Fostoria Glass Company

The Fostoria Glass Company manufactured pressed, blown and hand-molded glassware and tableware for almost 100 years. It began operations in Fostoria, Ohio, USA, on December 15, 1887, at South Vine Street, near Railroad, on free land donated by the townspeople. When natural resources declined in Fostoria, the company moved to Moundsville, West Virginia, in 1891.

The Fostoria Glass Company was incorporated in West Virginia in July 1887. The company was organized by men that had worked for the Hobbs, Brockunier and Company glass works in Wheeling, West Virginia. Lucian B. Martin was the first president. Other men in the original management team were William S. Brady, James B. Russell, Benjamin M. Hildreth, and Otto Jaeger. Former Ohio governor Charles Foster, son of the city of Fostoria's namesake, was included as a member of the board of directors.

Natural gas was a desirable fuel for glass manufacturing, and many firms were drawn to northwest Ohio during the 1880s to exploit this newly discovered resource. To take advantage of Ohio's gas boom, the new company's glass works was built in Fostoria, Ohio. The firm also received incentives of $5,000 to $10,000 cash. The factory’s furnace had a capacity of 12 pots, and originally employed 125 workers.

At least 20 glass employees relocated from Bellaire, Ohio, for the startup. These were experienced glass men such as Henry Crimmel and his brother Jacob, Hayes O’Neal, and Deacon Scroggins. Their work experience included glassmaking at the Belmont Glass Company and Hobbs, Brockunier and Company. Production began December 15, 1887, and products included tableware, bar goods, and lamps.

Unfortunately for the area glass factories, Northwest Ohio's gas boom was short lived. Gas shortages started occurring during the winter of 1890–91. During April 1891, Fostoria Glass executives decided to move to Moundsville, West Virginia. Moundsville was selected because of the availability of coal as a fuel for the plant—and $10,000 cash offered by the community. The move was announced in September 1891. The Fostoria plant was sold to a group of investors led by Fostoria Glass executive Otto Jaeger, and his new company was named Seneca Glass Company.