Henry Clay Frick was born December 19, 1849 in the small town of West Overton, Pennsylvania. He was the grandson of the wealthy Abraham Overholt, who owned several whiskey distilleries.He began working at the distilleries at a young age, and began college at age 16. At age 19, he moved to Pittsburgh on his own and worked in the linen department for a wholesale dealer.
Rise to Wealth
Soon after moving to Pittsburgh, he used old family money to begin buying some small coal mines. When he was 21, he joined a partnership with 2 cousins and a friend to buy coke (fuel for the steel industry made from coal) ovens. After the company grew a slightly, he borrowed money from his lifelong friend Andrew Mellon to buy out the partnership.In 1881, he married Adelaide Childs, and while on his honeymoon, met Andrew Carnegie, a meeting that would change his life. Frick found that much of his coke had been going to Carnegie’s mills, and then they agreed that Carnegie’s mills would use exclusively Frick coke. As a result of this, Carnegie invested heavily in Frick’s company, and Frick was made chairman of Carnegie steel. Frick later formed the South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club, which was comprised of wealthy business leaders from western Pennsylvania. They improved on an earthen dam already there to create an artificial lake, and that dam later broke. The result was that the entire city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania was flooded, which housed Carnegie Steel’s largest competitor. Many people think that the flood was a conspiracy to wipe out the rival company. To cover up their fault for improper maintenance, the members never spoke publicly about the club, and many donated to the relief efforts. During the Homestead strike, Carnegie was in Europe, so Frick had complete control. He dealt with the strikers very harshly, and fortified his own mill to protect it. After calling in Pinkertons, violence followed and he was blamed for it. A Russian-born anarchist attempted to assassinate him for his actions. He was shot twice in the neck and stabbed four times, and as the attacker was aiming again ready to fire the killing shot, company VP Alexander Leishman hit the gun from his hands, and that allowed Frick to get up and tackle the assassin. Later on in his career he had Leishman, the man who saved his life, appointed ambassador to Switzerland in order to protect his own position in the company’s presidency.
Late Career
Near the end of his career, Frick drifted away from the coke industry. He resigned from the presidency of Carnegie Steel, and played a minimal part in his own company. He invested in some other ventures, especially the railroad industry, with moderate success. Frick became very interested in art, and acquired a large collection. He died of complications from syphilis in 1919 in New York City.
Robber Baron or Captain of Industry?
Although most of the entrepreneurs of the industrial revolution had a little of both sides in them, Henry Frick would more accurately fit the description of a robber baron. He dealt with strikers with no mercy, left his business partners, and ruined the career of the man who saved his life. In addition to this, some say that the destruction of his chief steel competitor in Johnstown was intentional. But in contrast to this, he did leave 5/6 of his will to charity, and donated his entire art collection to New York City.
Henry Clay Frick
Early Life
Henry Clay Frick was born December 19, 1849 in the small town of West Overton, Pennsylvania. He was the grandson of the wealthy Abraham Overholt, who owned several whiskey distilleries. He began working at the distilleries at a young age, and began college at age 16. At age 19, he moved to Pittsburgh on his own and worked in the linen department for a wholesale dealer.Rise to Wealth
Soon after moving to Pittsburgh, he used old family money to begin buying some small coal mines. When he was 21, he joined a partnership with 2 cousins and a friend to buy coke (fuel for the steel industry made from coal) ovens. After the company grew a slightly, he borrowed money from his lifelong friend Andrew Mellon to buy out the partnership. In 1881, he married Adelaide Childs, and while on his honeymoon, met Andrew Carnegie, a meeting that would change his life. Frick found that much of his coke had been going to Carnegie’s mills, and then they agreed that Carnegie’s mills would use exclusively Frick coke. As a result of this, Carnegie invested heavily in Frick’s company, and Frick was made chairman of Carnegie steel. Frick later formed the South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club, which was comprised of wealthy business leaders from western Pennsylvania. They improved on an earthen dam already there to create an artificial lake, and that dam later broke. The result was that the entire city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania was flooded, which housed Carnegie Steel’s largest competitor. Many people think that the flood was a conspiracy to wipe out the rival company. To cover up their fault for improper maintenance, the members never spoke publicly about the club, and many donated to the relief efforts. During the Homestead strike, Carnegie was in Europe, so Frick had complete control. He dealt with the strikers very harshly, and fortified his own mill to protect it. After calling in Pinkertons, violence followed and he was blamed for it. A Russian-born anarchist attempted to assassinate him for his actions. He was shot twice in the neck and stabbed four times, and as the attacker was aiming again ready to fire the killing shot, company VP Alexander Leishman hit the gun from his hands, and that allowed Frick to get up and tackle the assassin. Later on in his career he had Leishman, the man who saved his life, appointed ambassador to Switzerland in order to protect his own position in the company’s presidency.Late Career
Near the end of his career, Frick drifted away from the coke industry. He resigned from the presidency of Carnegie Steel, and played a minimal part in his own company. He invested in some other ventures, especially the railroad industry, with moderate success. Frick became very interested in art, and acquired a large collection. He died of complications from syphilis in 1919 in New York City.Robber Baron or Captain of Industry?
Although most of the entrepreneurs of the industrial revolution had a little of both sides in them, Henry Frick would more accurately fit the description of a robber baron. He dealt with strikers with no mercy, left his business partners, and ruined the career of the man who saved his life. In addition to this, some say that the destruction of his chief steel competitor in Johnstown was intentional. But in contrast to this, he did leave 5/6 of his will to charity, and donated his entire art collection to New York City.Bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Frick “Henry Clay Frick” 2/18/08
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/carnegie/frick.html “Henry Clay Frick” 2/18/08
http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/people/pa_hcf.htm “Henry Clay Frick” 2/18/08
"Henry Clay Frick." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.
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Jaime Rawson “Henry Clay Frick” http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Frick__Henry_Clay.html</span>