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| William Main Photo from Ancestory.com |
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| William Main Photo from Ancestory.com |
William Main, Jr. (b. February 10, 1845; d. October 18, 1918)
Pennsylvania. White.
Education: University of Pennsylvania (A.B., A.M.), Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania (B.M.E.).
Occupation: chemist, druggist, lawyer, teacher.
William Main, Jr. was born in 1845 in Silver Lake, Pennsylvania to Ann Rose and William Main. His material grandfather Robert H. Rose was one of the early developers of Susquehanna County, purchasing much of the land that made up the area. The father William, Sr. had received training in engraving in Italy from Raffaello Morghen. He worked both as an engraver and as a civil engineer. However, by 1850, he had moved to Pennsylvania and was running a family farm.
Pennsylvania. White.
Education: University of Pennsylvania (A.B., A.M.), Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania (B.M.E.).
Occupation: chemist, druggist, lawyer, teacher.
William Main, Jr. was born in 1845 in Silver Lake, Pennsylvania to Ann Rose and William Main. His material grandfather Robert H. Rose was one of the early developers of Susquehanna County, purchasing much of the land that made up the area. The father William, Sr. had received training in engraving in Italy from Raffaello Morghen. He worked both as an engraver and as a civil engineer. However, by 1850, he had moved to Pennsylvania and was running a family farm.
William studied at private schools in Philadelphia until around the age of 14 (in 1859), when he began his college education at the University of Pennsylvania. The Civil War broke while he was a student (in 1861), but this only caused serious disruption to William's studies a few years later, shortly before graduation. William was set to graduate in July 1863, but in mid-June, Pennsylvania came under threat from Confederate forces led by Robert E. Lee.
William enlisted in the Union army on June 19, 1863 "for the emergency" created by Lee's invasion of the state. William served in Miller's Independent Battery, Light Artillery (part of the Pennsylvania Militia Artillery) as a 2nd corporal. The unit was raised by E. Spencer Miller, a professor at Penn's law school. William's unit was mustered out in late July, shortly after Confederate forces left the state following their defeat at Gettysburg.
Around the time his unit was mustered out, William, Jr. was awarded an A.B. degree by Penn. He then continued his studies at the Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania. He entered the college in Fall 1864, and graduated the next year with a Bachelor in Mines degree. In 1866, he received an A.M. degree from Penn, although the degree was largely honorary. (At the time, Penn awarded an A.M. degree to A.B. recipients three years after they graduated.)
William spent the late 1860s engaged in mining and metallurgical work in Colorado and around Lake Superior. He had returned to Pennsylvania by 1870. The census lists him as living in Philadelphia and working as a lawyer.
In 1871, he married Fannie A. Fillebrown, the daughter of the Union officer James S. Fillebrown. Fillebrown first moved to South Carolina when his army unit was sent to South Carolina to perform Reconstruction duties. He remained in the state after leaving military service and was joined by his family. Fillebrown's son Horatio L. would later enroll at USC while William was faculty.
In early October 1873, William moved to South Carolina to hold the professorship in chemistry, pharmacy, mineralogy, and geology at the University of South Carolina. He was elected to the professorship at a time of major transition for the university. Starting in the summer, the Radical Republicans in the state legislature sought to transform the university, especially to make it open to African Americans. Starting with the July 8 dismissal of the Professor J. L. Reynolds, the Board of Trustees began replacing faculty.
On October 3, 1873, R. W. Barnwell, the Professor of History, was dismissed and T. N. Roberts, a recent hire, was given his position. This left Roberts' professorship open, and William was elected to fill it.
William's arrival in South Carolina was well-received by The Daily Phoenix newspaper. It reported that William's had "credentials which prima facie testify to fitness and skill, and entitle Professor Main to proper consideration and respect.: His appointment appears to be a good one, and we trust that he may have success in the position to which he has been called." This endorsement is striking as The Daily Phoenix was generally highly critical the changes taking place at the university. For example, the day before reporting on William's appointment, the newspaper described the changes at the university as a deeply regretted blight.
William worked at the university until it was closed at the end of Spring 1877. Of William, his former student C. C. Scott later wrote, that he was "competent and thorough, allowed no shirking and was a martinet in discipline."
Accounts about what William did after the university closed are conflicting. Scott says that he moved to Wisconsin, and Penn alumni records state that he was working in the mining industry from 1877-83. However, a 1879 article in Scientific American lists him as living in Piermont, New York.
The Scientific American article describes a recent invention by William. He had proposed an attachment for a lathe so that the lathe could be used as a milling machine.
By 1880, William had moved to Brooklyn, New York and was working as a druggist. He either maintained a second home in Piermont or later returned to that town as his is listed as living there by 1912.
William continued to work on inventions in New York. In 1912, he received a patent for a settling cone. This was a mining device to aid in the processing (or classifying) of ore.
William died in 1918. He is buried in Rockland Cemetery in Sparkle, New York.
Sources
1). Stauffer, David McNeely. American Engravers: Upon Cooper and Steel. Part I. Burt Franklin, New York (1907). pp. 169-170.
2). "State University." The Abbeville press and banner, October 8, 1873, p. 3.
3). "The South Carolina University." The daily phoenix, October 8, 1873, p. 3.
4). "The Recent Changes in the State University." The daily phoenix, October 7, 1873, p. 2.
5). 1850; Census Place: Silver Lake, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; Roll: 829; Page: 111A
6). 1870; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 9 District 26, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1394
7). 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 841; Page: 518C
8). 1900; Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 23, Kings, New York; Page: 11
9). Pennsylvania (State). Civil War Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1861–1866. Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Record Group 19, Series 19.11
10). Historical Record of the Polytechnic College of the State of Pennsylvania, 1st Edition, 1853 to 1890. Philadelphia (1890?).
11). Maxwell, W. J. General Alumni Catalogue of University of Pennsylvania, 1917.
12). Maxwell, W. J. General Alumni Catalogue of University of Pennsylvania, 1922.
13). University of Pennsylvania. Biographical catalogue of the matriculates of the college together with lists of the members of the college faculty and the trustees, officers and recipients of honorary degrees, 1749-1893. Philadelphia (1894).
13). "New Milling Attachment for Lathes." Scientific American. July 5, 1979 p. 38.
14). Main, William. Settling Cone. U. S. Patent 1,065,542. March 1, 1912.
In early October 1873, William moved to South Carolina to hold the professorship in chemistry, pharmacy, mineralogy, and geology at the University of South Carolina. He was elected to the professorship at a time of major transition for the university. Starting in the summer, the Radical Republicans in the state legislature sought to transform the university, especially to make it open to African Americans. Starting with the July 8 dismissal of the Professor J. L. Reynolds, the Board of Trustees began replacing faculty.
On October 3, 1873, R. W. Barnwell, the Professor of History, was dismissed and T. N. Roberts, a recent hire, was given his position. This left Roberts' professorship open, and William was elected to fill it.
William's arrival in South Carolina was well-received by The Daily Phoenix newspaper. It reported that William's had "credentials which prima facie testify to fitness and skill, and entitle Professor Main to proper consideration and respect.: His appointment appears to be a good one, and we trust that he may have success in the position to which he has been called." This endorsement is striking as The Daily Phoenix was generally highly critical the changes taking place at the university. For example, the day before reporting on William's appointment, the newspaper described the changes at the university as a deeply regretted blight.
William worked at the university until it was closed at the end of Spring 1877. Of William, his former student C. C. Scott later wrote, that he was "competent and thorough, allowed no shirking and was a martinet in discipline."
Accounts about what William did after the university closed are conflicting. Scott says that he moved to Wisconsin, and Penn alumni records state that he was working in the mining industry from 1877-83. However, a 1879 article in Scientific American lists him as living in Piermont, New York.
The Scientific American article describes a recent invention by William. He had proposed an attachment for a lathe so that the lathe could be used as a milling machine.
By 1880, William had moved to Brooklyn, New York and was working as a druggist. He either maintained a second home in Piermont or later returned to that town as his is listed as living there by 1912.
William continued to work on inventions in New York. In 1912, he received a patent for a settling cone. This was a mining device to aid in the processing (or classifying) of ore.
William died in 1918. He is buried in Rockland Cemetery in Sparkle, New York.
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| William Main and unidentified child From Ancestory.com |
| Sketch of Main's settling-cone From Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office |
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| Sketch of Main's milling attachment From Scientific American |
Sources
1). Stauffer, David McNeely. American Engravers: Upon Cooper and Steel. Part I. Burt Franklin, New York (1907). pp. 169-170.
2). "State University." The Abbeville press and banner, October 8, 1873, p. 3.
3). "The South Carolina University." The daily phoenix, October 8, 1873, p. 3.
4). "The Recent Changes in the State University." The daily phoenix, October 7, 1873, p. 2.
5). 1850; Census Place: Silver Lake, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; Roll: 829; Page: 111A
6). 1870; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 9 District 26, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1394
7). 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 841; Page: 518C
8). 1900; Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 23, Kings, New York; Page: 11
9). Pennsylvania (State). Civil War Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1861–1866. Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Record Group 19, Series 19.11
10). Historical Record of the Polytechnic College of the State of Pennsylvania, 1st Edition, 1853 to 1890. Philadelphia (1890?).
11). Maxwell, W. J. General Alumni Catalogue of University of Pennsylvania, 1917.
12). Maxwell, W. J. General Alumni Catalogue of University of Pennsylvania, 1922.
13). University of Pennsylvania. Biographical catalogue of the matriculates of the college together with lists of the members of the college faculty and the trustees, officers and recipients of honorary degrees, 1749-1893. Philadelphia (1894).
13). "New Milling Attachment for Lathes." Scientific American. July 5, 1979 p. 38.
14). Main, William. Settling Cone. U. S. Patent 1,065,542. March 1, 1912.
15). "Main, Willam." Universities and Their Sons: University of Pennsylvania, Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni. Boston, R Herndon Company. (1902). pp. 626–627.
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