This video provides a history of McKee Glass starting with its founding in 1853 to even beyond its sales to Thatcher and then Jeannette.
Learn about the McKee and Smith families who ran the works.
Learn about when they moved from Pittsburgh to Jeannette.
#pittsburghhistory #glassmanufacturing #eapg #antiqueglass #vintageglass #southsidepittsburgh #jeannettepa #mckeeglass #kitchenalia
Transcript
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Hi, this is Melanie from Artifact and Landmark. Today's episode is about McKee glass, a glassworks that operated in Pittsburgh and Jeannette, PA from the Victorian era to about the 1950s or the 1980s, if you consider that they were absorbed by Jeannette Glass, who actually operated out of the McKee factory. If you've seen a previous episode we talked about S. McKee & Co., a window and bottle glassworks, who also operated out of Pittsburgh. In a way, this is an offshoot of that business since one of the founders of S McKee & Co., Thomas McKee, is the father of two of the founders of McKee glass.
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These sons were Frederick and James, and they founded the firm F & J McKee. So F & J. McKee again started its life in Pittsburgh during the Victorian era and produced glassware into the mid century, from its works on Bullitt Avenue and Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The company also produced bakeware as well as glass for railways, automobiles, appliances and much more.
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The glass appears regularly for sale through auctions, online marketplaces, and vintage sales. Prices can surely vary widely, not only based on the age of the glass or condition, but also the rarity or just the interest in a specific pattern or color of glass. You can also see many of, McKee glass pieces at museums and historical societies, and we have a few listed here.
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First, we have the Corning Museum of Glass, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Senator John Heinz History Center, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Jeannette Area Historical Society, the Museum of American, glass, and then, of course, the Chrysler Museum of Art. As a bit of a background that might be of interest, these two McKee brothers first partnered with another big name in American glass, the Bryce Brothers.
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Their glass works would have spanned over 100 years and be bought by Lenox in about 1965. So this partnership with Brice Brothers, I would start in about 1850. The brothers included James, John and Robert Brice. It wouldn't last long. We see some quick changes over the next three years and the departure of both Frederick and James. This is a quick overview.
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So, they're founded as Bryce & McKee in about 1850. In 1853, Frederick McKee sells his interest to Joseph Richards and leaves the firm. So now it styles itself as Bryce, McKee & Co, because we still have James in the mix. After James leaves in 1854, the firm becomes Bryce, Richards & Co. In the meantime, after Frederick's departure from that initial partnership in 1853, he establishes a new glassworks, which his brother James also joins.
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The glass work will first operate in the style of F & J McKee. Now, although this glass work starts and will be headed by the McKees, we see another family running the business in Jeanette and that family is the Smith family. So join me as I run through the history, pointing out what I feel are some of the most important events and sometimes just interesting events.
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So the founding brothers were Frederick McKee, who in 1853 would have been about 26 years old, and his brother James would have been only about 24 years old. So where did this factory operate? Their factory would be located in Birmingham now, South side Pittsburgh, at the foot of 18th Street, by what is now the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.
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You can see the location on this is a map from 1872 and you can see the evolution through these additional maps and the additional ownership. From McKee to King Glass, then US Glass, then a few lumbyards, who were absorbed into US Glass and lumber yards such as A. G. Breitwieser and Bartlett-Shotts-Wilson Co.
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and today it's the location of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. Now, since the work operated by the Monongahela River Dam No. 1, we actually happened to have some nice pictures from the river from that dam from about 1912. And it would be looking towards the foot of 18th Street. You can make out a sign to the left, which is that lumber yard, the A. G. Breitwieser.
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You can also see the US glass water tower, which is at factory K, which used to be the King's glass location. Lastly, this is the current map of the location with a few pictures, and you can see the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers building, the railroad tracks, and then this open field that's gated off here.
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So the factory would stay at this location only about until 1888, when they moved their operations to Jeannette, PA and this next map, we can see their factory in Jeannette off of Bullet Avenue. This one is from 1891, and we can see how much the factory grew by 1925. It's also important to mention that, like most glassworks of the day, although their factories would be in Birmingham and then, Jeannette, they did have some offices in Pittsburgh, and a warehouse in Pittsburgh due to the wharf and the canal.
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So their first address in Pittsburgh would have been on 23 Wood Street. We know that at the time their neighbor was B.A. Fahnestock. They continue at this address until 1862. Moving to 17 Wood Street. In 1876 we see them moving their warehouse to Birmingham. So what names did this glass work operate under?
So although James passes in 1855, we see Frederick carrying on the business under that same name of F. & J.
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McKee until about 1859. That year the company changes its name to F McKee and brother. Now, who is this brother? We can only assume that it's William s McKee, who would have been about 21 years old at the time. Change comes in 1863 when another brother, Henry Sellers McKee, joins the firm. The firm now styles itself as McKee and brothers, which is probably the most familiar name, at least in the early days of this company.
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In 1904, we see the company changing management, and with that we see the introduction of the name of McKee Dash Jeannette company. This name would not last long. In 1910, the works are purchased by A.J. Smith, who's the current manager, and John W. Keltz forming a new company, the McKee Glass Co.
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In 1961, we see the company essentially being absorbed, and operated under a glass company until their bankruptcy in 1983.
So let's start with the McKee family years. So just for a little bit of a chronology, of the leadership of the McKees and some important events. Although the were established in 1853, this works and the family quickly goes through some important changes.
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First we see a fire in 1854 to the warehouse on Wood Street, which causes a loss of $2,500. That fire did start at the B.A. Fahnestock as their neighbor. B.A. Fahnestock’s warehouse next door. And so the next year, unfortunately, you see the first passing of one of the brothers. This is James McKee. He passes in 1855 at the very young age of 26.
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And this leaves his brother Frederick and his father to run the business.
In 1859, we see them publish what is believed to be their first surviving catalog. That year William, his brother, joins the firm and the name changes to F. McKee & Brother. In 1863, at the age of 20, we see another brother, H.
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Seller, joins the family business as a clerk bookkeeper, and we see the company change its name from F McKee & Bro to McKee Brothers. His brother Stewart joins the firm the next year.
In June 1863, McKee & Brothers, along with other companies in Pittsburgh, are asked to join the fortification efforts to defend against a possible invasion by the Confederate soldiers.
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So we are smack dab in the middle of the Civil War. And so they do join, and they're assigned Squirrel Hill, and they provide 78 of their workforce to build the fortification, which I believe was a mound. So the next year, in 1864, again in the midst of the Civil War, we see their father, Thomas, pass.
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And then we also see around that same time, the youngest son of the family, Stewart, joins a firm. That same year, we also see a patent for a glass pressing machine by Frederick and Charles Ballinger.
So unfortunately, the next year, in 1865, we see another brother pass. This time it's the founder of the company, Frederick McKee. So that year the works are described as the largest flint manufacturer west of the Alleghenies, with revenues reported at $291,000.
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When we look at Bakewell and Pears by comparison, their revenue was $211,000 for that same year. So then moving into the 1866 to 1870, period, we see some design patents being filed, including the new leaf pattern by H. Sellers McKee in 1867. We also see a dragon design by Charles Ballinger, again assigned to McKee in 1870, and there was a recent auction for the specific items from this design that sold for, for a hefty price.
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And you can see here we have a couple of the results. So it's not typical that early American press glass would go for so much money. So again, this is one of those items that, for whatever reason, is drawing a lot of interest.
So in 1872, we see William McKee pass. So this is the third brother to pass.
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And this leaves brothers Henry Sellers and Stewart to manage the firm in 1876. We see them moving their warehouse and sample room from Pittsburgh to their work in Birmingham. And then in 1878, it's reported that the company has made $186,100 for 1877 other Flint works reported the following: So we have
Adams & Co. $144K
Bakewell, Pears & Co. $105K
Bryce, Walker & Co.
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You know that group that they originally partnered with at $173K, Duncan &Son at $73. Challinor & Hogan at $52K. And then Ripley & Co. $67K.
In 1878, we see the American Flint Glass Workers Union form. And then next year we start to see the workers striking. And this will be a long battle between the glass houses and this union. In 1880, we see many improvements to the McKee glass operation, including a new gas powered Nicholson for furnace and cutting room and a new mold shop.
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So in 1884, we see high waters in Birmingham, and unfortunately it gets into the lime in the factory, which causes a fire. And the water also extinguishes a few of the furnaces. So the damage is actually estimated about $2,000. In 1885 we see the fourth brother pass, and again at a very young age of 40. So this now leaves H.
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Sellers to run the business. After Stewart's death, Sellers begins to think about a move out of Pittsburgh. The property at 18th Street will eventually pass to o Dalzell McKee, Stewart’s son. So it isn't surprised to learn that in 1886, McKee Brothers starts their negotiation to buy land in what becomes Jeannette PA. And this Jeannette is named after H.
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Sellers wife, Jeanette E Hartupee. In 1887, McKim brothers starts work on building their new plant in Jeannette, PA. This plant will also has the new business venture of Chambers and McKee Window Glass Company. McKees Tableware Factory and Jeannette would be 50% larger than its Pittsburgh facility, covering four and one half acres, and within five years he more than doubles the factory capacity from 65 to 145 pots.
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In August of that same year, 1887, the McKee plant in Birmingham burns down. The fire starts when a spark from a train passing by and lights a shed at their neighbors, King Glass and Co's property. The fire spreads to the McKee plant, creating a loss that is estimated to be $100,000. In 1888, King last leases the McKee plant on 18th Street.
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In 1889, Thomas McKee, the eldest son of sellers McKee, joins the firm. That same year, McKee, starts producing glass in Jeannette. In 1891, H Sellers, his youngest son, Andrew Hartupee McKee, joins the firm. In 1896, we see Martha Chambers, the mother of James Chambers, stockholder in the window glassworks, sue McKee for unpaid gas that they estimated to be $250,000.
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So this is eventually settled, but this may have been the result of James Chambers bankruptcy in 1891, which was pushed forward when H. Seller McKee called his loans. So stay tuned for James's story and the Chambers Glass story.
So the McKee family, in 1897, they introduce a line of glassware that may be a precursor to the line of Prescutt glass, which is a famous line that mimicked cut glass or tried to come very close to cut glass
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The product that kind of shines in the line is called Sunbeam. And we have an example here. And in the press we see it described as follows. “In their new goods of 1898, the McKees get credit for making the nearest approach to cut glass ever attained and oppressed wear factory.”
So after the launch of this glass line, the McKee brothers do something that perhaps isn't surprising.
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They join the National Glass Company in 1899. A. Hart McKee and H. Sellers McKee will be on the board. And then the trust will include many other glass works. And we have them listed here if you're interested.
So the National Glass Company, this combined did little to help these companies. And we see the National Glass Factory's shares decrease from $50 to $2 per share by 1904.
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And then, this company becomes a holding company. By 1907 it had declared bankruptcy. The McKee family had little involvement in the glassworks after this point.
And we now see the Smith family becoming very involved. So these will begin the Smith family years. Although the factory had been running under a lease agreement with Andrew J.
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Smith since 1904. In 1908, following the National Glass Factory bankruptcy, Andrew A.J. Smith bought out the McKee Glass Co. In that same year, the company launches its new iconic rock Crystal Touraine line, which is widely collected today. In the 1900s, we see some new companies joining forces with the McKees, including Hartman Furniture and Carpet Co, who offer several McKee patterns, including the Aztec pattern.
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They also have a lot of giveaways, so we believe this smart small glass pitcher with the company's name pressed underneath would have been one of these giveaways. In 1910, the McKee Jeannette Glass work was dissolved and the factory begins to operate as the McKee Glass Co. The new company managed to obtain a license to manufacture Prescut Blanks for Fry and Libbey, even though both companies would eventually end up suing McKee in the upcoming years.
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In 1912, we see another tragedy. Harry Barrett, who's 48 years old and the plant manager for McKee. He's actually found dead under, definitely suspicious circumstances by the railroad track. He has head injuries and some money that he was carrying is missing.
In 1916, the company introduces its Innovation product line. And so this would be a mix between cut glass and press glass, which is widely collected today.
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In 1917, the company starts to sell auto lenses to meet the new anti-glare and dimming laws, with the aim, of course, of reducing, nighttime car-related fatalities. This same year, the company introduces Glasbake, a line of glass cookware which is very collectible and sought after today. So in 1924, we see the passing of Andrew J.
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Smith, the president of the company. Maurice Smith, his son, will become president in 1932. The company introduces the Bottoms Up Cup, which is interesting since prohibition doesn't end until the next year. In 1933, they introduced the vacuum coffee maker. Then we see a few partnerships. In 1934, the company provides auto lenses for Ford's 1935 line of cars.
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That same year, the Detroit Jewel company gas ranges include Glasbake with each sale. And then in 1935, we also see the company introducing its line of refrigerated glass containers. In 1936, we see the mixing bowls that were originally created for the Sunbeam Mixmaster being sold separately as a three as a set of three.
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In 1939, the company partners with OXYDOL.
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And then in 1940, we see Kroger placing a 3 million Glasbake order as part of their 58th birthday. And it's reported at a cost of $250,000.
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Unfortunately, in that same year, we see Maurice Smith pass and his brother Donald becoming president. So Donald Smith doesn't remain very long in this position since he also passes in 1941. So A. K. Wood, son-in-law to A. J. Smith, is named as President that year. In 1942, the company launches a campaign to encourage people to use glass to save vital metals for war production.
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In 1943, the company introduces its Range-Tec cook line. In 1948, McKee's suit against Corning and Hartford-Empire is settled and the amount of the settlement is undisclosed. And this would be related to the bake line.
In 1949 four heirs of A.J. Smith buy up the company's stock and reorganize. So that reorganization quickly leads in 1951 to the company announcing their merger with Thatcher and that year
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coffee Hottles are introduced and these are found everywhere. In January of 1952, the former president of McKee, Arch Wood, is elected to Thatcher's board of directors, and W. A. Wood became the vice president in charge of the Thatcher McKee division. In August of 1961, Jeannette Glass Co purchases the McKee Glass Division from Thatcher Glass Manufacturing for an estimated $4 million in cash.
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Stocks and notes. In 1961, McKee has an 18 acre site, 135,000ft of manufacturing space and 75,000ft of warehouse space and 120,000ft of office space, with a daily production capacity of 400 tons of glass. In 1978, the Coca-Cola bottling plant of New York bought Jeannette from the longtime owner, Maurice L Stonehill, for $39 million but sells in 1981 to private investors, including Jeannette, president since 1972 Mark Silverberg.
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In 1983, Jeannette goes bankrupt and its assets were sold to new businessman Abraham Zion, who purchased the factory for 4 million and promises to resurrect it. But it sits dormant for decades. In 2017, following several years of disputes between the IDC, which acquired the property for $305,000 at a tax auction in 2012, and Zion, who passes away in 2016. Efforts to clean up and redevelop the site are commenced in 2019.
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The IDC sells the 13 acre property to Elliot Group for $600,000, who supplies compressors and turbines for liquefied natural gas plants.
So I hope you enjoyed this overview and McKee class and this quick, run through their history. If you're interested in learning more about the lives of these family members, I then see videos that will go into their business dealings and the descendants who had their own impact during their lifetime.
