Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897

JAMES R. PHILLIPS

[p. 172] is the secretary and general superintendent of the Ellwood Tinplate Co., of Ellwood City, Pa. He is English by birth, as he was born near Dudley, England. He became associated in 1894 with the Ellwood Tinplate Co., and to-day is one of Ellwood City's leading and influential citizens, taking a hearty interest in improvements of all kinds, and identifying himself with the best and most progressive element of the place. He married Margaret E. Love of Sharon, Pa., and they have a pleasant home on one of the prettiest streets, where they perform their full share of social functions. In 1897, Mr. Phillips was elected school director, and is rapidly gaining for himself a reputation for earnestness of purpose and full endeavor in making Ellwood City's schools inferior to none in the county.

The Ellwood Tinplate Co. was established in 1894, with H. A. Bishop, president; A. W. Brown, vice-president and general manager; Charles Babcock, treasurer; all of the above residents of Cleveland, Ohio; and James R. Phillips, secretary and general superintendent. In the same year the factory was built in the western part of the city, and following are some of the departments: hot mill department, 200X250 feet; tin house No. 1, 100x50 feet; tin house No. 2, 75x50 feet; assorting room, 45x90; warehouse, 35X250. A part of these buildings were erected in 1894, and the work immediately commenced, three hundred men being employed, and a weekly output of 3,500 boxes being averaged. All kinds of roofing are manufactured and tin of all grades, for which the company has gained an excellent reptutation over a wide stretch of territory, the product, however, being shipped principally to eastern markets. The business is placed on a solid financial basis, and has grown to the extent that in 1897 more space was needed, and the following rooms were added: a pickling room, 55x75 feet, an annealing house, 75x100 feet, a cold rolling department, 65x75 feet. The hot mills were increased from four to five, and the cold mills from four to six. By these additions the company was enabled to raise the weekly product to 4,400 boxes, and give employment to 100 more men. This is up to the present day one of the most prosperous and most firmly established firms in that line in the United States. Mr. Phillips has devoted energy and good judgment to furthering the interests of the company and of all connected therewith, and the success of the firm is attributed in a large measure to his untiring efforts.


Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897

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