Frick, Henry Clay (1849-1919), was an American industrialist. He was influential in the rise of the American steel industry during an unprecedented period of technological and industrial development known as The Gilded Age. He was harsh with his workers, which damaged his reputation. He was also a noted art collector.
Frick was born in West Overton, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 19, 1849. In his 20’s, he gained control of the coke production in the Pittsburgh area. Coke is a fuel made from coal. Frick was a millionaire by the time he was 30. He arranged a very favorable union between his company, H. C. Frick & Co., and the Carnegie Brothers Steel Company. Frick became chairman of the Carnegie company in 1889. In 1892, when the company was combined with two other firms to form the Carnegie Steel Company, Frick became chairman of the new company.
One of Frick’s first acts at Carnegie Steel was to challenge the influence and power of the steelworkers union at the company’s mills. This struggle erupted during the Homestead Strike in 1892. After locking out the steelworkers at the mill in Homestead, Pennsylvania, Frick hired guards from the Pinkerton National Detective Agency to keep striking workers out of the plant. Fighting erupted between the workers and the Pinkerton guards, and 10 people were killed. Seven of the dead were steelworkers. To avenge the death of these workers, anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman plotted to murder Frick. Berkman got into Frick’s office and shot and stabbed him, but Frick survived the assassination attempt. The union was discredited by the violence against the Pinkerton guards and Berkman’s actions. It would take several decades for steel unions to recover.
Frick left Carnegie Steel in 1899, following a bitter falling out with the steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Frick was influential in the merger in 1901 that formed the United States Steel Corporation, of which he later became a director.
Frick died in New York City on Dec. 2, 1919. In his will, he left his home and a fine art collection to New York City as a museum. The Frick Collection is considered one of the world’s great art museums. Frick also left much of his fortune to charities and universities, including Princeton University.
