Boulton Carbon Company
Encyclopedia
The Boulton Carbon Company was a manufacturing company located in Cleveland, Ohio
, USA, from 1881 to 1886. It was devoted to the manufacture of carbon points (or carbons) used for arc lighting
. The company was organized in 1881 by W. H. Boulton and Willis U. Masters and formally incorporated in 1883. A controlling interest in the company was acquired in 1886 by a group of investors lead by Washington H. Lawrence
. In 1886, Lawrence reorganized the Boulton Carbon Company as the National Carbon Company
. Under the leadership of Lawrence, the National Carbon Company became the dominate carbon company in the United States and was one of the founding members of the Union Carbide
& Carbon Company in 1917.
). In 1880, the Telegraph Supply Company reorganized as the Brush Electric Company. Before the end of 1881, Brush arc light
systems were lighting the streets of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Montreal, Buffalo, and San Francisco. Over 6,000 lights were sold in 1881 with 1,200 lights sold to England and other foreign countries. Brush Electric installed about eighty percent of the nation’s arc-lighting systems during the early 1880s. Arc lights need carbon electrodes called carbon points (or simply “carbons”) to work. Each carbon would only last on the order of several hours, and then needed to be replaced.
In 1881, the use of carbons had become so widespread and the profits had become so large that it enticed W. H. Boulton, the foreman of the Brush Electric Company’s carbon department, to leave left Brush Electric. Boulton then formed a business partnership with Cleveland businessman Willis U. Masters to produce identical carbons, which they marketed as “Boulton Carbons”. This new company, which he called the Boulton Carbon Company, became a successful supplier of carbons. The company organized and began doing business in 1881 and formally incorporated in October 1883.
The original factory works of the Boulton carbon company were located at the corner of Clifton Street and Payne Avenue, at the Pennsylvania Rail Road tracks, in Cleveland, Ohio. By 1883, the factory had a capacity of 250,000 carbons per month (about 10% of the capacity of the Brush Electric Company). In 1885, the Boulton Carbon Company factory works were moved to a larger facility on Willson Avenue (now East 55th Street) between the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Pennsylvania Railroad Companies lines, from which they had connecting tracks. This location afforded the company greatly increased capacity along with favorable shipping facilities and options.
In 1886, former Brush Electric Company Superintendent/General Manager Washington H. Lawrence
led a group of investors (including Myron T. Herrick
, James Parmelee
and Webb Hayes
) in buying a controlling interest in the Boulton Carbon Company. Lawrence reorganized it as the National Carbon Company
, serving as its president until his death in 1900. Under the leadership of Lawrence, National went from a successful local carbon company to the dominate carbon company in the United States. National Carbon was one of the founding members of the Union Carbide
& Carbon Company in 1917.
After being bought out by Washington Lawrence in 1886, W. H. Boulton went on to form a new carbon company, which he again called the Boulton Carbon Company (later known as the Boulton-Standard Carbon Company). Following the Carbon Bust in 1887, he was able to form an independent carbon syndicate called the Standard Carbon Company, which was headquartered in Cleveland. The syndicate was formed from the Boulton-Standard Carbon Company, the Cleveland Carbon Company, and the Crystal Carbon Company. In 1888, Boulton was fired by the company’s board of directors at a lively board meeting. He then tried to form another Boulton Carbon Company (with a new factory located at Lake and Belden Streets in Cleveland), but was eventually stopped by a lawsuit brought by his fellow board members at Standard Carbon. By 1890, Boulton, along with P. C. Hoddick, had started the Black Rock Carbon Company in Buffalo, New York. In 1891, Boulton entered his last known carbon related position as the Superintendent of the Aluminum Carbon Company also of Buffalo.
, the Carbon Products Division of Union Carbide
, the UCAR Carbon Company, UCAR International, and is now known as GrafTech
International. Notable offspring from the company include KEMET Laboratories (capacitor technologies), Cytec Industries
', Engineered Materials group (carbon fiber products), Energizer Holdings
(batteries), and National Specialty Products (carbon and graphite specialty products).
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USA, from 1881 to 1886. It was devoted to the manufacture of carbon points (or carbons) used for arc lighting
Arc lamp
"Arc lamp" or "arc light" is the general term for a class of lamps that produce light by an electric arc . The lamp consists of two electrodes, first made from carbon but typically made today of tungsten, which are separated by a gas...
. The company was organized in 1881 by W. H. Boulton and Willis U. Masters and formally incorporated in 1883. A controlling interest in the company was acquired in 1886 by a group of investors lead by Washington H. Lawrence
W. H. Lawrence (industrialist)
Washington Herbert Lawrence was a pioneer in the manufacture of electrical and carbon products who organized and served as the first president of the National Carbon Company, one of the founding members of the Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation.-Family and Early Life:Born on January 17, 1840, in...
. In 1886, Lawrence reorganized the Boulton Carbon Company as the National Carbon Company
National Carbon Company
The National Carbon Company was founded in 1886 by the former Brush Electric Company executive W. H. Lawrence, in association with Myron T. Herrick, James Parmelee, and Webb Hayes, son of U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1890, National Carbon merged with Thomson-Houston,...
. Under the leadership of Lawrence, the National Carbon Company became the dominate carbon company in the United States and was one of the founding members of the Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
& Carbon Company in 1917.
History
In 1879, the Telegraph Supply Company of Cleveland, Ohio, introduced the United States to large scale public arc lighting with a demonstration in Cleveland’s Monumental Square (now called Public SquarePublic Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
). In 1880, the Telegraph Supply Company reorganized as the Brush Electric Company. Before the end of 1881, Brush arc light
Arc lamp
"Arc lamp" or "arc light" is the general term for a class of lamps that produce light by an electric arc . The lamp consists of two electrodes, first made from carbon but typically made today of tungsten, which are separated by a gas...
systems were lighting the streets of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Montreal, Buffalo, and San Francisco. Over 6,000 lights were sold in 1881 with 1,200 lights sold to England and other foreign countries. Brush Electric installed about eighty percent of the nation’s arc-lighting systems during the early 1880s. Arc lights need carbon electrodes called carbon points (or simply “carbons”) to work. Each carbon would only last on the order of several hours, and then needed to be replaced.
In 1881, the use of carbons had become so widespread and the profits had become so large that it enticed W. H. Boulton, the foreman of the Brush Electric Company’s carbon department, to leave left Brush Electric. Boulton then formed a business partnership with Cleveland businessman Willis U. Masters to produce identical carbons, which they marketed as “Boulton Carbons”. This new company, which he called the Boulton Carbon Company, became a successful supplier of carbons. The company organized and began doing business in 1881 and formally incorporated in October 1883.
The original factory works of the Boulton carbon company were located at the corner of Clifton Street and Payne Avenue, at the Pennsylvania Rail Road tracks, in Cleveland, Ohio. By 1883, the factory had a capacity of 250,000 carbons per month (about 10% of the capacity of the Brush Electric Company). In 1885, the Boulton Carbon Company factory works were moved to a larger facility on Willson Avenue (now East 55th Street) between the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Pennsylvania Railroad Companies lines, from which they had connecting tracks. This location afforded the company greatly increased capacity along with favorable shipping facilities and options.
In 1886, former Brush Electric Company Superintendent/General Manager Washington H. Lawrence
W. H. Lawrence (industrialist)
Washington Herbert Lawrence was a pioneer in the manufacture of electrical and carbon products who organized and served as the first president of the National Carbon Company, one of the founding members of the Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation.-Family and Early Life:Born on January 17, 1840, in...
led a group of investors (including Myron T. Herrick
Myron T. Herrick
Myron Timothy Herrick was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 42nd Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
, James Parmelee
James Parmelee
James Parmelee was a Cleveland financier who, in 1886, along with the son of U.S. President and Ohio native, Rutherford B. Hayes, helped start the National Carbon Company, which figured prominently in the history of the battery.-References:...
and Webb Hayes
Webb Hayes
James Webb Cook Hayes was an American businessman and soldier. He co-founded a forerunner of Union Carbide, fought in two wars, and received the Medal of Honor.-Early years and family:...
) in buying a controlling interest in the Boulton Carbon Company. Lawrence reorganized it as the National Carbon Company
National Carbon Company
The National Carbon Company was founded in 1886 by the former Brush Electric Company executive W. H. Lawrence, in association with Myron T. Herrick, James Parmelee, and Webb Hayes, son of U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1890, National Carbon merged with Thomson-Houston,...
, serving as its president until his death in 1900. Under the leadership of Lawrence, National went from a successful local carbon company to the dominate carbon company in the United States. National Carbon was one of the founding members of the Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
& Carbon Company in 1917.
After being bought out by Washington Lawrence in 1886, W. H. Boulton went on to form a new carbon company, which he again called the Boulton Carbon Company (later known as the Boulton-Standard Carbon Company). Following the Carbon Bust in 1887, he was able to form an independent carbon syndicate called the Standard Carbon Company, which was headquartered in Cleveland. The syndicate was formed from the Boulton-Standard Carbon Company, the Cleveland Carbon Company, and the Crystal Carbon Company. In 1888, Boulton was fired by the company’s board of directors at a lively board meeting. He then tried to form another Boulton Carbon Company (with a new factory located at Lake and Belden Streets in Cleveland), but was eventually stopped by a lawsuit brought by his fellow board members at Standard Carbon. By 1890, Boulton, along with P. C. Hoddick, had started the Black Rock Carbon Company in Buffalo, New York. In 1891, Boulton entered his last known carbon related position as the Superintendent of the Aluminum Carbon Company also of Buffalo.
Legacy
Over the years, the company has had many names: the Boulton Carbon Company, the National Carbon CompanyNational Carbon Company
The National Carbon Company was founded in 1886 by the former Brush Electric Company executive W. H. Lawrence, in association with Myron T. Herrick, James Parmelee, and Webb Hayes, son of U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1890, National Carbon merged with Thomson-Houston,...
, the Carbon Products Division of Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
, the UCAR Carbon Company, UCAR International, and is now known as GrafTech
GrafTech
GrafTech International Holdings, Inc. , , is an American multinational corporation with 125 years’ experience in the carbon and graphite industry....
International. Notable offspring from the company include KEMET Laboratories (capacitor technologies), Cytec Industries
Cytec Industries
Cytec Industries Incorporated, based in Woodland Park is a speciality chemicals and materials technology company with pro-forma sales in 2004, including the Surface Specialties acquisition, of approximately $3.0 billion. Cytec is a result of its spin-off from American Cyanamid Company...
', Engineered Materials group (carbon fiber products), Energizer Holdings
Energizer Holdings
Energizer Holdings is an American manufacturer of batteries and personal care products, headquartered in Town and Country, Missouri. Its most well known brands are Energizer and Eveready batteries, Schick, Wilkinson Sword and Edge shaving products, Playtex feminine hygiene and baby products, and...
(batteries), and National Specialty Products (carbon and graphite specialty products).