List of Glass Companies Led by Former Employees of Hobbs, Brockunier and Company

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This is a list of glass factories with ties to the J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company glass works in Wheeling, West Virginia. This company was one of the leading glass manufacturers in the United States during the 19th Century. Former employees of the Hobbs works were essential employees, founders, or top management for over 20 glass factories in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. Wheeling's Hobbs glass works was renamed multiple times during its existence of approximately 60 years. Listed below are names used by the Hobbs glass works.[1]

  • Barnes, Hobbs & Company
  • Hobbs, Barnes & Company
  • Barnes, Hobbs & Company
  • Hobbs & Barnes
  • J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier & Company
  • Hobbs, Brockunier & Company
  • Hobbs Glass Company
  • Factory H of United States Glass Company

Glass factories[edit]

Glass factories tied to former employees of the Hobbs and Brockunier glass works are listed below in the sortable list. The first five categories in the list can be sorted. The list's default sort orders the properties alphabetically by name. Notes are listed in the last section.

Company City State Year Employees Notes
1 Beatty-Brady Glass Company Dunkirk Indiana 1896 Charles N. Brady Former J.H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company salesman Charles N. Brady was on the board of directors of this company.[2]
1 Bellaire Goblet Company Bellaire/Findlay Ohio 1876 John Robinson, Charles Henry Over Former Hobbs and Belmont Glass employees Robinson and Over were among the founders of this company. Over was plant's original manager, while Robinson was the plant's original superintendent. Robinson replaced Over as plant manager when the factory moved to Findlay in 1888.[3]
2 Belmont Glass Company Bellaire Ohio 1861 John Robinson, Charles Henry Over, Henry Crimmel Robinson, Over, and Crimmel left the Hobbs works to help start this factory. Robinson was plant superintendent.[4]
3 Bonita Art Glass Company Wheeling West Virginia 1901 Otto Jaeger Former Hobbs manager Jaeger was company's first president and part owner.[5]
4 C. H. Over Glass Company Muncie Indiana 1889 Charles Henry Over Former Hobbs, Bellaire Glass, and Bellaire Goblet employee C. Henry Over started this window glass company after Bellaire Goblet moved from Bellaire, Ohio, to Findlay.[6]
5 Central Glass Company Wheeling West Virginia 1863 John Oesterling, John Henderson, Peter Cassel Co-op started by a group of former Barnes & Hobbs employees.[7] Original 1863 company name was Oesterling, Henderson, and Co. Incorporated as Central Glass Co. in 1867.[8] Former Hobbs employees Oesterling, first president, had been a mold maker, Henderson had been an engineer, and Cassel had been a glassblower.[9][8]
6 Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company Findlay Ohio 1888 William F. Russell, William Leighton Jr. Originally incorporated as Dalzell Brothers & Gilmore Glass Company. Former Hobbs supervisor Russell was first plant manager.[10] Company changed name before operations began when former Hobbs executive William Leighton Jr. agreed to join firm as part owner. Leighton was considered "a colored glass expert and an outstanding production technician."[11]
7 Fostoria Glass Company Fostoria/Moundsville Ohio/West Virginia 1887 Lucian B. Martin, William S. Brady, James B. Russell, Benjamin M. Hildreth, Otto Jaeger, Henry Crimmel, Jacob Crimmel Former Hobbs sales executive Martin was first president. Brady, a former bookkeeper at Hobbs, was company secretary. Russell, a former Hobbs manager, was the first plant manager. Former Hobbs salesmen Hildreth was sales manager.[12] Both Crimmels worked at Hobbs,[13] and were employee shareholders of the Fostoria company.[14] Crimmel glass recipes were used to mix batches of glass during the company's earliest days.[15][16]
8 Fostoria Shade and Lamp Company Fostoria Ohio 1890 William S. Brady, Nicholas Kopp Jr. Former Hobbs bookkeeper Brady was on board of directors. Former Hobbs glass mixer Kopp directed operations.[17][13]
9 H. Northwood & Company Wheeling West Virginia 1901 Harry Northwood Harry Northwood, former etcher at Hobbs & Brockunier, founded this company in the old Hobbs glass works.[18]
10 Hazel Glass Company Washington Pennsylvania 1885 Charles N. Brady Former Hobbs bookkeeper and salesman Charles N. Brady founded this company and was first president.[19]
11 King, Son and Company Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 1869 James B. Russell Former Hobbs employee was manager of this Pittsburgh glass plant.[20]
12 Kopp Glass Company Swissvale Pennsylvania 1900 Nickolas Kopp Jr. Former Hobbs employee Kopp was famous for his ruby–colored glass, and was considered one of the industry's greatest chemists.[21]
13 Libbey Glass Company Toledo Ohio 1888 Michael Joseph Owens As plant superintendent, former Hobbs worker Owens helped rescue financially–troubled company.[22]
14 Libbey–Owens Sheet Glass Company Toledo Ohio 1916 Michael Joseph Owens Company formed by Edward Libbey and former Hobbs employee Michael Owens to market window glass made by machine developed by Owens and Irving Wightman Colburn.[23]
15 Nickel Plate Glass Company Fostoria Ohio 1888 Benjamin M. Hildreth, James B. Russell Former Hobbs and Fostoria employees Hildreth (secretary) and Russell (manager) were among the founders of the company.[24]
16 Novelty Glass Company Tiffin Ohio 1891 Henry Crimmel Crimmel was plant manager and one of the founders.[25]
17 Owens Bottle Machine Company Toledo Ohio 1903 Michael Joseph Owens Formed by former Hobbs worker Owens and Edward Libbey to market the Owens bottle machine.[22]
18 Riverside Glass Company Wellsburg West Virginia 1879 William S. Brady, Charles N. Brady Former Hobbs bookkeeper and salesman Charles N. Brady organized this company and was president.[19] His brother, former Hobbs bookkeeper William Brady was secretary and general manager, and eventually became president.[12][19]
19 Robinson Glass Company Zainsville Ohio 1893 John Robinson John Robinson was president and son Edwin was secretary-treasurer.[26]
20 Seneca Glass Company Fostoria Ohio 1891 Otto Jaeger Former Hobbs manager Jaeger was company's first president and part owner.[5]
21 Sneath Glass Company Tiffin/Hartford City Ohio/Indiana 1892 Henry Crimmel Crimmel was plant manager and part owner of reorganized version restarted in Indiana during 1894.[27]
22 Toledo Glass Company Toledo Ohio 1895 Michael Joseph Owens Research firm formed by Michael Owens and Edward D. Libbey.[22]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Hobbs Brockunier Glass, Wheeling, WV 1886". Ohio County Public Library. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  2. ^ Bredehoft & Bredehoft 1997, p. 28
  3. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 56–57
  4. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 57
  5. ^ a b "Otto Jaeger, founder of Fostoria, Seneca, and Bonita Art Glass (1923)". Ohio County Public Library. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  6. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 57 & 117
  7. ^ "Central Glass Company". Glass Lovers Glass Database. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  8. ^ a b Baker 1986, p. 118
  9. ^ Crammer et al. 1890, p. 246
  10. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 61
  11. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 62
  12. ^ a b Paquette 2002, pp. 179–180
  13. ^ a b Paquette 2002, p. 248
  14. ^ Murray 1992, p. 58
  15. ^ Murray 1992, p. 41
  16. ^ Murray 1992, p. 62
  17. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 202
  18. ^ "Wheeling Hall of Fame, Harry C. Northwood". Ohio County Public Library. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  19. ^ a b c Crammer et al. 1890, p. 229
  20. ^ Murray 1992, p. 40
  21. ^ Hawkins 2009, p. 311
  22. ^ a b c "Owens the Innovator". University of Toledo library. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  23. ^ Paquette 2010, p. 28
  24. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 189–190
  25. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 205
  26. ^ "The Robinsons of Zainsville 1893-1900" (PDF). Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  27. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 439–440

References[edit]

  • Baker, Gary E. (June 1986). The Flint Glass Industry in Wheeling, West Virginia: 1829-1865 (MA). University of Delaware. Archived from the original on 2023-07-12. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  • Bredehoft, Neila M.; Bredehoft, Thomas H. (1997). Hobbs, Brockunier and Co., Glass: Identification and Value Guide. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. ISBN 978-0-89145-780-0. OCLC 37340501.
  • Crammer, Gibson L.; Jepson, Samuel L.; Trainer, John H.S. and William Morrison; Taneyhill, R. H. (1890). History of the Upper Ohio Valley: with family history and biographical sketches. A statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages… Vol. I & II. Madison, WI: Brant & Fuller. OCLC 49762897.
  • Hawkins, Jay W. (2009). Glasshouses and Glass Manufacturers of the Pittsburgh Region: 1795–1910. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse. ISBN 978-1-4401-1494-6.
  • Murray, Melvin L. (1992). Fostoria, Ohio Glass II. Fostoria, OH: M. L. Murray. OCLC 27036061.
  • Paquette, Jack K. (2002). Blowpipes, Northwest Ohio Glassmaking in the Gas Boom of the 1880s. Xlibris Corp. ISBN 1-4010-4790-4. OCLC 50932436.
  • Paquette, Jack K. (2010). The Glassmakers, Revisited. Xlibris Corp. OCLC 650854108.
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