John B. McFadden Pittsburgh History

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of 09 December 1912 (page 03), in an obituary for the Philadelphia demise of Mrs. Adelaide Catherwood McFadden, aged 74, widow of (late) James H. McFadden states ".....Mr. McFadden, whose father was for 57 years head of the old John B. McFadden & Son jewelry firm of Market street." Now we know this firm does not begin in 1803, so how could it end in 1860? [Earliest possible starting date would seem to be 1824 just after John drops off the tax roll elsewhere (and not later than 1837 when he surfaces in Pittsburgh directories).] Anyone got new information on the firm, such as who constituted "& Company" before son James joined his father.

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Looks like Post-Gazette got it wrong...from a secondary source book, the original Pittsburgh Chronicle obit. for 10 May 1880 is here-in reduced to major points...John B. McFadden...born Ireland 15 April 1800....emigrated with parents to Washington Township Pennsylvania in 1803....moved to Pittsburgh 1823 and there learned watch-making with Mr. Reed, father of Mssrs. Reed jewelers on Market street...quit jewelry business in 1859 and went into insurance line...suffered paralytic stroke on a Friday while at office and died at family residence on Fourth street 10 May 1880.

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Checking into past accounts (other sites) of James Reed and his sons James R. & George M., there appears to be a conflict of dates with when they first became active in Pittsburgh. I would expect this newspaper account should place them as operating from an earlier period. The senior James was reported as working earlier on in Washington PA, so this might explain how J. McFadden became associated with him.

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The 1896 semi-annual report of the Dollar Savings Bank of Pittsburgh has historical entries showing John B. McFadden was elected Trustee on 05 April 1860 (confirmed by death date shown), and became a Vice President in 1862.

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McFadden sample and additional markings noted: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49821&p=157197&hilit=mcfadden#p157197