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In 1845 Joseph Beatty and Edward Stillman founded ''Beatty Glass Works'' in Steubanville, OH. In 1852, Alexander J. Beatty (Joseph's brother) buys the firm. They produced fine tableware and tumblers (many in opalescent colors). During and after the Civil War, the Beatty Glass Works led all others in the United States in glass tumbler production. It was said that Beatty ''tumblered'' the tables of the world. They made it possible for Americans of modest means to buy glassware which had formerly been hand-crafted and quite expensive.
Alexander Beatty's dies in 1875 and his sons Robert J., George, and daughter, Mary Gill Beatty, inherited the ownership of the thriving business.
On July 12, 1888, A. J. Beatty and Sons decides to move from Steubenville to Tiffin, OH because of city incentives ( $35K in cash, land and 5 yrs free natural gas). A contract between A. J. Beatty and Sons and the City of Tiffin was signed and sealed. The new Tiffin factory would require a streetcar line as well as houses for employees.
On April 12, 1889, it was announced that A. J. Beatty and Sons, ''the finest and most complete glass works in the world'' was ready but the lack of housing for the glass workers postponed their move from Steubenville, OH. When the factory opened in August 1889, a full force of glass makers were employed making pressed and blown glass, with 500 expected to be working within one year. Much of the glass was colored or finely tinted opalescent with artistic designs engraved on special pieces. The output of the factory included tumblers, beer and wine glasses and fancy bottles.
In 1892, The UNITED STATES GLASS COMPANY (USGC) of Pittsburgh absorbed eighteen glass factories, one being A. J. Beatty a Sons. It became known as Factory "R." Commercial production was marked with the letters USG within a gold shield. The earlier Beatty glass was not marked. After 1927, glass was marked with a gold paper label with the word Tiffin within it.
Changing names and ownership, the physical factory continued in production from 1889-1985 as the following companies:
A. J. Beatty and Sons (1852-1892)
United States Glass Company, Factory R (A. J. Beatty)
Tiffin Art Glass
Continental Can Corporation
Interpace Corporation (parent company of Franciscan Towle Silversmiths
Robert Beatty died in Columbus in 1914 and George Beatty died 2 years later in Columbus.
Compiled by GLGD Members; Date: 07/12/2010; revised 6/29/2019
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