Hey there! Let me introduce you to Fawcett Plumb, a fascinating 19th century businessman and inventor who pioneered new technologies while building an impressive commercial empire. He also overcame immense personal tragedy in his life.
I first stumbled upon Plumb while researching old calculating gadgets and his patented "adding machine" invention popped up. That sparked my interest – I‘m always eager to learn about innovative tinkerers who pushed mechanical engineering forward during the Industrial Revolution. As I dug deeper into archival records, Fawcett‘s story of grit, creativity, and entrepreneurship really captured my imagination.
So how did this son of a simple Ohio farmer establish successful enterprises in banking, real estate, manufacturing and snag patents for inventions like a steam-powered excavator? Well, let‘s start at the beginning…
From Humble Roots to Business Prominence
Fawcett Plumb was born in 1834 in Andover, Ohio as the eldest of six children to farmers Frances Plumb and Mary Hyde. Early census data shows the family selling modest produce like butter, eggs and wool, supplemented by Frances‘ wages as a farmhand.
Young Fawcett attended public school before enrolling at Oberlin College in 1857. This move was likely supported by his uncles Samuel and Ralph Plumb – brothers of his father who had achieved financial success in Oberlin‘s business community.
In fact, Fawcett lived and worked as private secretary to his uncle Ralph for almost 7 years while at Oberlin. This exposed him to Ralph‘s ventures in coal mining, railroad development, banking and more. It seemed to spark his own business ambitions.
As a student, Fawcett also met and married Colonel Ralph Plumb‘s daughter, Lucy Geraldine, in 1866. Tragically, Lucy battled illness and the couple lost 3 infant sons in just a few years. Despite this heartbreak, Lucy‘s father Colonel Plumb remained Fawcett‘s close advisor as his career took off.
After graduating in 1862, Fawcett studied law at Albany University while continuing assistance to his uncle. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1867 before relocating to open his own practice in Pontiac, Illinois.
But after just one year as an attorney, Fawcett shifted gears dramatically. Sensing brighter prospects out West, he moved to Streator, Illinois to start a real estate company just as his uncle Ralph relocated there too.
This small mining town proved the perfect staging ground for Fawcett‘s decades-long business ascent. Let‘s analyze his pioneering ventures and inventions over the years…
An Entrepreneurial Drive Across Banking, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Engineering
Fawcett clearly possessed sharp commercial instincts and an innovative mindset. Rather than remain pigeon-holed as a lawyer or real estate agent, he aggressively expanded into diverse sectors:
Banking
Just 14 years after arriving in Streator, Fawcett incorporated and co-founded Streator National Bank in 1881. Serving as Director and then President, he grew it into a bedrock of the regional banking industry.
Manufacturing & Materials
He also co-launched the booming Streator Paving Brick Company and managed Eagle Clay Works with Colonel Plumb‘s son John. These firms produced high-demand masonry and construction goods to aid regional development.
Infrastructure
But Fawcett wasn‘t just extracting black gold and minting money above ground – he drove infrastructure advances below too. His steam-powered ditching machine could excavate agricultural drainage trenches 5 times quicker than manual laborers. I‘ll expand more on his inventions later!
Clearly Fawcett leveraged broad business connections and his own fearless imagination to capitalize on Streator‘s growth after the Civil War. But he also prioritized public service…
A Savvy Independent Voice in State Politics
Fawcett first entered politics in 1874, winning State Senate election as an Independent Republican. This meant mostly aligning with general Republican platforms but freely speaking his conscience.
Over two terms, he passed bills supporting infrastructure expansion and business-friendly policies in line with his own ventures. But he also opposed monopoly trusts and high officer salaries limiting access. Political independence enabled Fawcett‘s pragmatism.
Now, let‘s get into Fawcett‘s engineering creativity…I‘ve been waiting to dive deeper here! 😄
The Curious Inventor Tinkering to Solve Real-World Problems
Fawcett was clearly a busy guy between his banking, manufacturing, lawmaking and land developing pursuits. But he still found time to file multiple patents for clever mechanical inventions tackling everyday issues:
Adding Machine
This early calculating gadget used numbered dials and keys allowing users to efficiently set sums, unlike manual pencil and paper methods. Banks and shops quickly adopted these to speed up transactions and billing.
Roof Tile Fastener
Fawcett devised a sturdy metal fixture that prevented decorative clay roof tiles from cracking or detaching in extreme weather. Crucial for protecting homes and businesses.
Advanced Brick Kiln
His upgraded furnace design promoted consistent heating across brick layers, yielding durable construction materials. Streator‘s 1880 population boom caused high demand.
Steam Ditching Machine
Fawcett‘s most ambitious contraption – a steam-driven excavator that could carve agricultural trenches faster than 10 laborers! This innovation wowed crowds at the 1884 World Fair.
While clever personal profit clearly motivated some of Fawcett‘s commercial maneuvers, I believe his inventions genuinely aimed to modernize regional living and working standards. Even if he personally gained from advanced infrastructure and construction capabilities!
Enduring Personal Grief But Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Tragically, Fawcett endured the untimely loss of three wives over his lifetime. First wife Lucy died in 1875, followed by second wife Ermina in 1889 after birthing their only son Ermin who survived infancy. Third wife Carrie passed in 1915 without children as well.
Despite enduring terrible grief, Fawcett channeled his emotions into further enriching his adopted Streator community. In 1917, he donated 45 acres of land to the city which became the beautiful Marilla Park, named for his late mother-in-law.
After passing in 1919, Fawcett‘s obituary celebrated his contributions not just to regional financial stability and infrastructure, but also education, recreation and arts via his Opera House. The people of Streator certainly owed great thanks to their ambitious adopted son turned benefactor.
So in the end, Fawcett Plumb‘s legacy reflected a man driven by both visionary innovation and compassion for community – an inspirational pioneer who hackers like me certainly look up to! I‘m motivated now to dig deeper on his patented adding machine which seems to have crucial historical significance for modern computing…
But I hope you‘ve enjoyed this profile as much as I did reconstructing Fawcett‘s remarkable rollercoaster of a life! Let me know in the comments if you have any other 19th century inventors or industrialists I should cover next!
