William Armstrong Fairburn
Encyclopedia
William Armstrong Fairburn (12 October 1876-1 October 1947) was a noted American author, naval architect, marine engineer, industrial executive, and chemist
.
who married in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in 1867.
Census information shows that Thomas worked as a ship fitter, then foreman at a ship yard in Braintree, Massachusetts
. He made trips home to visit family still in Huddersfield, and his passport application (1923) shows that he was born in Hull
, England in 1849, and that his father was another Thomas.
William was born in Huddersfield
, England
, 12 October 1876, the 1891 census showing that he had already begun work as a "Post Office boy" by the age of 14. He emigrated in May 1891 from Liverpool to New York on the "S.S. Servia" with his mother Elizabeth, and sisters Alice and Annie, following his father who had emigrated the year before. He attended the public schools in Bath, Maine
, became an apprentice, and by age 18 was a master mechanic. In 1896, he went to the University of Glasgow
and studied naval architecture and marine engineering for a year.
He returned home to work at Bath Iron Works
where he built an all-steel freighter, the first in America. By 1900 he was an independent consultant. In this capacity, he met O. C. Barber
and Edward R. Stettinius, Sr., at the Stirling Boiler Co. (later merged into Babcock & Wilcox). They were also executives at the Diamond Match Company
, and in 1909 they put Fairburn in charge of its operations in hopes of solving some problems it had encountered. In the 1910 census (Groton, Connecticut
), Fairburn is shown as a naval architect.
A major problem at Diamond Match was the white phosphorous used in making matches which caused health problems for workers and poisoned children who ate the matches. Fairburn discovered company patents which provided an alternative, and, working with company chemists, by 1911 an improved match, which substituted sesquisulfide for the phosphorous, was introduced.
At Diamond Match, Fairburn also discovered and worked out a chemical process for extracting potash
from kelp
. Owing to this discovery, the price of matches did not increase when the start of World War I
shut off the old sources of potash supply. Fairburn later became president of the Diamond Match Company in 1915, succeeding Stettenius. In the 1930 census (Morris, New Jersey), he is shown as an executive in a match factory.
The Fairburn Marine Education Foundation, Inc., of Center Lovell, Maine, was established in his honor.
, Canada) in September 1904.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
Biography
He was the son of Thomas W. Fairburn and Elizabeth Jemima Frosdick,who married in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in 1867.
Census information shows that Thomas worked as a ship fitter, then foreman at a ship yard in Braintree, Massachusetts
Braintree, Massachusetts
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...
. He made trips home to visit family still in Huddersfield, and his passport application (1923) shows that he was born in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, England in 1849, and that his father was another Thomas.
William was born in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 12 October 1876, the 1891 census showing that he had already begun work as a "Post Office boy" by the age of 14. He emigrated in May 1891 from Liverpool to New York on the "S.S. Servia" with his mother Elizabeth, and sisters Alice and Annie, following his father who had emigrated the year before. He attended the public schools in Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, became an apprentice, and by age 18 was a master mechanic. In 1896, he went to the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and studied naval architecture and marine engineering for a year.
He returned home to work at Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
where he built an all-steel freighter, the first in America. By 1900 he was an independent consultant. In this capacity, he met O. C. Barber
O. C. Barber
Ohio Columbus Barber was an American businessman, industrialist and philanthropist. He was called "America's Match King" because of his controlling interest in the Diamond Match Company, which had 85 per cent of the market in 1881. He founded the city of Barberton, Ohio in 1891 and moved his...
and Edward R. Stettinius, Sr., at the Stirling Boiler Co. (later merged into Babcock & Wilcox). They were also executives at the Diamond Match Company
Diamond Match Company
The Diamond Match Company was the largest manufacturer of matches in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Jarden is the current owner of the Diamond brand.-History:...
, and in 1909 they put Fairburn in charge of its operations in hopes of solving some problems it had encountered. In the 1910 census (Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
), Fairburn is shown as a naval architect.
A major problem at Diamond Match was the white phosphorous used in making matches which caused health problems for workers and poisoned children who ate the matches. Fairburn discovered company patents which provided an alternative, and, working with company chemists, by 1911 an improved match, which substituted sesquisulfide for the phosphorous, was introduced.
At Diamond Match, Fairburn also discovered and worked out a chemical process for extracting potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
from kelp
Kelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
. Owing to this discovery, the price of matches did not increase when the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
shut off the old sources of potash supply. Fairburn later became president of the Diamond Match Company in 1915, succeeding Stettenius. In the 1930 census (Morris, New Jersey), he is shown as an executive in a match factory.
The Fairburn Marine Education Foundation, Inc., of Center Lovell, Maine, was established in his honor.
Writings
Fairburn published several dozen books in the early twentieth century concerned generally with sociology in the workplace, theories and speculations on human potentialities, and other topics. Among his works are:- Human Chemistry (1914) This work describes workers as chemical elementChemical elementA chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
s in a well-stocked laboratoryLaboratoryA laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
and handlers of people as chemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
s. - Man and his health; Liquids (1916)
- Life and Work (1916)
- Mentality and Freedom (1917)
- Organization and Success (1923)
- Justice and Law (1927)
- Russia, the Utopia in chains (1931)
- Work and workers: Essays and miscellaneous writings (1933)
Family
He married Isabella Louise Ramsay (born 4 August 1878, Summerfield, Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada) in September 1904.
Further reading
- Manchester, Herbert. (1940). William Armstrong Fairburn; a Factor in Human Progress. New York, N.Y., The Blanchard press.
- Ingham, John N. (1983) Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders: Vol. 1, A-G ISBN: 031323907X
External links
- “William Fairburn,” Encyclopedia of human thermodynamics. This source puts a case for William Armstrong Fairburn to be the son of a William, and grandson of Sir William FairbairnWilliam FairbairnSir William Fairbairn, 1st Baronet was a Scottish civil engineer, structural engineer and shipbuilder.-Early career:...
, which does not seem to be the case.