Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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D. T. Sipe and Olive G. Anderson




Husband D. T. Sipe 1

           Born: 4 Oct 1875 - near Somerset, Somerset Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


         Father: Harry J. Sipe (1846-1914) 1
         Mother: Rebecca Baker (1845-1910) 1


       Marriage: 21 Feb 1917 2

   Other Spouse: Pearl Bowman (      -1915) 2 - 22 Nov 1898 2



Wife Olive G. Anderson 2

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


         Father: Hamilton Beatty Anderson (      -Bef 1918) 3
         Mother: Harriet Steel (      -Aft 1918) 4 5




Children

General Notes: Husband - D. T. Sipe


He received his education at the country school of his native region, the opportunities offered by these institutions being extremely meagre at that time, but he made the most of these opportunities and grew early to have a great interest in scientific subjects, especially such as were connected with metallurgy and the practical problems of life. Upon completing his studies in the public schools, he found employment as a steel worker, beginning in the humble capacity of furnace man's helper in the large plant of the Firth Sterling Steel Company, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He speedily attracted the favorable notice of his superiors and was put in line for advancement. His promotion was continuous and rapid and in a few years he became well known as a skillful worker in steel throughout the region. In addition to this Mr. Sipe, not satisfied with progress merely in the direction of practical experience, took up the theoretical study of steel mixing and alloying, in which he progressed with such good purpose that he became an authority on these questions. He was also possessed of a very remarkable talent for invention, and it was during these years of association with the Firth Sterling Steel Company that his first devices appeared and that he took out his first patents. In the year 1910 he severed his connection with the McKeesport concern and came to Latrobe, Westmoreland County. It was his goal to start a company of his own, and for this purpose he associated himself with a number of the most prominent men in that neighborhood. The result of his efforts was the Vanadium Alloys Steel Company for the manufacture of special alloys steel under his patented process. Mr. Sipe may be said to have been the inventor and owner of most of the modern efficient processes of production known to the steel industry, under which were produced a great number of special grades of metal, each devised for a particular purpose and which brought the highest prices on the steel market. Mr. Sipe became the first superintendent of the company, then general manager, and it was under his personal superintendence that the great work of this concern was done and its immense business developed. The Vanadium Alloys Steel Company was begun with a comparatively small amount of capital and carried on its operations on a moderate scale, but so great was its subsequent development that it came to have an annual production exceeding eight million dollars in value. Mr. Sipe very naturally became one of the chief figures in the steel business of Pennsylvania and his interests came to extended beyond that of the company which he founded. He was also interested in the Latrobe Tool Company, the Latrobe Electric Steel Company, as well as other important concerns.
Although very naturally the chief interest in Mr. Sipe's life was the development of the steel industry, he took an active part in many of the affairs of his adopted locality and was well known in social and club life there. He was particularly prominent in the Masonic order and was a member of McKeesport Commandery, Knights Templar, and Syria Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburgh. He was a member of Pittsburgh Athletic Association, Greensburg Country Club, and Latrobe Club. He was a Presbyterian in his religious belief and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Latrobe. He was very fond of all outdoor sports and was a particularly enthusiastic motorist.

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Sources


1 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 221.

2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 222.

3 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 162, 223.

4 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 517.

5 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 162.


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