William H. Doane
| William Howard Doane | |
|---|---|
Marble bust of William Howard Doane Cincinnati Art Museum
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| Born |
William Howard Doane February 3, 1832 Preston, Connecticut |
| Died | February 23, 1915 (aged 83) South Orange, New Jersey |
| Residence | Cincinnati, Ohio; Watch Hill, Rhode Island |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Woodstock Academy, Denison University (honorary doctorate) |
| Occupation | Manufacturer, inventor, church leader, hymn writer, philanthropist |
| Known for | Hymn writing, multiple patents, philanthropy |
| Spouse(s) | Frances Mary Treat Doane |
| Children | Ida Frances Doane, Marguerite Treat Doane |
William Howard Doane (1832 – 1915) was a manufacturer, inventor, hymn writer, choral director, church leader and philanthropist. He composed over 2000 church hymns. More than seventy patents are credited to him for innovations in woodworking machinery. His philanthropy led to the renaming of the Granville Academy, as the Doane Academy, a boys’ and girls' private preparatory school associated with Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where he was a major benefactor.
Doane was born in Preston, Connecticut on February 3, 1832. His parents were Joseph Howes Doane (1797-1854) and Frances Treat Doane (1799-1881). He was the fifth of eight children. His father was the head of Doane and Treat, cotton manufacturers. At a young age Doane showed impressive musical talent. By early adolescence he was playing the flute, violin and double bass fiddle.
Doane attended the Woodstock Academy, a private secondary school affiliated with the Congregational church and located in . His musical talents enabled him to serve as the school’s choir director. Upon graduation in 1848, Doane went to work in the accounting section of his father’s company. From there he moved to J. A. Fay & Company, a woodworking machinery company, for a long career leading to the company’s presidency. On November 2, 1857 Doane married Mary Frances Treat, the daughter of his father’s partner in their cotton manufacturing business.
Doane assumed increasing responsibility with J. A. Fay & Company, as he traveled to assignments in Chicago, Illinois and Cincinnati, Ohio. By the age of thirty-four, Doane had risen to the position of president at the company’s new headquarters in Cincinnati.
During his leadership, the company successfully filed many patents for woodmaking machinery. More than seventy patents were registered in Doane’s name, giving him credit for the inventions. Doane guided the company through its most successful years.
His business skills extended beyond manufacturing. He was the president of the Central Trust and Safe Deposit Company, as well as a director of the Barney and Smith Car Company of Dayton, Ohio. His achievements earned him ‘fellow’ status in several professional organizations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society of Mining Engineers, the American Geographical Society and the American Society for the Advancement of Science. Doane emerged as a prominent figure in Cincinnati's business and cultural life. By 1879 his accumulated wealth allowed him to purchase the impressive "Sunny Side" mansion as his family's residence in the city's Mt. Auburn neighborhood. "Sunny Side" is located in the Mount Auburn Historic District at 2223 Mt. Auburn Avenue.
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