Background
He was born on February 28, 1858 in New York City, New York, United States, the son of Gen. Fitz-John Porter and Harriet Pierson (Cook).
He was born on February 28, 1858 in New York City, New York, United States, the son of Gen. Fitz-John Porter and Harriet Pierson (Cook).
While acquiring his preparatory education at Saint Paul's School, Concord, Porter manifested an interest in mechanical engineering and, accordingly, entered Lehigh University, one of the few polytechnic colleges of the time. His college career brought him recognition on the athletic teams and second honors at his graduation in 1878.
Following his graduation, Porter moved from job to job and from one industry to another over a period of twenty-seven years, during which he gained the experience and made the acquaintances which formed the foundation for his notable work as consulting engineer. From 1878 to 1882 he was apprentice and draftsman with the Delamater Iron Works, New York City; from 1882 to 1884 he was assistant engineer with the New Jersey Steel & Iron Company at Trenton.
Then for six years he was engineer and superintendent of buildings and grounds at Columbia University, and in 1890-91 was superintendent and engineer for the Cary & Moen Company, New York, manufacturers of steel wire and wire springs. From 1891 to 1894 he served as assistant mechanical engineer and assistant chief of the machinery department of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, being in charge of Machinery Hall during the period of the exposition. It was in this connection that he first became a national figure.
Subsequently, 1894-1902, he was successively western representative, sales manager, and manager of the eastern office for the Bethlehem Steel Company. Unlike Frederick W. Taylor's, Porter's interest seems to have been largely in the social and humanitarian aspects of industry, and during his reorganization work with the Westinghouse Company as vice-president of the Nernst Lamp Company (1902 - 05).
In 1905 he retired from active industrial life, and spent thereafter twenty-eight busy and effective years, writing, doing consulting engineering, and personally espousing various social movements relating to the human side of industry. Fire protection, prison reform, safety, efficiency in turn challenged his attention.
During the World War, 1915-18, Porter was adviser on employment management to the Hercules Powder Company and later, under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, held many public conferences in the interests of better relations between employer and employee. From 1920 until his death, he was active as founder and secretary of the National Museum of Engineering and Industry, with headquarters at Washington. He died in 1933.
Holbrook Fitz-John Porter, as vice-president of the Nernst Lamp Company, installed the first shop committee with employee representation to function in the United States. This committee was composed of representatives of the clerical force, the factory operatives, and the foremen with the superintendent of the plant as permanent chairman. His activities were also instrumental in the organization in 1912 of the Efficiency Society and of the International Congress for Testing Materials held that year, both of which he served as organizing secretary. Among Porter's best-known writings are: "The Delamater Iron Works, The Cradle of the Modern Navy"; "The Realization of Ideals in Industrial Engineering. "
(Lang:- eng, Vol:- 3, Pages 1005. Reprinted in 2015 with t...)
There is no information about his marital status.
