John Baptiste Ford
Encyclopedia
Captain John Baptiste Ford (November 17, 1811–May 1, 1903) was an American
industrialist and founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, now known as PPG Industries
, based in Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
, United States
.
Born in a log cabin
in Danville, Kentucky
, he never remembered his father, Jonathan Ford, who in 1813 joined the Kentucky Volunteer Homespun regiment to fight the British forces
at New Orleans in the War of 1812
and never returned. His mother, Margaret, the daughter of Jean Baptiste, an immigrant from France
who had fought in the American Revolutionary War
, apprenticed young John at the age of 12 to a Danville saddlemaker. He ran away from the saddlemaker at age 14 and found his freedom in Greenville, Indiana
, where he remained for the next 30 years. There in 1831 he married Mary Bower, a farm girl who taught him to read and write.
The couple opened a small dry goods store, then a saddlery shop and a flour mill. The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 presented a golden opportunity to Ford, who won a large contract to supply the United States Cavalry
. His success, and his vision of the importance of the Ohio River
in opening up the vast country west of the Mississippi River
, drove Ford to build a boatworks at New Albany, Indiana
. Its success earned him the appellation of "Captain" Ford.
Next he entered the iron business. The American Civil War
provided him the next business windfall as he supplied the Union forces
. Ford's son Emory graduated in June 1864 from Duff's Mercantile College
upriver in Pittsburgh. Emory marveled at the many glass works in the city, and soon his father opened a glass firm back in New Albany. They expanded, eventually, into plate glass operations, something that had been largely a European endeavor. In the 1883 Ford and sons organized a new company in the nation's booming industrial center, Pittsburgh, which became the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.
By 1897 the Fords, tired of disagreements with their business partners, sold their shares in PPG and formed a new venture to the west near Toledo, Ohio
, the Ford Glass Company. It later became Libbey Owens Ford Glass Company
. At one time he was in business with his first cousin, Washington Charles De Pauw.
John Ford died at his home in Tarentum, Pennsylvania
in 1903. He is buried in Allegheny Cemetery
in Pittsburgh. The town of Ford City, Pennsylvania
, is named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
industrialist and founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, now known as PPG Industries
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
, based in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Born in a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
in Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, he never remembered his father, Jonathan Ford, who in 1813 joined the Kentucky Volunteer Homespun regiment to fight the British forces
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
at New Orleans in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and never returned. His mother, Margaret, the daughter of Jean Baptiste, an immigrant from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
who had fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, apprenticed young John at the age of 12 to a Danville saddlemaker. He ran away from the saddlemaker at age 14 and found his freedom in Greenville, Indiana
Greenville, Indiana
Greenville is a town in Greenville Township, Floyd County, Indiana, United States. The population was 595 at the 2010 census.- History :Early in Floyd County's history, Greenville was initially to be the county seat. A New Albany resident offered to provide a bell for the courthouse, if and only...
, where he remained for the next 30 years. There in 1831 he married Mary Bower, a farm girl who taught him to read and write.
The couple opened a small dry goods store, then a saddlery shop and a flour mill. The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 presented a golden opportunity to Ford, who won a large contract to supply the United States Cavalry
United States Cavalry
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, is the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The role of the U.S. Cavalry is reconnaissance, security and mounted assault. Cavalry has served as a part of the Army forces in every war in which the United States has participated...
. His success, and his vision of the importance of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in opening up the vast country west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, drove Ford to build a boatworks at New Albany, Indiana
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
. Its success earned him the appellation of "Captain" Ford.
Next he entered the iron business. The American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
provided him the next business windfall as he supplied the Union forces
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
. Ford's son Emory graduated in June 1864 from Duff's Mercantile College
Duff's Business Institute
Duff's Business Institute is the former name of Everest Institute's Pittsburgh campus. It offers career college programs in a variety of areas. The College was founded in 1851 as Duff's Mercantile College and has also been known as The Pioneer Business College in America, Iron City Commercial...
upriver in Pittsburgh. Emory marveled at the many glass works in the city, and soon his father opened a glass firm back in New Albany. They expanded, eventually, into plate glass operations, something that had been largely a European endeavor. In the 1883 Ford and sons organized a new company in the nation's booming industrial center, Pittsburgh, which became the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.
By 1897 the Fords, tired of disagreements with their business partners, sold their shares in PPG and formed a new venture to the west near Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, the Ford Glass Company. It later became Libbey Owens Ford Glass Company
Libbey Owens Ford
The Libbey–Owens–Ford Company was a producer of flat glass for the automotive and building products industries both for original equipment manufacturers and for replacement use. The company's headquarters and main factories were located in Toledo, Ohio, with large float glass plants in Rossford,...
. At one time he was in business with his first cousin, Washington Charles De Pauw.
John Ford died at his home in Tarentum, Pennsylvania
Tarentum, Pennsylvania
Tarentum is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. Tarentum was an industrial center where plate glass and bottles were manufactured; bricks, lumber, steel and iron novelties, steel billets and sheets,...
in 1903. He is buried in Allegheny Cemetery
Allegheny Cemetery
Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It is a nonsectarian, wooded hillside park located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood and bounded by Bloomfield, Garfield, and Stanton Heights...
in Pittsburgh. The town of Ford City, Pennsylvania
Ford City, Pennsylvania
Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles south of Kittanning, the county seat....
, is named in his honor.