John Pitcairn Jr. Life and Career

John Pitcairn Jr. was a member of the prominent Pitcairn family, who made their fortune in the steel industry.

He was born in 1867 to John Pitcairn Sr. and Catherine E. "Kate" Pitcairn.

John Pitcairn Jr. went on to attend Harvard University, where he studied law.

He was a skilled lawyer and served as the President of the National Bank of Commerce in Pittsburgh.

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John Pitcairn Jr. was born on January 10, 1841, in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, to John Pitcairn Sr. and Agnes McEwan.

He was one of six children from their marriage, and also had an older half-sibling from his father's first marriage.

Pitcairn's parents had initially emigrated to America, living first in Brooklyn, New York, and then in Paterson, New Jersey.

They returned to Scotland due to a lack of financial success, but later emigrated again to America in 1846, settling in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

Pitcairn's uncle, Alexander Pitcairn, had started a woolens business there, which likely influenced the family's decision to settle in the area.

Pitcairn attended public school in Allegheny until he dropped out at the age of 14 to pursue a career in the railroad.

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John Pitcairn Jr. was a magnate with diverse interests and holdings.

He was the president of several companies, including the C. H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company and the Pittsburgh Valve and Fittings Company.

Pitcairn's business ventures also included the Loyal Hanna Coal and Coke Company.

In addition to his presidency, he was a director of several companies, such as the Central National Bank of Philadelphia and the Columbia Chemical Company.

His other directorships included the Michigan Chemical Company, the Natural Gas Company of West Virginia, and the Owosso Sugar Company.

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John Pitcairn Jr. came from Scotland as a child with his family to live with his uncle in Pittsburgh. His uncle had established a woolens business there, which would later influence John's entrepreneurial spirit.

At 14, John dropped out of school to work as an office boy for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He quickly proved himself to be a capable businessperson, rising through the ranks to hold several superintendent and general manager positions by his mid-twenties.

John's knack for business led him to leave the railroad industry and invest in the oil business, where he built and controlled the first natural gas pipeline for manufacturing purposes. He made several wise investments, which significantly increased his income.

In 1883, John teamed up with John Ford to establish Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, the first successful producer of high-quality, thick, smooth glass in the U.S. and the world's first natural-gas-fueled glass plant.