20th Century History of New Castle and
Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens

ENOCH THOMAS RIDLEY HOLT,

[p. 675] superintendent of the Garlock Packing Company, at Ellwood City, and also proprietor of the Library Inn, of this city, was born at McKeesport, Pa., December 21, 1867, and is a son of Enoch Thomas and Sarah Ann (Winders) Holt.

The father of Mr. Holt was a native of Baltimore, Md. He died at McKeesport Pa., in 1893, aged sixty-four years, of a stroke of paralysis, which attacked him while he was at work at the plant of the National Tube Company. By trade, he was a machinist, and an expert worker, and he built the first and last locomotive that was ever built in that place. His widow, now in her seventy-sixth year, survives. Their family contained four sons and four daughters, namely: Joseph, who died young; Alice Ann, who is the wife of Capt. O. C. Coon, of McKeesport; Nannie F., who is the wife of James B. Gilinan, of McKeesport; Marion Woodall, who is the wife of Robert W. Warden, of Sandusky, Ohio; Oliver J., who is engaged at McKeesport as a machinist, married Emma Cummings; Enoch T. R., of Ellwood City; Rachel M., who is the wife of Murray M. Henry, of Ellwood City, and B. L., who died March 19, 1906, married Erda L. Rhodes.

After completing the public school course at McKeesport, Mr. Holt learned the machinist's trade with the National Tube Company, but before he had finished his apprenticeship, he was placed in charge of workmen, and has been practically a foreman almost since the time he entered the works. Mr. Holt came to Ellwood City when the Pitt Company was organized, and has been with the concern in its changes for six years, being the only member of the old company that remains. He has filled the office of superintendent for a long period, and since September, 1907, he has been general superintendent.

The Garlock Packing Company, of Ellwood City, was organized by Pittsburg capitalists as the Pitt Manufacturing Company, and in 1905 was leased by the Garlock Manufacturing Company, having been in existence since 1887. In the former year the business was incorporated by the Garlock Company. The offices are: Oliver J. Garlock, president; F. W. Griffith, vice-president and treasurer, and J. H. L. Galagher, secretary. The general office and factory are located at Elmira, N. Y. The company are patentees and sole manufacturers of the Garlock Fibrous and Pitt Metal Packing. The product is used for steam, water, ammonia and gas jets. A force of fifty-two men is employed at Ellwood City, while the company maintains factories in the following other cities: Baltimore, Md.; Birmingham, Ala.; Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, N. Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Detroit, Mich.; Kansas City Mo.; New Orleans, La.; New York City; Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Palmyra, N. Y.; Pittsburg Pa.; San Francisco, Cal., and St. Louis, Mo. A vast amount of business is done in Europe, and the company's European office is in Germany. The office of the export department is at No. 136 Liberty Street, N. Y. The product of this company reaches all the markets of the civilized world.

Mr. Holt has spent the whole of his active life at McKeesport and Ellwood City, and is proprietor of the Library Inn in the latter, a name given in recognition of his fine library of 2,500 volumes. He is a member of the M. & M. Club, Knights of Esenic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is a Republican.


20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908

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