James G. Marshall

James G. Marshall (August 24, 1869 – December 28, 1960) was an American industrialist and inventor. Hailed as the "father of the covered furnace," he pioneered advancements in calcium carbide research and ferroalloys. As a co-founder of chemical company Union Carbide, Marshall held various roles throughout his lifetime, notably serving as general superintendent.

Early life and education James G. Marshall was born on August 24, 1869 to Joseph Williams Marshall and Mary Allen Marshall, on the family farm located in Buffalo Run Valley near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest among 10 siblings, with four brothers and five sisters. His mother was the daughter of a Scottish covenanter, while his father's ancestors were among the earliest settlers in America.

Marshall graduated from Bellefonte Academy in 1891. He earned a B. Sc. from Pennsylvania State University in 1895, followed by an electrical engineering degree from the same institution in 1902. He taught elementary school from 1889 to 1890. Marshall relocated to Niagara Falls, New York, where he observed that the newspapers were brimming with stories about beginning the development of electric power, with Niagara Falls prominently featured in those narratives, in 1896.

Career Marshall started his career in 1896 as an electrical engineer at the Acetylene Light, Heat, & Power Co. of Niagara Falls, which he co-founded and which later became Union Carbide. In 1910, he pioneered the covered furnace system at Union Carbide, earning him the title of the "father of the covered furnace". He was promoted to superintendent of the Niagara Falls plant in 1913 and became district superintendent of the Welland, Ontario, and Niagara Falls plants in 1917. He is credited as a pioneer of plant safety programs used nationwide.

Marshall held many patents in the electro-metallurgical field.

In 1956, Marshall received a Distinguished Alumnus Medal from his alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, for "conspicuous achievement in personal and professional life, and community service". Lida died in 1946.

Marshall served as an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Niagara Falls from 1917 onwards.

James G. Marshall House

Marshall resided in the Park Place Historic District in Niagara Falls, New York. In 1994, it opened as a bed and breakfast.

Death Marshall died on December 28, 1960 at Memorial Hospital in Niagara Falls.