Read Pat’s earlier blogs detailing Findlay’s history here!
The Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company was organized at Williamsburg, West Virginia in 1865. They were the largest and third glass company to locate in Findlay.
On April 9, 1866 the Dalzell brothers signed a contract with the Swing and Howard land syndicates to move their factory to Findlay. They were to get a four acre building site free with free gas for five years. The company agreed to build a factory costing $460,000.
The Dalzell factory was five blocks north of the Bellaire Goblet factory. May 2, 1886, construction started and the new company of Dalzell & Gilmore was formed in June 1866.
George Leighton was the designer of the rare and valuable onyx glass, which is on display in the Exhibit Center at the Hancock Historical Museum.
The glass company was very successful and in 1892, reached peak production with 4,000 barrels of glassware being made in one week by the 450 people who worked there.
Want to learn more about the glass industry in Findlay and Hancock County? See Pat’s previous blog about the Columbia Gas Company here.