BIO: William MOULDS, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 253-254. _________________________________________________________________ WILLIAM MOULDS, who has attained prominence throughout Western Pennsylvania as the general manager of the Rochester Tumbler Company, a firm employing the largest number of hands in the service of any concern in the borough, has been engaged in the manufacture of glass in various departments of the work for almost a half century. He is a man of tried business ability, which, coupled with his years of experience, has been an important factor in the thriving condition of the establishment with which he has been connected since its inception. It is, unquestionably, the largest enterprise of its kind in the world. Mr. Moulds is also president of the Olive Stove Works of Rochester, which occupies an important place among the manufacturing industries of that community. He was born near Milltown, County Antrim, Ireland, December 9, 1842, and is a son of John and Nancy (Henry) Moulds. John Moulds was also born in County Antrim, Ireland; upon coming to the United States he landed in New York City, but subsequently located at Steubenville, Ohio, where his wife had a brother and friends. On arriving here he was without a trade, but soon learned the art of glass blowing, which he followed nearly all of his life. During his last days he was engaged in packing, and was a man of remarkable activity up to the end, - dying in 1890, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a man of sturdy constitution and enjoyed fine health, having shaved himself just three days prior to his demise. He married Nancy Henry, a daughter of William Henry, and their children were as follows: William, the subject of this personal history; Samuel H., a record of whose life also appears in this work; Annie, the relict of Albert Albin, of Columbus, Ohio; Sarah, the wife of Eli Capers, of Steubenville, Ohio; Robert, who lives at Rochester; John, also a resident of 254 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES Rochester; and Elizabeth, who makes her home at Steubenville, Ohio. William Moulds left school at an early age, being eight years old when he was instructed in the art of mold-making for the use of blowing glass. He became, a very skilled mechanic, and followed that line of work at his Ohio home until 1866, when he removed to Pittsburg and there engaged at his trade. In 1872, he assisted in organizing the Rochester Tumbler Company, which comprised the following prominent business men: H. C. Fry; G. W. Fry; S. M. Kane; William Moulds; S. H. Moulds; Thomas Carr; William Carr; Thomas Matthews; John Hayes; J. H. Lippencott; and Richard Welsh. Mr. Moulds and H. C. Fry went to Rochester and there purchased the ten-acre estate of A. Lacock, which was at one time a fine maple grove, and, later, partly used as a brick yard. They immediately broke ground and soon a factory was built and in full operation, their success being manifest from the start. Misfortune (through fire) overtook them when they had been running for two years, but they rebuilt without delay and made many valuable improvements which greatly facilitated manufacture, and greatly increased the output. At that time three new members were added to the firm, namely: George Searles, and Robert and John Carr. The plant has grown to be the largest enterprise of its kind in the world, their shipments being directed to all parts of the United States, Canada, England (and other parts of Europe), South America, Africa, Australia, Mexico, China and Japan. They ship from three to ten carloads per day, and have a monthly output of 150,000 dozen of blown goods and 150,000 dozen of pressed, giving employment to twelve hundred persons. They have their own dynamos, and the factory is equipped with 1,000 incandescent lights. They also have their own ice house and water works, containing a tank with a capacity of 3,100 gallons. The firm at the present time is organized as follows: H. C. Fry, president; William Moulds, general manager; S. H. Moulds, assistant manager; J. H. Fry, secretary; and Clayton Vance, treasurer. Mr. Moulds has also been closely identified with other business interests about Rochester, - prominent among them being the Olive Stove Works, of which he is president. He has taken an active interest in the progress of the borough, and has made many friends throughout this section by the honorable manner in which he conducts his affairs. He was united in matrimony with May Jane, a daughter of Captain John Wallace, of Steubenville, Ohio, and they have three children: Mary W., widow of H. B. Shallenberger, of Rochester; John W., deceased; and Jessie Agnes. Mr. Moulds resides in a fine home on West Adams street, and has served in the council for two years. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows and Masonic orders. He served in the Civil War, enlisting in 1864, as a corporal in Company C, 157th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. Religiously, he is a member of the Baptist church. We present a portrait of Mr. Moulds on another page, in proximity to this.