Tori Leche

Early Life  Henry Clay Frick was born on American soil in West Overton, Pennsylvania on December 19,  Frick was named after a leader of the Whig Party, which his family belonged to.  As a child, Frick worked for his grandfather, a successful merchant, as a bookkeeper and clerk.  Throughout his childhood, Frick was haunted by his lack of physical strength.  Frick came from a “well-to-do” family. His father was a farmer, his mother was the daughter of a whiskey distiller and flour merchant, and his grandfather was a wealthy merchant.

Early Business  Frick saw the potential in the coal deposits of the country and the increasing industrialism, so he decided to take action.  In 1871, Frick borrowed money so he could invest in a share dealing with coke (a substance extracted from burning coal that is important to the production of steel).  This investment eventually became the H.C. Frick Coke Co. Coke ovens owned by H.C. Frick Coke Co.

H.C. Frick Coke Co. Underground Coal Conveyer Belt Coal Processing Plant

Big Business  By the age of 30, Henry Clay Frick was a millionaire.  H.C. Frick Coke Company eventually became to largest producer of coke in the world owning 12,000 coke ovens and 40,000 acres of coal.  Frick was an aggressive industrialist. He did anything in his control to increase his profits and properties including buying out his competitors.  His business was centered around Pittsburgh, where the steel industry was found.

Big Business  With Frick’s involvement in the steel industry, it was only logical for him to join forces with a fellow industrialist.  In 1882, Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie, steel tycoon, started a partnership to further control the industry.  In 1889, Frick was named chairman of Carnegie Bros. and Co., Andrew Carnegie’s steel company.  Both being money-hungry industrialists, this partnership did not last forever. In 1899, Carnegie tried to buy Frick’s share of the company for a fraction of its true value. Frick sued Carnegie and eventually got an acceptable amount of money for his share, but the relationship between the two men was destroyed.

Corruption  In 1892, Frick cut the wages of workers, evicted workers from company houses, and stopped negotiating with union leaders when his profits began to decrease.  This resulted in a labor strike and violence. Became known as the Homestead Strike (pictured below)  Because of Frick’s actions, an assassination was plotted for revenge against him. This attempt failed, however.

Philanthropist?  During his lifetime, Henry Clay Frick would not have been considered a philanthropist since he did not really share his wealth.  After he died in 1919, however, he left his huge art collection (acquired during his wealthy lifetime) and his New York mansion to the city to act as a museum.  Also, an estimated 50 million dollars of Frick’s fortune was donated to charities after his death.

Political Cartoon  This political cartoon represents the Homestead Strike and the discontentment of the coal miners towards Henry Clay Frick, the mine owner. In the illustration, the miner is dressed in relatively sloppy clothes. Frick is dressed in a nice suit, which represents his wealth and power over the workers. The worker is punching Frick because of all of the wage cuts and wrong doings he issued. Frick’s face looks surprised which shows how he thought he had indefinite power over these workers when in reality, he could easily be knocked off of his high pedestal.

Works Cited “ Coke ovens owned by the Henry Clay Frick Coke Company, Mount Pleasant, PA, circa 1890.” Explore PA History. Web. 3 Feb “Finding Aid for the Henry Clay Frick Art Collection Files, ” The Frick Collection/Frick Art Reference Library Archives. Web. 3 Feb “Henry Clay Frick.” Netstate. Web. 3 Feb “Henry Clay Frick: “The Man” was a Businessman.” Carnegie Museums. Web. 3 Feb “Misc. Klondike Field.” Coal Camp USA. Web. 3 Feb “People & Events: Henry Clay Frick ( ).” American Experience. Web. 3 Feb Skrabec, Quentin R. Henry Clay Frick: the life of the perfect capitalist. Jefferson: MacFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Print.