James Benjamin Lyon

Background

James Benjamin Lyon was born on April 21, 1821, at Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, the son of John and Margaret (Stewart) Lyon. His grandfather had come to Pennsylvania from Enniskillen, Ireland, in 1763.

Education

James entered Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1837, but left without graduating.

Career

In 1841 Lyon began working for his father in the iron works of Lyon, Shorb & Company. Six years later he obtained a position with a bank at Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, but gave it up when he found that his health suffered from indoor work. On January 1, 1849, under the name of Wallace, Lyon & Company, he started the manufacture of glass. Three months later fire destroyed the entire plant, but he put it into operation again, and in 1851 bought his partner's interest, incorporating the business as James B. Lyon & Company, with William B. David and Alexander P. Lyon as his associates.

In 1852 he purchased the old O'Hara glassworks and increased its furnace capacity threefold. Although when he entered the industry, as he himself said, he "did not even know what glass was made of, " he obtained a knowledge of the chemistry of the subject from a Boston chemist, and being of a practical and inventive turn of mind, developed a number of new methods and processes, which he refused to patent. Although pressed glass had been made in America since 1827, Lyon was the first to make it the chief output of his factory. He originated most of his beautiful patterns himself. Indeed, the founder of the Sandwich plant, Deming Jarves, wrote of the product of Lyon's firm: "To such a degree of delicacy and fineness have they carried their manufacture that only experts in the trade can distinguish between their straw stem wines, and other light and beautiful articles made in moulds, and those blown by the most skilled workmen".

Lyon was interested in education and was one of the incorporators of the Pittsburgh Female College, now the Pennsylvania College for Women. He was also the leading spirit in the organization of the Pittsburgh School of Design. In 1893 he sold his business to the United States Glass Company, of which he became treasurer. He retired in 1904 and died, following an attack of pneumonia, at the age of eighty-eight.

Achievements

• James Benjamin Lyon was one of the most noted press-glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He produced work fully equal in merit to the more famous Sandwich glass manufactured on Cape Cod. He also introduced into glass-making the use of natural gas as a fuel. In 1867 Lyon was chosen by the National Flint Glass Manufacturers' Association to represent the United States at the Paris Exposition, where his products were awarded a diploma and a bronze medal.

Connections

On October 3, 1850, Lyon married Anna Margaret Lyon, a third cousin, and they had three daughters and four sons.

Father:

John Lyon

Mother:

Margaret (Stewart) Lyon

Spouse:

Anna Margaret Lyon

References

• Early American glass