Edmund B. Hayes

General Edmund B. Hayes (15 May 1849 – 19 October 1923) was an American engineer and businessman who built bridges and manufactured autos. He was a pioneer investor in the development of electrical power from Niagara Falls. His company installed the Steel Arch Bridge over the Niagara River and made the first power plant on the Canadian side of the river.

Career

Union Bridge Company Steel Arch Bridge in 1900After short stints with the "Passaic Bridge Company" in New Jersey and the Erie Railroad, he came to Buffalo, New York, to join George S. Field, a friend who would later become his brother-in-law, at his "Morrison, Field Bridge Company." In the 1870s and 1880s, with the expansion of railroads across the U.S., many bridge building companies combined to create larger companies and extend manufacturing facilities. The company Hayes worked for became the "Central Bridge Company." He and Field supervised an 8-acre manufacturing site (at the foot of Hamburg St. in Buffalo) where 200-300 skilled workers manufactured 15,000 tons of material for bridges that was shipped around the world.

Lackawanna Company executives reached out to Buffalo attorney John G. Milburn, who brought in John J. Albright. Albright had been discussing organizing a steel plant in Buffalo with William A. Rogers (vice-president of "Rogers, Brown & Company," the largest pig iron dealer in the United States), so Albright asked that Rogers and Hayes be brought into negotiations as well as.

Buffalo Bolt Company In 1897, Hayes and Albright bought the Buffalo Bolt Company, which George C. Bell had founded in 1859. Buffalo Bolt produced nuts and bolts that were used by manufacturers in the production of automobiles, ships, trains, household appliances, and hundreds of other products. Under their ownership, production increased many times over. In 1869, Buffalo Bolt produced 14,000 nuts and bolts per day, and by 1911, the Company was producing 1,250,000 per day.

In 1921, the company's main factory was located at 101 East Avenue in North Tonawanda, New York, the general offices were in Buffalo, and the western offices were at 934 Monadnock Building in Chicago and 1107 Chemical Building in St. Louis. The officers were: Albright, president; R. K. Albright (Albright's son) and Ralph Plumb, vice presidents; G. A. Mitchell, treasurer; Robert C. Board, secretary. The Board of Directors was composed of: Hayes, Albright, R. K. Albright, Ralph Plumb, G. A. Mitchell, W. P. Cooke, and Anson Conger Goodyear (son of Charles W. Goodyear).

In 1904, Rogers invited Hayes, Albright and Clement to accompany him on one of his periodic visits, as they had not seen the property before. Purportedly, Frank H. Goodyear, another Buffalo businessman, heard of the trip and offered the use of his private car for the occasion. Rogers accepted and invited Goodyear and his brother Charles W. Goodyear to join the party. Goodyear was so impressed with the capacity of the plant to produce tonnage that he wanted one established on the line of the Goodyear brothers' Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad. Rogers and the Goodyear Brothers joined forces to create a company and plant in Buffalo that was called the Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company, named after the Goodyear brothers' Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad.

Personal life Jekyl Island Club After moving to Buffalo, he was introduced to his business partner’s (George Field) sister in-law, Mary H. Warren whom he married in 1878. They did not have any children, collected art, and had an extensive library.

Hayes died on October 19, 1923, and Mary died November 16, 1924.

Home 300x300px In 1891–92, Hayes and his wife had Green & Wicks design a home for them at 147 North Street, two doors from the Metcalfe House (built in 1882 by McKim, Mead & White and demolished in 1980).

He served on the board of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy and, in 1892, gave $5,000 to assist the school in offering classes. From 1915 until his death, he supplemented the academy's annual budget to cancel any debts.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in 1890In 1906, when St. Paul's Episcopal Church was experiencing financial distress, he offered $50,000 to the church if others in the congregation would collectively match that total, which they did and therefore, was able to remain in Shelton Square. Hayes was the longest-serving vestryman, with 34 years service.

In 1913, when he attended the Dartmouth 40th reunion (of the class he would have graduated with), they presented him with a Master of Science degree. After he returned home, sent them a check for $10,000 .

In 1923, when he died he left the following bequests: Artwork went to the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, plus $75,000 for the future purchase of art. St. Paul's church received another $50,000 Buffalo General Hospital received $10,000 Children's Hospital, $10,000 Home for the Friendless, $5,000 The YMCA, $10,000 The Farmington, Maine Old South Church, $10,000 The Farmington Library, $20,000 Upon his wife's death, the remainder of their estate was to be divided between the University of Buffalo and Dartmouth College.