James G. Marshall (August 24, 1869 – December 28, 1960) was an American

industrialist A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...

and inventor. Hailed as the "father of the covered furnace," he pioneered advancements in calcium carbide research and

ferroalloys Ferroalloy refers to various alloys of iron with a high proportion of one or more other elements such as manganese (Mn), aluminium (Al), or silicon (Si). They are used in the production of steels and alloys. The alloys impart distinctive qua ...

. As a co-founder of chemical company Union Carbide, Marshall held various roles throughout his lifetime, notably serving as general superintendent.

Early life and education

James G. Marshall was born on August 24, 1869 to Joseph Williams Marshall and Mary Allen Marshall, on the family farm located in Buffalo Run Valley near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest among 10 siblings, with four brothers and five sisters. His mother was the daughter of a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...

, while his father's ancestors were among the earliest settlers in America. Marshall is a direct descendant, seven generations removed, of

John Brown of Priesthill John Brown (1627–1685), also known as the Christian Carrier, was a Protestant Covenanter from Priesthill farm, a few miles from Muirkirk in Ayrshire, Scotland. He became a Presbyterian martyr in 1685. Among the numerous executions carried ou ...

. Marshall graduated from Bellefonte Academy in 1891. He earned a

B. Sc. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

from

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

in 1895, followed by an

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

degree from the same institution in 1902. He taught elementary school from 1889 to 1890. Marshall relocated to

Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagara ...

, where he observed that the newspapers were brimming with stories about beginning the development of electric power, with Niagara Falls prominently featured in those narratives, in 1896.

Career

Marshall started his career in 1896 as an electrical engineer at the Acetylene Light, Heat, & Power Co. of Niagara Falls, which he co-founded and which later became Union Carbide. In 1910, he pioneered the covered furnace system at Union Carbide, earning him the title of the "father of the covered furnace". He was promoted to superintendent of the Niagara Falls plant in 1913 and became district superintendent of the Welland, Ontario, and Niagara Falls plants in 1917. In 1921, Marshall became general superintendent of operations for Union Carbide, overseeing facilities throughout North America, including in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Michigan, Virginia, and West Virginia. He oversaw the construction of the Union Carbide plant in Norway and traveled through Europe, Asia, Australia and South America, as well as the United States. He remained in this role until he retired in 1939. Following his retirement, Marshall served as a consulting engineer for the company. Marshall, described as a "sentinel of industrial safety," championed safety and better working conditions throughout his career. He is credited as a pioneer of plant safety programs used nationwide. Niagara Falls historian Tom Yots notes that he was recognized for his contributions to advancing employee benefits and is credited with devising a work shift system that ensured employees had adequate rest periods and a fair distribution of workload during holidays and other special times of need. Marshall held many patents in the electro-metallurgical field. He is credited for making two fundamental raw materials,

acetylene Acetylene (systematic name: ethyne) is the chemical compound with the formula and structure . It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in its pure ...

and carbon monoxide, commercially accessible to the chemical industry.

Awards and distinctions

In 1937, Marshall was awarded the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal from the Western New York chapter of the American Chemical Society for his contributions to the calcium carbide and ferroalloy industries. In 1953, Marshall received from the Niagara Falls Council of Social Agencies an Honorary Life Membership for Community Service. In 1956, Marshall received a Distinguished Alumnus Medal from his alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, for "conspicuous achievement in personal and professional life, and community service".

Personal life

Marshall married Lida T. Marshall in 1898. They had two daughters. Lida died in 1946.

Civic work and philanthropy

Marshall participated in several civic and charitable organizations, including the Beeman Clinic, Niagara Falls Historical Society, Old Fort Niagara Association, Council of Social Agencies, and the YMCA. He served as a board member of the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce from 1933 to 1936, vice president from 1933 to 1935, director from 1941 to 1943, and president from 1941 to 1943. Marshall served as an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Niagara Falls from 1917 onwards. In 1957, Marshall proposed turning the Edward Dean Adams power plant into an "electrical hall of fame" to preserve its history and that of industries it powered. Despite gathering wide support from various organizations, including historical societies, the project faced financial challenges and remained unrealized.

James G. Marshall House

Marshall resided in the Park Place Historic District in Niagara Falls, New York. In 2004, his home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places. In 1994, it opened as a bed and breakfast.

Death

Marshall died on December 28, 1960 at Memorial Hospital in Niagara Falls.

References

{{Reflist 1869 births 1960 deaths 20th-century American chemists 20th-century industrialists People from Niagara Falls, New York Pennsylvania State University alumni People from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania