Francis Harrington Glidden

Francis Harrington Glidden
Born(1832-05-24)May 24, 1832
New Castle, Maine, US
DiedSeptember 25, 1922(1922-09-25) (aged 90)
Cleveland, Ohio, US
Occupationbusinessman
Known forfounding the Glidden Company

Francis Harrington Glidden (1832–1922) was an American businessman best known for founding the company now known as the Glidden Company, which became a subsidiary of Akzo Nobel NV[1] before that company sold the Glidden business to PPG Industries, Inc. in 2012.[2]

Biography

Glidden was born on May 24, 1832, in New Castle, Maine, and attended Lincoln Academy.[3] After marrying Winifred Kavanaugh Waters in 1854,[3] he had a career as a seaman and dry-goods merchant.[3][4] In 1866, he entered the varnish business for the first time, working as a varnish salesman for William Tilden and Nehphena, in New York City.[3] He remained with that company through 1875.[3]

In 1868, Glidden moved to Cleveland, Ohio.[4] In 1875, after leaving Tilden, he started his own varnish manufacturing company, named The Glidden-Brackett Company; renamed later to the Glidden & Joy Company,[4] and in 1890 incorporated as The Glidden Varnish Company.[4]

Glidden served as President and Director of the company;[4] retiring in 1917 at age 85.[5] In addition to his work with the company, Glidden served as director of Central National Bank of Cleveland.[4]

Glidden resided in the Clifton Park area of Lakewood, Ohio, in a home he built in 1910 that he named "Inglewood."[6] He died September 25, 1922, in Cleveland, and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Privacy Policy". Glidden. Archived from the original on November 4, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  2. ^ Pledger, Marcia (December 14, 2012). "Akzo Nobel sells Glidden and rest of U.S. house paints division including Strongsville headquarters". Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e The book of Clevelanders: a biographical dictionary of living men of the city of Cleveland (Google ebook ed.). Burrows Brothers Company. 1914. p. 108.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Orth, Samuel Peter; Clarke, S.J. (1910). A History of Cleveland, Ohio: Biographical (Google ebook ed.). Chicago-Cleveland: S.J. Clarke Pub. p. 660. OCLC 732890.
  5. ^ "The Glidden Company". Company Histories & Profiles. Funding Universe. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Paint king's mansion kept elegant by granddaughter". Lakewood Sun Post. February 3, 1994. Archived from the original on September 6, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.