Biographical Sketch of Thomas DEVLIN; Philadelphia Co., PA Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Diana Smith [christillavalley@comcast.net] Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* "Philadelphia, A History of the City and its People; A Record of 225 Years" Publisher: S. H. Clark; Philadelphia; 1912. Vol. 4 , page 248 Author, Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer THOMAS DEVLIN Thomas Devlin stands today as a splendid representative of that class bearing the proud American title "a self-made man." He is a manufacturer, capitalist and good citizen in whom the subjective and objective forces of life are well balanced, making him cognizant of his own capabilities and powers, while at the same time he thoroughly understands his opportunities and obligations. It has been through utilizing the former and meeting the latter that he has reached the position which he now occupies as head of the leading hardware manufacturing plants of the world, the Thomas Devlin Manufacturing Company, and others, with Thomas Devlin as their president. Born on the Emerald isle, March 30, 1838, he is one of the four sons of William and Mary (Sherry) Devlin, who emigrated to this country with their children in April, 1854, settling in Philadelphia, making it their permanent home. His education in Ireland was limited to the opportunities afforded by the common schools of Erin at that day, but with the natural love of education found in so many of her sons, he was not content with that meager knowledge, but after working hard all day availed himself of the advantages of a business college at night, studying far into "the wee small hours." At the age of sixteen he began his business career in the employ of what is now known as the Philadelphia Hardware & Malleable Iron Works, of which he is the president. At that time it was known as Thomas R. Wood & Company. Mr. Devlin's initial start brought him the munificent salary of one dollar and a half per week. In January, 1855, the works were purchased by E. Hall Ogden, and in 1866 he admitted three of the employes, one being Thomas Devlin, as members of the firm sharing in a percentage of the profits in lieu of a salary. This must have proved a satisfactory arrangement to the three employes, as in 1871 they bought out the business and it became known as Carr, Crawley & Devlin Company. In 1880 Mr. Devlin withdrew from that company and in partnership with Louis J. McGrath founded the business at Third and Lehigh avenue, Philadelphia, under the title of Thomas Devlin & Company. The business prospered by leaps and bounds and almost every available inch of space has since been acquired to meet the demands of the rapidly growing business. In 1902 the firm was incorporated under the laws of New Jersey under the title of the Thomas Devlin Manufacturing Company, with offices and works at Third and Lehigh avenue, Philadelphia, and the more extensive works in Burlington, New Jersey, to which additions continue to be made for the manufacture of steam-fitters, gas-fitters and plumbers supplies as well as the many side lines manufactured by the company. Mr. Devlin was elected as president and has continued as its directing and executive head from the beginning. Mr. Devlin's rise was steady and his rapid advancement is due to his determination to acquire a thorough knowledge of every detail of the business from the very beginning, and he is now considered an authority on all questions connected with the manufacture of malleable iron products. The Philadelphia office and factory is of modern construction and with the up-to- date works in Burlington, New Jersey, employ from seven hundred to one thousand people, with a capital of one million dollars. System is the hall mark of every department, and the loss of time, labor and material is at a minimum. In 1892, Thomas Devlin & Company purchased the old Ogden business, later the Carr & Crawley works, from which Mr. Devlin had withdrawn in 1880 and which is now principally owned by Thomas Devlin and Louis J. McGrath, a distinct and separate chartered company known as the Philadelphia Hardware & Malleable Iron Works, with Thomas Devlin as its president. The history of the Philadelphia Hardware & Malleable Iron Works which begun business at its present location in 1852, constitutes as interesting chapter in the commercial life and development of the city. The success in the commercial world attained by Mr. Devlin is a glowing tribute to force of character, hard and untiring effort to master the business in its most minute detail and the utilization of every available opportunity for advancement, and it must be a source of honest pride and gratification to him to be president of the company in which he began his life work as an office boy august 4, 1854. Shortly after purchasing the old plant the company originated a system by which employes were given the earning of a thousand dollars worth of stock for a term of five years on the condition that the employes give to the company continued and faithful service during that period and that the employes contribute the sum of two dollars per week to be retained by the company toward the purchase of the one thousand dollars worth of stock of which they received the earning capacity as above stated. This plan was of Mr. Devlin's original conception, and it has resulted in the employes putting forth their best efforts stimulated by the desire to own a thousand dollars worth of stock, and in many instances they have not been content with that amount but spurred on by enjoying the dividend before they had completed the purchase they have added to the first thousand dollars worth given by the firm. Besides being president of the Thomas Devlin Manufacturing Company, the Philadelphia Hardware & Malleable Iron Works and the National Specialty Manufacturing Company, Mr. Devlin's name is connected as a member or director of many successful financial and industrial organizations: president of The Philadelphia Foundrymen's Association; a director of the Equitable Trust Company, the People's National Fire Insurance Company, the Bank of Commerce, the Beneficial Savings Fund, the Chamber of Commerce, the Hardware Merchants & Manufacturers Association, the Manufacturer's Club and many others. While Mr. Devlin has always given his business the most minute and untiring personal attention, he has found time to devote thought and support to the commercial interests of the city, proving him a forceful element in his civic relations and a stanch friend. He is an ardent advocate and champion of education and worthy charities. During the fleeting years he has found time to make five trips through Europe as his children completed their education, and two trips through our own beautiful country from coast to coast, which with his native Celtic humor have made him a welcome guest at many a banquet table. He is a member of various civic and social organizations and associations of a business character, among which may be mentioned, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Foundrymen's Association, the Philadelphia Schutzen Verein, the Philadelphia Zoological Association, the Pennsylvania Society of New York, the Langhorne Board of Trade and the Langehorne Golf Club. The American Society for the Extension of University Teaching, the American Iron & Steel Institute, the American-Irish Historical Society, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the American Academy of Political & Social Science, the University of Archaeology, the National Civic Federation, the Catholic Historical Society, the Mercantile Beneficial Association, the Civil Service Reform, the United Irish League, the Franklin Institute, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Atlantic Inland Waterways Association and the City Parks Association of Philadelphia. As can be surmised by his extensive memberships he is an unusually busy man, but despite his multifarious duties, his unostentation, uniform courtesy to rich and poor alike who come in contact with him, and his genial and affable manner under all circumstances are a matter of general comment. Mr. Devlin was united in marriage in Philadelphia, January 2, 1866, to Helen Amelia Sanford, a daughter of Abel B. and Caroline A. (Tobey) Sanford, natives of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Eleven children were born of this union, eight now living. The family are active communicants of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Devlin's political endorsement has been given to the republican party since Bryan's nomination in 1896. His pleasure in his success has been that it has enabled him to provide his family with every opportunity for culture and comfort and enabled him to contribute with a hearty and lavish hand to many worthy charities. Few men under the same conditions, hampered by limited opportunities, would have had the perseverance to surmount the obstacles that beset his path and take a place among men of brains reared in affluence and all it affords as Mr. Devlin has done, and there are many who have started life equipped with advantages of environment, aided by college educations who have not been able to keep pace with him. In his characteristic modest way Mr. Devlin never fails to give great credit to J. Oscar Ogden, a brother of his first employer, E. Hall Ogden (Mr. Devlin's senior by three years), whose kindly interest and pleasure at his success spurred him on to greater attainments, and he never tires of praising this benefactor of his younger days. Mr. Devlin's splendid attainments should be a source of great pride to his family and friends, and Philadelphia should proudly regard him as a sterling and upright son whose character and integrity are well known among the business men of his city. The writer is tempted to draw a little on his imagination before concluding this short biographical sketch of the events in the life of such a man as Thomas Devlin, whose beginning of his life work was begun under such adverse circumstances, I surmise many a youth who may read it will be curious to know what he did first? What object he had in view, or had he any? How did he conduct himself? Did he have a plan of life? Did he follow it? Did everything come out as he planned or was he ever disappointed? Did everybody help him or did he depend upon his own resources? Did he save all he earned? Did he play cricket, polo, golf, baseball or football? What sports did he patronize or practice? How or where did he spend his vacations? The above and many more questions if Mr. Devlin were to answer would be both instructive and interesting to old and young alike. His trials and hardships, experience of sadness, the offspring of keen disappointments, can without overstretching the imagination, be assumed as part of his experience and must have been encountered by him when his idols were rudely shattered by those whose actions were dictated by the green-eyed monster. His achievements warrant the belief that all discouragements were met and handled so as to produce the least ill effects, while hope, courage and rigid economy combined with honest, earnest effort proved the best road to the desired goal. Transcriber's additional notes: "Tobey (Tobie, Toby) Genealogy Thomas, of Sanwich and James, of Kittery and Their Descendants" By: Rufus Babcock Tobey and Charles Henry Pope Published by: Charles H. Pope; Boston, Mass.; 1905; Page a3 "Various Records of Tobeys" Caroline Amelia Tobey, dau. of Apollos and Hannah (Crane) Tobey of Berkeley, b. Oct. 28, 1812; m. Abel Babbitt Sanford, who d. in Philadelphia, Pa., July 4, 1887; she d. there March 18, 1888. Children: 1. Helen Amelia Sanford, b. at Taunton July 13, 1845; m. Jan. 2, 1866, Thomas Devlin, who was b. in county Derry, Ireland, April 8, 1838. He is president of the Thomas Devlin Manufacturing Co. of Philadelphia, Pa., manufactureres of iron, steel and brass castings, builders' hardware, etc. Children: 1. William John Devlin, b. at Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 25, 1886. 2. Thomas Francis Devlin, b. Jan. 20, 1869. 3. Walter Edward Emmett Devlin, b. Feb. 10, 1871. 4. Helen Regina Devlin, b. Aug. 5, 1873, d. Dec. 24, 1889. 5. Frederick Matthew Devlin, b. Nov. 16, 1875. 6. Harry Augustine Devlin, b. Dec. 2, 1877. 7. Albert Joseph Devlin, b. May 22, 1880. 8. Caroline Mary Devlin, b. March 28, 1882. 9. Charles Louis Devlin, b. Jan. 16, d. March 28, 1885. 10. Raymond Anthony Devlin, b. April 7, 1888. 11. Clarence Joseph Devlin, b. May 6, 1890. 2. Eliza Crane Sanford, b. Sept. 1, 1847, d. July 22, 1902. 3. Ella Hannah Sanford, b. June 27, 1849. 4. Francis Herbert Sanford, b. May 31, 1851, m. Emily Glocker; d. at Philadelphia Aug. 22, 1900. Children: 1. William Sanford 2. Francis Sanford 5. Emma Tobey Sanford, b. at Utica, N.Y., Aug. 1, 1853 6. Mary Tobey Sanford, b. at Atlanta, Ill., July 18, 1856.