The History of McKee Glass – Pittsburgh Years

McKee Glass was one of the oldest Pittsburgh glass manufacturers at the turn of the 20th century. Strictly speaking, the history includes two separate branches of the family and two companies, S. McKee and McKee & Bros.

Samuel McKee established his glassmaking factory on 13th St and Carson in 1836. His brother Thomas McKee was also part of this company. It is worth noting that Samuel McKee married Mary Ihmsen, the daughter of Charles Ihmsen, a glassmaker.

S. McKee & Co. Business Highlights

They manufactured glassware, window glass, druggists’ glassware, black ware, telegraphic insulators and other items. They operated factories on the South Side and had offices in Pittsburgh. The McKee Estate became McKee Place in Oakland, PA.

• The company started in 1836 and was originally owned by Samuel McKee, Thomas McKee and James McKee
• In 1844, S. McKee & Co. starts to produce window glass using a new revolving wheel oven, moving away from the crown glass method
• 1860 Samuel McKee became the sole proprietor
• Samuel McKee dies in 1876
• 1877 ownership transfer to his sons Daniel McKee and Christian I. McKee and son-in-law A.C. Dravo
• In 1877, they operated on 4 acres on the South Side with two window glass factories, one bottle factory, a flattening house, cutting rooms, storehouses, a blacksmith shop, engine rooms, a pot room and a grinding mill
• In 1877, They averaged 200 to 280 men and boys with wages of $2,600 per week
• 1890 ownership of the company changes with A. Clarke Dravo leaving the partnership and with Daniel McKee and Christian I. McKee remaining partners
• 1897 labor representatives were ejected from the S. McKee plant by police, the dispute arose from the company refusing to pay union dues
• 1901 a fire cause $15,000 in damages at the factory
• 1904 S. McKee & Co. goes bankrupt with liabilities of $274K and assets of $216K, Daniel McKee states his individual liabilities are $233K
• 1904 S. McKee & Co. properties are put up for sale which carry a mortgage of $50K with an outstanding balance of $51.5K
• 1909 S. McKee properties are sold to Edward G. Hartje
• Christian I. McKee dies in 1903 and Daniel McKee dies in 1913

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Thomas McKee worked with his brother at S. McKee & Co. and, in 1853, helped his sons, Frederick and James (F. & J.) McKee, establish McKee & Bros. with its factory at 18th and Bingham Streets. This company also included their brothers, Stewart and H. Seller McKee, who would go on to lead the company.

McKee & Bros. Business Highlights

The following includes a few highlights from years spent in Pittsburgh’s South Side. The company eventually moved to Jeannette, PA. View the history of the company in Jeannette, PA.

• Frederick (b. 1827, d. 1881) and James (b. 1829 d. 1855) McKee establishes a new glass house in 1853 which becomes McKee & Bros. — sons of Thomas McKee (b. 1800 d. 1864) and nephews of Samuel McKee (b. 1808 d. 1876)
• Brothers Stewart McKee (b. 1845 d. 1885) and H. Sellers McKee (b. 1840 d. 1924) join the firm
• In 1876, the company moves their offices and sample room to their factory on the South Side at 18th Street
• In 1884, the high water levels cause fires when water gets into the lime
• In 1886, McKee & Bros starts their negotiations to buy land in what will become Jeannette, PA
• In 1887 (2), the McKee & Bros plant burns down, creating a loss that is estimated at $100K
• In 1887, McKee & Bros starts work on building their new plant
• In 1888, King Glass Co. leases the McKee & Bros plant at Clifton and 18th Streets
• In 1889, Thomas M. McKee (b. 1867 d. 1940), H. Sellers McKee’s son, joins McKee & Bros.
• In 1889, McKee & Bros starts producing glass in Jeannette, PA