From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Henry Clay Fry
Henry Clay Fry
Henry Clay Fry Biography
The 1850 United States Federal Census shows that Fry
was living with his family in Shelby County, Kentucky.
Fry received his early education in Lexington, Kentucky.
Fry at the age of sixteen years found employment as
a shipping clerk in the glass manufacturing industry in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1860, Fry met Abraham Lin-
coln while on a sales business trip. It is not known if they
discussed the topic of glass.[1]
In 1862, Fry enlisted in the 15th regiment of the Penn-
sylvania cavalry.[1] He was in the army until the end of
the American Civil War. He then obtained gainful em-
ployment at a glass company called Fry, Semple, and
Reynolds.
Fry with others in 1872 formed Rochester Tumbler
circa 1902 Company, a glass manufacturing facility. Here in
Rochester they built extensive plant building structures
Born September 17, 1840
Shelby County near on 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land they purchased. The com-
Lexington, Kentucky pany manufactured pressed and blown glass tumblers,
being the largest such manufacturer in the nation. They
Died 1929
sold these tumblers worldwide. The Rochester Tumbler
Resting place Rochester, Pennsylvania Company employed over 1200 employees. All the equip-
ment needed in glass production they made themselves
Nationality American
on the premises.
Occupation businessman, entrepreneur
Known for developing glass techniques
Political party Republican
Spouse 1st wife Emma Mathews,1862
2nd wife Belle McClintock, 1889
Children 2 sons, 3 daughters
Parents Thomas Cousins Fry
Charlott Fry
Relatives John Fry, grandfather
H. C. Fry Glass Factory, c. 1910
Signature
In 1897 Rochester Tumbler Company joined National
Glass Company of Rochester. Fry became the president
of the newly formed corporation. In 1900 he resigned
and formed his own company in 1901 called Rochester
Glass Company with his sons Harry and J. Howard.[1] In
Henry Clay Fry (1840 – 1929) was an American entrepre-
1902 the company was renamed to H. C. Fry Glass Compa-
neur in the glass industry in the late nineteenth century
ny.[2][3]
and early twentieth century.
With an investment of $500,000, Fry developed and
manufactured a new fine cut glass process using pressed
blank hot glass techniques. He patented this invention.
The glass was pressed into a mold where previously the
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Henry Clay Fry
technique of cut glass had only been blown by hand.[4] [2] "HC Fry Glass Co.".
The iron plunger pushed into the mold of hot glass and http://www.myantiquemall.com/AQstories/fry/
its marks remained on the inside of the glass producing Fry.html. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
the cut glass effect.[4] [3] ^ "H. C. Fry Glass Company Advertisements".
The H. C. Fry Glass Company made complete dinner http://ndga.net/advertising/advfry.htm.
sets and tea sets.[5] The company also made a large vari- Retrieved 2008-08-31.
ety of heat-resistant oven glassware from 1916 under a li- [4] ^ Kane, p. 211 The glass was pressed into a mold, the
cense from the Corning Glass Works.[3] marks of the iron plunger remaining on the inside of the
They also made electrical glass insulators, however glass. Previously, cut glass had been blown by hand.
few were sold and they are a very rare collector’s [5] ^ "H. C. Fry Glass Company". http://glassian.org/
item.[5][6] They employed about 1000 people.[7] The plant Fry/index.html. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
operated into the 1930s until closure by the re- [6] ^ "Patents Licenced to H. C. Fry Glass Co.".
ceivers.[3][7] There is a H. C. Fry Glass Society for the http://glassian.org/Fry/patents.html. Retrieved
study and preservation of glass made at the H. C. Fry 2008-08-31.
Glass Company.[7] [7] ^ "H. C. Fry Glass Society".
http://thenostalgialeague.com/fryglass/
Timeline society.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
Website giving detailed timeline of Fry’s life and events Bibliography
and his companies.[1] • Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography, Jordan,
pp. 95–6.
Patents • The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography,
"Henry C. Fry", J.T. White (1904)
Patents licenced to H. C. Fry Glass Company.[6]
• Kane, Joseph Nathan, Famous First Facts, A Record of
First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United
Other positions States; H. W. Wilson Company (1950)
Persondata
Name Fry, Henry Clay
Alternative
names
Short descrip-
tion
Date of birth September 17, 1840
Place of birth Shelby County near Lexington, Ken-
tucky
Date of death 1929
Place of death
First Baptist Church of Rochester
• First National Bank of Rochester, 1883 – 1904.
• National Glass Company president, 1900 – 1901.
• Baptist Sunday school of Rochester for 28 years.
References
Notes
[1] ^ "H. C. Fry Timeline". http://glassian.org/Fry/
timeline.html. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Clay_Fry&oldid=474470822"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Henry Clay Fry
Categories:
• 1840 births
• 1929 deaths
• Glass artists
• American inventors
• Glass makers
• Materials science
• 19th-century American businesspeople
• People from Shelby County, Kentucky
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