Robert and John Pitcairn

Scottish immigrants John and Robert Pitcairn—following their friend Andrew Carnegie—worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, transporting troops and supplies for the Union army during the Civil War. John co-founded the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company—eventually a key player in the U.S. glass industry—while Robert managed the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the aftermath of the 1889 Johnstown flood.
The history of the Pitcairn brothers parallels the evolution of American industry and transportation during and after the Civil War. This book provides a historical perspective on the 1877 railroad strike and other events that shaped the transportation industry and American industrialization. It also examines the spiritual and philanthropic impact of the Pitcairn brothers: Robert at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church near Pittsburgh and John at the Bryn Athyn religious community near Philadelphia. Today, the legacy of the Pitcairn brothers remains woven into the fabric of American industrialization, revealing the intricate connections among industry, transportation, and philanthropy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

William R. Huber worked at Bell Telephone Laboratories and other major American technology companies before becoming an expert witness in patent litigation cases. He lives in West End, North Carolina.

William R. Huber
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 249
Bibliographic Info: 85 photos, 12 maps, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9691-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5508-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments       ix
Foreword by David Bear       1
Foreword by Bruce Henderson       3
Preface       5
Introduction       7
1. Finding a Home       9
2. Welcome to America       16
3. Dots and Dashes       22
4. Emanuel Swedenborg       27
5. The Pennsylvania Railroad       36
6. Railroads and the Civil War       44
7. John: Railroads, Oil and Church       52
8. Robert: Family, Railroads and Church       60
9. Travels with John       67
10. Blood on the Tracks—Part 1       79
11. Blood on the Tracks—Part 2       87
12. Marriage and Divorce       99
13. Glass and Gas       107
14. Antediluvian Johnstown       118
15. South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club       124
16. The Johnstown Flood—Part 1       133
17. The Johnstown Flood—Part 2       144
18. Unintended Consequences       158
19. Into the Country—Bryn Athyn       169
20. Life Goes On       176
21. Pitcairns After John       184
Epilogue and Retrospection       196
Appendix I: Pitcairn Family Trees       201
Appendix II: Visiting Bryn Athyn       206
Chapter Notes       209
Bibliography       219
Index       229