John Walker (industrialist)
Encyclopedia
John Walker was a prominent iron and steel industrialist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
, now known as Pittsburgh's North Side. His father was a Scottish immigrant. He was a boyhood friend of Andrew Carnegie
and Henry Clay Frick
; all three of them grew up to be steel industrialists.
Walker founded Wilson, Walker & Co. in 1872, a company producing bar iron, railroad car forgings, and rail plates. In 1886, the company was bought by Carnegie, Phipps & Company and Walker became chairman of the board. As a director of Frick Coke Co., he sided with Frick over Carnegie in their clash to control American steel production. Carnegie offered Walker a $3,000,000 share of Carnegie Steel to change sides; Walker refused to double-cross his friend Frick. Walker retired in 1888.
Walker lived in a mansion on Western Avenue in Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood.
At Walker's death in 1932, he was one of the last surviving steel masters in Pittsburgh. When Walker died, his family donated his private library to Washington & Jefferson College
in Washington, Pennsylvania
. The entire library was installed in the Thompson Library exactly as it had been—including an extensive collection of books, bookcases, pictures, furniture, chandeliers, and stained-glass lamps. When the U. Grant Miller Library
replaced Thompson Library as the college library in 1965, the room was moved to the new facility, again exactly as it had been during Walker's life. The room is generally used for study and reading.
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
, now known as Pittsburgh's North Side. His father was a Scottish immigrant. He was a boyhood friend of Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
and Henry Clay Frick
Henry Clay Frick
Henry Clay Frick was an American industrialist, financier, and art patron. He founded the H. C. Frick & Company coke manufacturing company, was chairman of the Carnegie Steel Company, and played a major role in the formation of the giant U.S. Steel steel manufacturing concern...
; all three of them grew up to be steel industrialists.
Walker founded Wilson, Walker & Co. in 1872, a company producing bar iron, railroad car forgings, and rail plates. In 1886, the company was bought by Carnegie, Phipps & Company and Walker became chairman of the board. As a director of Frick Coke Co., he sided with Frick over Carnegie in their clash to control American steel production. Carnegie offered Walker a $3,000,000 share of Carnegie Steel to change sides; Walker refused to double-cross his friend Frick. Walker retired in 1888.
Walker lived in a mansion on Western Avenue in Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood.
At Walker's death in 1932, he was one of the last surviving steel masters in Pittsburgh. When Walker died, his family donated his private library to Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
. The entire library was installed in the Thompson Library exactly as it had been—including an extensive collection of books, bookcases, pictures, furniture, chandeliers, and stained-glass lamps. When the U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library is the academic library for Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pennsylvania. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin in 1789, the collection currently hold 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain...
replaced Thompson Library as the college library in 1965, the room was moved to the new facility, again exactly as it had been during Walker's life. The room is generally used for study and reading.