Paint, Oil, and Varnish Industry. The paint industry in the United States started in New York City, in 1715, when linseed oil was put on the market as an article of commercial value. This first mill was closely followed in 1718 by one in Connecticut, erected by John Prout, Jr. Later in 1750 the Dunkers, in Lancaster Co., Pa., started the industry and by 1786 had four mills in operation. While paint had been used many years before the linseed-oil industry was started, yet its manufacture added a great stimulus to the use of paints because it aided greatly in the manufacture of paints and varnish and later became a necessary adjunct to the business.
The rapid growth of the linseed-oil industry had not been without its effect in stimulating the use of paints. These colors were, however, wholly imported, and grew but slowly in general favor. Nevertheless by 1714 painters' colors were for sale in Boston, and while their employment, even for painting the churches, was frowned upon by the Puritans, they grew slowly in use among the wealthy until the time of the Revolution. In New York whitewashed walls and woodwork painted a sort of bluish gray were quite general so early as 1748, and both here and in Philadelphia the use of paint increased far more rapidly than in New England. In 1767 painters' colors were among the articles taxed in the colonies by England. The disturbance created by this act caused its repeal by Parliament three years later.
White lead was first successfully made and used commercially in 1804, by Samuel Wetherill, of Philadelphia. This was followed in 1806-7 by the manufacture of different colors, such as rose-pink, Dutch pink, blue, and French green, the inventions of Anthony Tiemann; in 1800, Prussian blue was first put on the market; and later William Guest, of Baltimore, started in to make chrome yellow. Many colors were added to the list in a short time, by 1811 as many as 22 being made in Philadelphia alone, and beside the firms which made these there were also three red-lead factories in Pittsburg. From that time the growth of the industry was rapid and healthy. Brooklyn and New York each had several large works turning out red and white leads, chrome, and various other colors; the manufacture of Prussian blue was started in Rensselaer Co., N. Y.; and during the next few years factories sprang up in all the large centers of trade, notably Albany, Boston, and Philadelphia.
The manufacture of oil and varnish necessarily developed along with the paint industry. The first factory established in the United States for the manufacture of varnish was founded by P. B. Smith, in New York City, in 1828. This was followed in 1830 by Tilden & Hurlbert; in 1830 by the firm of Smith & Price of Newark, N. J.; and later by Christian Schrack, of Philadelphia. The quality of the varnish made by the American manufacturers soon became widely known and a large export business was built up, the increase in the manufacture of paint and varnish greatly affecting the oil-mills. Prior to 1836, domestic seed had been entirely used in these mills, but with the increased use of paints and varnish and with the introduction of new and improved machinery, outside markets were invaded by the American traders for the purpose of obtaining raw material for use in the mills of this country, and in 1836 the first cargo of flaxseed was imported from Sicily Other trading points were rapidly opened up, Odessa, Alexandria, and Calcutta, being the most important. By 1860 there were several factories for the manufacture of varnish in the Eastern States and three had been established west of the Alleghanies. (To read more on the paint oil and varnish industry).
Comments