242:
191:, including the street railway company owned by Seiberling's father. In 1898, Seiberling was jobless, nearing forty years old, with a wife and three children. He learned of the availability of an old strawboard factory in East Akron, which he purchased, together with the 7 acres (28,000 m) it stood on, for $ 13,500. He borrowed $ 3,500 for a down payment from a brother-in-law, Lucius C. Miles. In partnership with his brother C.W. Seiberling, he decided to open a rubber company, picked a name, and was selling stock. The company would be named for
33:
345:, a Tudor Revival home built in 1915, remains in Akron and is now a National Historic landmark and historic house museum open to the public. Originally the site encompassed approximately 3,000 acres of land. Portions of the property were broken off during Seiberling's lifetime to create the Fairlawn Heights neighborhood and Sand Run Metro Park. Today the 501(c)3 museum maintains 70 acres including the 64,500 square foot historic manor home, five service buildings and thirty acres of historic gardens designed by Warren Manning.
263:
prosperity was gained through the enlightenment and improvement of every citizen. A 1937 Akron Beacon
Journal editorial, opined, "One reason we all like the Seiberlings is because they never went 'high hat' on Akron; perhaps no other local family ever enjoyed greater prosperity and achievement . . . yet they were never so busy as to turn a disinterested ear to any pleader for Akron's future or civic welfare . . . No man in Akron ever had a broader conception of Akron's civic problems than Frank Seiberling."
161:
206:, its first president was David E. Hill, a business associate who purchased $ 30,000 of the company's initial stock. In 1899, Raymond C. Penfield, another brother-in-law, became the second president of the company; Lucius C. Miles followed in the position in 1900. In 1906, Seiberling, until then the secretary and general manager, became the fourth president of the company.
267:
addition, he was a founder of The
Peoples Hospital, the Fairlawn Country Club, and the Metropolitan Park system in Akron. Seiberling also supported four educational institutions, his alma mater Heidelberg College, the University of Akron, Lincoln Memorial University in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee and the Western Reserve Academy a private boys school in Hudson, Ohio.
210:
tire building, which enabled the industry to move away from the cumbersome and time-consuming process of hand building tires. One man could now turn out 60 tires in ten hours as opposed to five tires built by hand. The
Seiberling State machine revolutionized tire building and led to an explosion in tire production output.
361:. The couple had seven children, three girls (Irene, Virginia, Grace Wenonah) and four boys (Fredrick, Willard, Penfield, and Franklin). Their youngest daughter Grace Wenonah died of bronchial pneumonia at only 18 months old. Seiberling died in Akron on August 11, 1955, of pneumonia, and is buried in Glendale Cemetery.
217:
Seiberling and
Goodyear received additional patents for creating the first universal tire rim, introducing the double diamond all weather tire tread, and inventing a pneumatic truck tire which eventually replaced the industry standard solid truck tire. By 1916, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
209:
Seiberling was credited with 19 patents during his tenure at The
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. One of his most famous being for the Seiberling State Tire Building machine which was patented in 1908. Invented in collaboration with Goodyear's chief engineer William State, the machine mechanized
213:
Seiberling set up a tire building machine in a separate room on the factory floor and provided demonstrations to other tire manufacturers. Goodyear granted 50 licenses on the tire building machine and made an estimated $ 2,000,000 in royalties. By 1913, over half of the tires made in the U.S. were
266:
Seiberling focused on projects that directly impacted the lives of his
Goodyear employees and thereby ensured the success of Akron. He developed and underwrote the creation of Goodyear Heights, a neighborhood for factory workers; and Fairlawn Heights, a neighborhood for white-collar employees. In
262:
During his lifetime, Seiberling used his fortune and influence to create fair housing, build a hospital, improve transportation both locally and nationally, preserve green space for the community's enjoyment and fund countless arts and culture programs and organizations. Seiberling believed true
673:
669:
221:
Seiberling became known as the "little
Napoleon" of the rubber industry because of his small stature and his unremitting determination to succeed. He played a leading role in developing Akron from a small town into the "rubber capital of the world."
357:. He was the second of nine children born to John Frederick and Catherine Miller Seiberling. Seiberling had one brother and seven sisters. In 1887, he married Gertrude Ferguson Penfield, who was later to serve (1919–1921) as president of the
180:, before joining the J.F. Seiberling Company, his father's farm machinery manufacturing business, working there as secretary and treasurer. His father, John Seiberling, founder of that
233:. During his lifetime, Seiberling became famous for his fair treatment of workers. In 1985, he was inducted into the Tire Industry Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
184:, company, invented one of the first reaping machines. While working for the company, Seiberling invented a twine binder that tied grain bundles with a bow knot.
460:
573:
1089:
990:
225:
In 1921, Goodyear was refinanced and reorganized, and Frank and
Charles Seiberling resigned from the company. Frank Seiberling then began the
385:
1109:
1064:
1084:
1007:
795:
1074:
1059:
353:
Seiberling was born on
October 6, 1859, in Western Star (present day Norton), Ohio, a community a few miles southwest of Akron, in
498:
411:
When Nathan
Seiberling settled in Norton he brought with him some of the German ability to build something better mechanically.
609:
307:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce – Director Wisconsin, Illinois & Ohio Region 1915–1918, Chairman of the Highways Committee 1921
1013:
623:
601:
1104:
1069:
358:
249:
In June 1911, Seiberling announced that he was financing an attempt at a transatlantic airship flight, to be headed by
1079:
884:
694:
203:
129:
804:
725:"Structure, Personality, and Business Strategy in the U.S. Tire Industry: The Seiberling Rubber Company, 1922–1964"
421:
304:
People's Hospital – Founding Member 1914, Director Board of Directors 1914–1937, Honorary Board Member 1937-1955
900:
828:
788:
860:
1094:
1028:
436:
342:
1099:
926:
833:
410:
141:
781:
389:
226:
133:
963:
890:
854:
849:
528:
873:
1001:
969:
461:"TO BACK CROSS-SEA FLIGHT.; Frank A. Seiberling Is Financing Mr. Vaniman's New Airship Project"
145:
560:
1054:
1049:
574:"News Stuns Seiberling; Financial Backer of Vaniman Enterprise Made Balloon at His Factory"
254:
8:
905:
773:
354:
823:
745:
506:
365:
173:
172:
Son of a German American entrepreneur from Ohio, Seiberling spent two years attending
57:
32:
241:
974:
700:
690:
581:
468:
984:
921:
895:
878:
867:
737:
192:
936:
605:
230:
137:
979:
946:
250:
1043:
931:
704:
598:
585:
472:
196:
188:
89:
160:
128:, was an American innovator and entrepreneur best known for co-founding the
996:
818:
177:
245:
Akron's Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, in which Seiberling was influential
181:
149:
76:
292:
Charity Organization Society – Founding Member 1912, President 1912-1913
749:
298:
Lincoln Highway Association – Founding Member 1913, President 1918-1921
763:
280:
Akron Settlement Association – Founding Member 1911, Trustee 1912-1914
202:
While Seiberling and his brother Charles were the co-founders of the
741:
1023:
283:
Sumner Homes for the Aged – Founding Member 1911, Trustee 1911-1955
724:
334:
Metropolitan Park Board – Founding Member 1921, Trustee 1921-1935
274:
Akron Chamber of Commerce – President 1910–1911, Member 1910-1955
1018:
331:
Akron War Chest Drive (Community Fund) – Campaign Manager 1918
641:
422:
History of The Seiberling Family by John Frederick Seiberling
286:
Buchtel College (now University of Akron) – Trustee 1911-1914
687:
Cemeteries of Northeast Ohio: Stones, Symbols & Stories
563:, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2012. Accessed 2013-05-19.
803:
768:
328:
City of Akron Americanization Committee – Chairman, 1918
295:
Trinity Lutheran Church – Donor of Rebuilding Fund 1913
270:
He was also involved in the following organizations:
289:
Akron Institute for the Blind – Founding Member 1912
199:, who had died penniless almost forty years before.
124:(October 6, 1859 – August 11, 1955), also known as
723:
337:Rubber Manufacturers Association – President 1929
1041:
259:exploded, and Vaniman and his crew were killed.
310:Lincoln Memorial University – Trustee 1915-1935
214:manufactured on the Seiberling State machine.
325:Red Cross, Akron Chapter – Vice President 1917
789:
551:Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Research Files
455:
453:
322:Fairlawn Country Club – Founding Member 1917
218:was the largest tire producer in the world.
1008:Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
668:(Seattle), v.15, no.16, Apr. 17, 1920. pp.
316:Western Reserve Academy – Trustee 1916-1936
796:
782:
31:
622:Knight, John S., ed. (October 12, 1937).
450:
368:, Jr., was a U.S. congressman from Ohio.
277:Goodyear Heights Phase I – Developer 1910
437:"Ohio History Central: Frank Seiberling"
240:
159:
1090:Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company people
313:American Red Cross – Vice-Chairman 1916
1042:
721:
621:
493:
491:
489:
301:Heidelberg College – Trustee 1913-1936
777:
684:
610:National Underwater and Marine Agency
597:– Akron was partly salvaged in 1982 (
431:
429:
1014:Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
547:
545:
1110:Burials at Glendale Cemetery, Akron
1065:Heidelberg University (Ohio) alumni
486:
16:American innovator and entrepreneur
13:
805:Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
715:
426:
359:National Federation of Music Clubs
204:Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
130:Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
14:
1121:
1085:American people of German descent
757:
542:
499:"Frank A. Seiberling (1859–1955)"
319:Fairlawn Heights – Developer 1917
140:, a Tudor Revival mansion, now a
348:
1075:20th-century American inventors
1060:Businesspeople from Akron, Ohio
678:
659:
642:"Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens"
634:
615:
566:
236:
885:Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue
829:Kelly-Springfield Tire Company
554:
521:
415:
404:
378:
187:Many businesses failed in the
1:
861:Goodyear Television Playhouse
769:Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
371:
1029:Wingfoot Lake Airship Hangar
689:. Cleveland: Gray & Co.
529:"Goodyear: History Overview"
253:. In July 1912, the airship
155:
44:Franklin Augustus Seiberling
7:
343:Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
10:
1126:
834:Goodyear Dunlop Sava Tires
685:Vigil, Vicki Blum (2007).
503:Tire Industry Hall of Fame
341:Seiberling's private home
142:National Historic Landmark
99:Gertrude Ferguson Penfield
1105:American company founders
1070:American chief executives
955:
914:
842:
811:
764:Seiberling visual history
227:Seiberling Rubber Company
167:
134:Seiberling Rubber Company
103:
95:
84:
65:
39:
30:
23:
1080:American philanthropists
991:Goodyear Dunlop v. Brown
855:Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
850:1988 Goodyear NASCAR 500
722:French, Michael (1993).
628:The Akron Beacon Journal
874:Goodyear Polymer Center
730:Business History Review
604:August 8, 2011, at the
136:in 1921. He also built
1002:Goodyear Polyglas tire
970:Charles Goodyear Medal
624:"The Editors Notebook"
246:
164:
386:"Norton Area History"
244:
163:
146:historic house museum
509:on December 12, 2004
392:on December 13, 2010
195:, the discoverer of
1095:University of Akron
906:Cotton Bowl Classic
355:Summit County, Ohio
189:panics of the 1890s
824:Goodyear Aerospace
578:The New York Times
465:The New York Times
366:John F. Seiberling
247:
174:Heidelberg College
165:
58:Western Star, Ohio
1100:Seiberling family
1037:
1036:
975:Goodyear, Arizona
901:Spirit of America
646:www.stanhywet.org
467:. June 12, 1911.
114:Franklin Augustus
111:
110:
1117:
985:Goodyear chimney
942:Frank Seiberling
922:Charles Goodyear
896:Wingfoot Express
879:Goodyear Silents
868:Goodyear Theatre
798:
791:
784:
775:
774:
753:
727:
709:
708:
682:
676:
663:
657:
656:
654:
652:
638:
632:
631:
619:
613:
599:Akron expedition
596:
594:
592:
580:. July 3, 1912.
570:
564:
558:
552:
549:
540:
539:
537:
535:
525:
519:
518:
516:
514:
505:. Archived from
495:
484:
483:
481:
479:
457:
448:
447:
445:
443:
433:
424:
419:
413:
408:
402:
401:
399:
397:
388:. Archived from
382:
193:Charles Goodyear
132:in 1898 and the
72:
53:
51:
35:
25:Frank Seiberling
21:
20:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1115:
1114:
1040:
1039:
1038:
1033:
951:
937:Lilly Ledbetter
910:
838:
807:
802:
760:
742:10.2307/3116726
718:
716:Further reading
713:
712:
697:
683:
679:
664:
660:
650:
648:
640:
639:
635:
620:
616:
606:Wayback Machine
590:
588:
572:
571:
567:
559:
555:
550:
543:
533:
531:
527:
526:
522:
512:
510:
497:
496:
487:
477:
475:
459:
458:
451:
441:
439:
435:
434:
427:
420:
416:
409:
405:
395:
393:
384:
383:
379:
374:
351:
239:
231:Barberton, Ohio
170:
158:
138:Stan Hywet Hall
126:F.A. Seiberling
80:
74:
70:
69:August 11, 1955
61:
55:
54:October 6, 1859
49:
47:
46:
45:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1123:
1113:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1004:
999:
994:
987:
982:
980:Goodyear Blimp
977:
972:
967:
959:
957:
953:
952:
950:
949:
947:Ward Van Orman
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
918:
916:
912:
911:
909:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
881:
876:
871:
864:
857:
852:
846:
844:
840:
839:
837:
836:
831:
826:
821:
815:
813:
809:
808:
801:
800:
793:
786:
778:
772:
771:
766:
759:
758:External links
756:
755:
754:
736:(2): 246–278.
717:
714:
711:
710:
695:
677:
666:The Town Crier
658:
633:
614:
565:
553:
541:
520:
485:
449:
425:
414:
403:
376:
375:
373:
370:
364:His grandson,
350:
347:
339:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
320:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
281:
278:
275:
251:Melvin Vaniman
238:
235:
169:
166:
157:
154:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
88:Co-founder of
86:
85:Known for
82:
81:
75:
73:(aged 95)
67:
63:
62:
56:
43:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1122:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
992:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
965:
961:
960:
958:
954:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
932:Stanley Gault
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
919:
917:
913:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
886:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
869:
865:
863:
862:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
847:
845:
841:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
816:
814:
810:
806:
799:
794:
792:
787:
785:
780:
779:
776:
770:
767:
765:
762:
761:
751:
747:
743:
739:
735:
731:
726:
720:
719:
706:
702:
698:
696:9781598510256
692:
688:
681:
675:
671:
667:
662:
647:
643:
637:
629:
625:
618:
611:
607:
603:
600:
587:
583:
579:
575:
569:
562:
557:
548:
546:
530:
524:
508:
504:
500:
494:
492:
490:
474:
470:
466:
462:
456:
454:
438:
432:
430:
423:
418:
412:
407:
391:
387:
381:
377:
369:
367:
362:
360:
356:
349:Personal life
346:
344:
336:
333:
330:
327:
324:
321:
318:
315:
312:
309:
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
273:
272:
271:
268:
264:
260:
258:
257:
252:
243:
234:
232:
228:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
205:
200:
198:
197:vulcanization
194:
190:
185:
183:
179:
175:
162:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
106:
102:
98:
94:
91:
90:Goodyear Tire
87:
83:
78:
68:
64:
59:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1006:
997:Goodyear MPP
989:
964:Black Sunday
962:
941:
927:Fred Gampper
883:
866:
859:
843:Sponsorships
819:Dunlop Tyres
733:
729:
686:
680:
665:
661:
649:. Retrieved
645:
636:
630:. p. 4.
627:
617:
589:. Retrieved
577:
568:
556:
532:. Retrieved
523:
511:. Retrieved
507:the original
502:
476:. Retrieved
464:
440:. Retrieved
417:
406:
394:. Retrieved
390:the original
380:
363:
352:
340:
269:
265:
261:
255:
248:
237:Philanthropy
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
201:
186:
178:Tiffin, Ohio
171:
125:
121:
117:
113:
112:
71:(1955-08-11)
18:
1055:1955 deaths
1050:1859 births
891:PeopleMover
182:Akron, Ohio
150:Akron, Ohio
77:Akron, Ohio
1044:Categories
591:August 24,
534:October 6,
513:October 6,
478:August 24,
442:October 6,
372:References
122:Seiberling
50:1859-10-06
812:Divisions
705:156816907
651:April 20,
586:0362-4331
473:0362-4331
156:Biography
1024:Tire war
612:website)
602:Archived
396:March 2,
104:Children
750:3116726
608:on the
561:History
1019:STARAN
915:People
748:
703:
693:
584:
471:
168:Career
96:Spouse
956:Other
746:JSTOR
256:Akron
118:Frank
701:OCLC
691:ISBN
653:2019
593:2019
582:ISSN
536:2008
515:2008
480:2019
469:ISSN
444:2008
398:2011
144:and
79:, US
66:Died
60:, US
40:Born
738:doi
229:in
176:in
148:in
1046::
744:.
734:67
732:.
728:.
699:.
674:12
672:,
644:.
626:.
576:.
544:^
501:.
488:^
463:.
452:^
428:^
152:.
120:"
797:e
790:t
783:v
752:.
740::
707:.
670:3
655:.
595:.
538:.
517:.
482:.
446:.
400:.
116:"
107:7
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
