They estimated their hose carriage would be about $700, and they would acquire a 1000ft hose

In 1867, we see his partners William and Joseph, who I leave the partnership to form their own glassworks at Doyle and Co. And their works

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will be right next door, as you can see on this map. With these departures, the next year we see a new arrival into the partnership. And this time it's George Easton. He would have been about 37 years old. And he will remain with the firm until it's sold off to US Glass. In 1869, we see Adams taking an interest in railways, specifically the Ormsby Passenger Railway, which ran into some issues when trying to get incorporated. But, never one to give up,

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in 1870, we see the line incorporated with initial shares of 8,000 at $35 per share. That year, we also see him leading the Temperance and Reform Party – what becomes the Reform Republicans of the South Side. They aim to essentially put new leadership in power to solve what they viewed as mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. But obviously, part of his concerns was also intemperance. By 1870, John is now 47 and his family has grown to include three additional daughters Jennie, Maggie and Nettie.

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His family now includes two sons and four daughters. In 1872, we see John Adams elected as director of the Iron and Glass Dollar Savings Bank, and he would be associated with this bank for the remainder of his life. That year, in 1872, we also see Birmingham, along with ten other boroughs annexed into Pittsburgh. With that, on November 4th, John Adams is elected, along with George Duncan, as council members for the newly created 28th Ward of Pittsburgh.

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Adams is also selected to speak on behalf of the annexed boroughs during the grand ceremony, and this is what he had to say.

“Permit us to thank you for your kind words and hearty greeting. I wish the task of responding had been assigned to someone better able; but you must take the feelings of the heart rather than our words. We can scarcely realize now that we have ever been outside of Pittsburgh,

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so intimately associated have we been, it is only a few years since many of us played together on the grassy slopes and timber covered hill sides of the South Side, where now we find the innumerable manufactories and dwellings referred to by the President of the Common Council. We appreciate the privilege of being called Pittsburghers, and are glad to come under such favorable auspices.

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We represent over 30,000 people, most of whom have earned their own homes, or hewn their own fortunes by honest toil. The annual product of our factories exceeds $40,000,000, and we pay in wages $10,000,000 annually. We manufacture one-half of all the glass consumed in the country, and our iron product is immense. We anticipate a, still, further increase in both glass and iron, and in a few years

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we expect to cover our hill tops with a dense population. All we ask now, under consolidation, is a fair chance; and we hope to so expand and prosper as to make the South Side wards a valuable portion of the city. Allow me once more, on behalf of my fellow members, to thank you for your very cordial reception.

Unfortunately, there were challenges for John Adams. In 1873,

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you see the first of many fires that will cause significant damage to his glassworks. The first, in 1873, was located at their warehouse, and Adams believes it was actually arson. The company will experience other major fires in 1884 and 1887, both of which will actually occur at the rented works of Challinor, Hogan & Co. And now, in 1874, ever being civic minded,

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and although this may appear insignificant, we do see Adams, involved in his community, joining a committee to improve postal delivery to the South Side. A group is formed and they go to Washington, DC to demand a better postal service. In 1874, we also see another partner leave. This time it is Peter Kunzler, who at the time sells 15 lots on the south side to John Adams and others for $22,000, which after some digging, we believe these are property operated by Adams and Co.

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But again, with the departure of Kunzler, we see some new partners arriving in 1875. These include his two sons, William and Adolphus, along with James Dalzell. These additions would have helped Adams to take on yet another role. He will help to form and lead the Western Flint and Lime Glass Protective Association, which was established for the industry to help control pricing, discounts and credit.

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It also helped to address issues or common concerns to other glassworks such as tariffs. John Adams was elected the first President and served as president for many years. An example of how they pulled their resources is found very soon after this. For this, the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, which ran from May 10th to November 10th, 1876. You see the members sharing a space to exhibit their wares, the showcase their wares.

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And it's reported that their showcase cost $12,000, which is over $300,000 at today's money. The display itself was 90ft long, 6ft deep and 14ft high. If you collect glass, these glassworks will be very familiar to you, especially if you collect EAPG or early American press glass. The impact that Adams had on this organization is actually best seen through a tribute published at his passing, which we'll share at the end.

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So John Adams piety was very well known during his lifetime. Although Adams and Co were exhibiting at the Centennial Exposition, we also see him lead a meeting on the south side to pass a resolution to support keeping the exposition closed on Sundays to observe the Sabbath. This resolution is passed on to the Exposition Committee just to show their support.

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You can also imagine, based on what we have already said, that he was noted to regularly be involved with the South Side Methodist Church in its Sunday School.

So in 1877 a quick number of events happened. But we think this may have been the result of an important event that occurs in 1876. That year we see the death of John Malone, one of the partner’s wives, Mary Ann Reed Malone.

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She dies at the age of 39, leaving Malone and five young children. And so let's go over these events and maybe you can comment and let me know what you think. The first event is in 1877, when George Easton sells his one quarter interests in the lots and firm for $5,000 to the partnership on July 7. One week later, on July 14th, 1877, John Malone leaves the firm, selling his interest, and after this it seems Malone's life spirals out of control.

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On July 26th, Malone is declared a habitual drunkard by a sheriff's jury, and a trustee is appointed for his estate. A guardian for his children is also appointed. The guardian would have been Terence Campbell Jr of Duncan Campbell and Co. Another wind of glass manufacturer. After Malone's dramatic and sad departure, Adams and Co's partnership would include John, his sons Augustus and William, along with James Dalzell and his long term partners George F Easton and Gottfried Miller.

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We know that the business is doing well, with earnings of $144K for the previous year which was double the revenue of other glassworks including Duncan & Son and Ripley & Co. In 1878, John Adams was picked to replace the President of the Castle Shannon Railway. The railway would run from a suburb of Pittsburgh called Castle Shannon to the South Side.

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It was created to haul in coal from Castle Shannon into the South Side. It later added passenger service that would run during the day, and the coal loads would be transported at night. We know a few of Adams Co's employees did live in Castle Shannon at this time, and may have actually taken advantage of this rail line. Here,

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we just marked Castle Shannon and where the railway would have terminated on the south side of Pittsburgh. This map is from 1894. That year, in 1878, Adams also becomes the Director of the South Side Cemetery Association, which is where you'll find the family plot. The cemetery had only recently opened in 1873. Adams would also hold other roles, such as the Director for Monongahela Water Company and the South Side Gas Company.

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In 1880, Adams and his family moved to a large estate in Hazelwood on Second Avenue. His homes were really modest up until this point, with his last address at 904, Bingham on the South Side. Tragically, in 1883, John suffers the loss of his daughter, Maggie. She passes at the age of 17, and a very sweet inscription is on her headstone.

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It reads” “None Knew Her But to Love”. His partner James Dalzell also leaves the firm in that same year of 1883 to form Dalzell Brothers and Gilmore. Sadly, James would pass at a young age of only 39.

In January 1885, Adams suffered a broken hand when he falls off a streetcar in New York, which is interesting given his next project.

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In June 1885, others becomes involved with trying to fund a new hospital in the south Side of Pittsburgh. This comes after a citizens meeting to encourage the building of this new hospital to help respond to the many factory injuries that would have better outcomes if they were treated more quickly. Adams does become a board member of the South Side Hospital, and he does try to raise the $15,000 needed, but falls short of raising the funds, raising about $6,000.

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Unfortunately, it would take many years for a hospital to be built.

Although accidents were frequent in factories during this Victorian era, the addition of gas in the manufacturing process and the inexperience of how to manage it would actually lead to many injuries. And we see one of these in 1886. An accident in the factory seriously injures his long term partner.

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Godfried Miller is badly burned while lighting the gas furnaces after cleaning out the well.

Sadly, that same year, towards the end of that year, on November 7th, 1886, after a long and productive life, we see the passing of John Adams, the founder and namesake of this company. His cause of death is surprisingly jaundice, and he's 63 years old.

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With his staff, we see an outpouring from the community both at his funeral and through the press. We recounted the Iron Glass Dollar Savings Bank memoriam. Now we'll share the following from the Western Flint and Line Glass Protective Association. So this article has a date of November 8th, 1886, and it's coming from a special meeting of the Western and Flint Line Glass Protective Association,

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"Among the members of this association the loss of no one will be more sorely felt or sorrowfully regretted than Mr. John Adams (of Adams & Co.), who died on Sabbath morning, the 7th inst., in the 64th year of his age, after a long and lingering illness. One of the founders, and ever taking a leading part, none will be more, and few so much, missed.

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He was almost continuously a member of the Executive Committee, and for many years its honored President.

"Prompt and regular in his attendance at its meetings, wise and judicious in its councils, progressive, yet conservative, in his views, subordinating personal preferences to the general good, ever ready to make sacrifices for the sake of harmony, it is no disparagement to others to say that to Mr. Adams more than any other one man is due the credit for the prosperous condition and influential position of the association to-day.

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His interest in the association of manufacturers for the general good was shown long prior to the organization of the present association, his name appearing in the minutes of a National convention held in 1863 and several subsequent years. He was also one of the promoters of the present National association, organized in 1880, in which he held a prominent and influential position.

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"Mr. Adams has been identified with the glass business for almost half a century, having entered the factory of the Bakewells as an apprentice in 1837. In 1851 he embarked in the manufacture of glassware on his own account, and continued in it until his death, and by his energy and perseverance built up and left to his successors a large establishment and prosperous business.

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"He was a member of the Bingham Street Methodist Church, on the South Side, in the general work of which he always took an active part.

"Deeply sensible of the loss, would not be unmindful of the still greater loss sustained by those connected by more endearing ties, to whom is extended sincerest sympathies in this hour of their deep sorrow, and commend them to Him who alone can administer healing to bruised hearts."

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Just to drive home how much this man was appreciated. There's also a few articles again about his funeral, and I'll recount a few here. So not only was his funeral attended by a large group of people, but the service was not only led by Reverend Doctor K Holmes, but also supported by five other reverends. So first we're going to cover the one that's a bit upbeat.

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And this is about the floral arrangements, which must have been spectacular.

“Rare Floral Designs.

The floral decorations for the funeral of the late John Adams, of the firm of J. Adams & Co., glass manufacturers, Carson street, South Side, were completed yesterday by B. A. Elliott. Among others was a lamp about five feet high, given by the partners of the deceased gentleman, which was superb in the tasteful display of beautiful flowers of the season, and suggestive as the symbol of departed life.

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The finest decoration, however, was a glass-house about six feet long, and to the top of the smoke-stack about five feet high. This was all made out of the rarest and most exquisite flowers. It was executed at the order of the employees of the glass-factory, of which the late Mr. John Adams had been for so many years the distinguished head.”

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The next one is a bit gloomy.

The title of this one is:

“A WEIRD SCENE,

The Interment of the Late John Adams By Lamp-Light.

The funeral services over the remains of the late Mr. John Adams, the glass manufacturer, were held yesterday afternoon at the Bingham Street M. E. Church. The services began at 3 o'clock and were conducted by Dr. C. A. Holmes, Presiding Elder of the Pittsburgh district, assisted by Rev. Mr. Beacom, Rev. J. J. McIllyar, Rev. O. A. Riley, Rev. Dr. Miller and Rev. L. Maguire.

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Two hours were occupied and it was after 5 o'clock when the funeral cortege left the church.

Darkness overtook the procession and by the time the South Side Cemetery was reached a drizzling rain added to the dreariness of the occasion. Lanterns were brought into requisition and the pale light shed over the forms and faces of those about the grave, the coffin lowering into the grave, the drizzling rain and the solemn aspect of all made up a weird and awe-inspiring scene.

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The services at the grave were brief, owing to the lateness of the hour, yet it was 7 o'clock before the first carriage got started from the place of interment. The pall-bearers were:

Jenkin Jones, the glassworks of Campbell, Jones & Co.

Robert Bryce, the glassworks of Bryce Brothers

Thomas B. Atterbury, the glassworks of Atterbury & Co.

Allen M. Hammett, a window glass cutter at S. McKee & Co. and member of the South Side Methodist Church

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Captain Robinson

David Challinor, the glassworks of Challinor, Hogan & Co.

James M. Bailey, Iron, Coal, Castle Shannon Railway, etc...

After his passing we'd see Adams and Co being sold in 1891 to US Glass and his wife herself will soon pass in 1887 and they'll leave two sons.

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William was born September 12th, 1849. He marries Clara Bentley in 1875. They have one child, John Elmer. As you know, William would work for Adams and co.

A tragic event does touch William's life. In 1889, unfortunately, their son Elmer stabs a schoolmate, Joe Stevenson, on the south side of Pittsburgh. This was after a quarrel between the two boys.

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It's said that no arrests or charges were brought against Elmer, but soon after this, in 1890, William's wife Clara deserted him. He seeks and is granted a divorce in 1892, and you can imagine that these events may be related. William never remarries. He lives for a time with his sister Anna after her husband becomes an invalid, and he dies on June 3rd, 1916.

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He's laid to rest in the family plot in the South Side Cemetery in Pittsburgh. The second son, Adolphus, is born on September 2nd, 1851. He marries Martha Parnell in about 1896. Of course, he also works for Adams and Co, and then after the sale of the company, he becomes a stockbroker and he does this for decades. Carrying on the business until a few months before his death.

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He was a member of the Franklin Society and is noted to present papers on many subjects, including alcohol and tobacco abstinence, which I think he's tipping his hat to his father, in this case - taking on his ideas. He also becomes President of the South Side Cemetery, where he is also laid to rest. He passes on October 5th, 1926.

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In addition to these two sons, we also have three daughters:

Anna, the eldest daughter was born in about April 1860 and marries Charles H.A. Deens. They have six children who survive into adulthood. We know that William, her brother, is living with Hannah again in about 1910, which is around the time that her husband does becomes an invalid. We find Charles at the Dixmont State Hospital in Kilbuck township, PA in the census of 1910 and 1920.

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And she will pass away May 16th, 1931, and is also found in the family plot in the South Side Cemetery. Jenny, the second eldest daughter, was born April 5th, 1863 and some documents, show her to be born in 1865. She would spend 25 years as a missionary for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Church starting in about 1900. Most of her work was carried out in Fuzhou, China.

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She passes in 1921. After her passing, one article reports that she put her inheritance of $2 million towards her missionary work, including building an old age home in China. She first marries Harry D. Clemens in 1889, divorces and then marries John S. Wilson in 1894.

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They would have two children, a son, John Flynn Wilson, who dies in 1923 and, a daughter, Helen Wilson Dort Schusler. Nettie passes in 1963.

So that's it for this episode. I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about John Adams, his work, and his family, and subscribe if you want to find out more about additional American Glassworks and their founders.

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