John Cromwell Lincoln

John Cromwell Lincoln (July 17, 1866 – May 24, 1959) was an American inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and in 1924, the vice-presidential candidate under the Commonwealth Land Party ticket. He held 55 patents on several electrical devices, founded the Lincoln Electric Co., invested in the construction of the Camelback Inn, presided over the Bagdad Mine and funded two hospitals in Phoenix, one of which bears his name.

Early years John Cromwell Lincoln was born in Painesville, Ohio, to William Edward Lincoln (1831–1920), an abolitionist minister, and Frances Louise Marshall Lincoln (1839–1918), a physician. There he received his primary and secondary education. In 1888, he graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in electrical engineering and soon after became a construction superintendent. He trained under Charles F. Brush, who invented the arc light and engineered America's first electric street car. In 1891, Lincoln patented his first invention, an electric brake for street-railway cars.

In 1889, Henry George visited Cleveland to speak about his ideals. George was an American political economist and journalist whose writing was immensely popular in the 19th century, and sparked several reform movements of the Progressive Era. His writings also inspired the economic philosophy known as Georgism, based on the belief that people should own the value they produce themselves, but that the economic value derived from land (including natural resources) should belong equally to all members of society. Lincoln was among those in the crowd who attended the political meeting. He was impressed with George and read George's book Progress and Poverty three times. His enthusiasm was such that he became a member of the Single Tax Georgism movement.

The Lincoln Electric Company

In 1895, he founded the Lincoln Electric Company in Cleveland, Ohio, with a capital investment of $200.00. Lincoln used the facilities of his company to do research and to experiment with the electrical devices which he invented. The main product of the company were electric motors of his own design. He was directly responsible for 55 patents that gained him national fame as an industrialist. Lincoln helped finance the education of his brother James F. Lincoln who joined him upon his graduation in 1907, as the sales director of the company. The product line of the company expanded and included battery chargers for electric automobiles. In 1914, James F. Lincoln headed and supervised the company as general manager. This in turn gave Lincoln the time that he needed to continue with his research, experiments and inventions. The first variable voltage, single operator, portable welding machine in the world was introduced by the Lincoln Electric Co. in 1911. Lincoln created and patented a flux. The flux made a weld as flexible as steel. The shielded arc welding process developed by Lincoln played an important role in the manufacture of merchant ships in World War II. The Wallace and Lincoln team received 2,778 of the popular vote and 0 electoral votes in comparison with the Republican Party's candidates Calvin Coolidge and Charles G. Dawes who received 15,725,016 of the popular votes and 382 electoral votes thus, winning the presidential election.

Sunnyslope, Arizona Lincoln's first wife was Myrtle H Humphrey Lincoln. On April 4, 1892, he had a daughter with Myrtle whom they named Louise Lincoln. Myrtle died in 1913. He later met and married Helen Colville. Helen was a college graduate and former educator who taught math and science. On June 15, 1922, she gave birth to a child, whom they named Joseph Colville Lincoln. Eventually, they had two more daughters and three sons.

Camelback Inn

Lincoln also joined in the construction of the Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Lincoln had made many investments in real estate and owned large tracts of land between the slopes of Mummy and Camelback Mountains. The property was a remote desert scrub land located outside Phoenix and had no water, electricity or telephone access.

The Camelback Inn opened on December 15, 1936, under the management of Stewart, with the slogan "Where Time Stands Still". There were accommodations for 77 guests. Among the early celebrities who frequented the Inn were Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Bette Davis, and J.W. Marriott Sr., who shared the Stewart's love for the Camelback Inn.

In 1968, the Camelback Inn was purchased by Bill Marriott of Marriott International and in March 2003, the hotel was officially renamed by its parent corporation as "Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa". It is located at 5402 East Lincoln Drive.

Universal Wire Spring Company He also had a financial interest in the Universal Wire Spring Company. Among the many products he patented in the company's' name are: US2440001; Filing date: February 10, 1944; Publication date: April 20, 1948; Attachment for wire elements to frame structures. US2480667; Filing date: February 21, 1944; Publication date: August 30, 1949; Wire spring for upholstered spring structures. US2450876; Filing date: September 19, 1945; Publication date: October 12, 1948; Wire twisting device.

The Bagdad Mine and Copper Company

The Lincoln family began to acquire Bagdad Mining stock in the latter part of World War II. By September 1944, Lincoln acquired 50% in the Bagdad Mine stock and had become the president of the Bagdad Copper Company. The Bagdad Mine represents one of the largest copper reserves in the United States and in the world, having estimated reserves of 873.6 million tonnes of ore grading 0.36% copper. It is located in Yavapai County, Arizona, just west of the unincorporated community of Bagdad.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

In 1946, Lincoln established the Lincoln Foundation in Phoenix. He was inspired by Henry George's ideals which in turn served as an inspiration to create the foundation. In 1966, the University of Hartford in Connecticut accepted the establishment of the foundation's John C. Lincoln Institute within its campus. Eventually, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy established an independent school and as such became the primary grant recipient of the foundation. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy school is located just outside of Harvard Square at 113 Brattle Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Henry George School of Social Science In 1947, Lincoln became the third president of the Board of Trustees of the Henry George School of Social Science in New York upon the death of Anna George de Mille, daughter of Henry George. He served in this position until 1958. As stated in the beginning of this article Lincoln as a young man had read Progress and Poverty by Henry George and became a believer in George's ideas.

In July 1957, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary banquet of the Henry George School the school's vice president, Ezra Cohen, paid tribute to Lincoln and saluted him:

The John C Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital (now the Deer Valley Medical Center) is currently a 204-bed, full-service hospital offering extensive inpatient and outpatient general surgery and cardiac surgery and care. There is a Breast Health and Research Center on the campus which offers the latest technology, including 3D mammograms and an MRI on site. The facility has earned Magnet designation, the highest national designation for excellence in nursing care. The Deer Valley Medical Center is located at 19829 N. 27th Ave. in Phoenix.

Lincolns' descendants have all been members of the network's board of directors of the John C. Lincoln Health Network, now HonorHealth

His daughter Louise Lincoln Kerr, became an accomplished musician, composer, and philanthropist. She co-founded the National Society of Arts and Letters in 1944 and the Phoenix Symphony in 1947. She was also a benefactor to the School of Music at Arizona State University. She was inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame in 2004. Louise died on December 10, 1977. Her former home and studio in Scottsdale was recognized with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 2010.

Written works

Among Lincoln's written works are the following: The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding Design Ground Rent, Not Taxes Christ's Object in Life Stop Legal Stealing Should Land Have Selling Value? Scientific Taxation The Natural Source of Revenue for the Government.

Publications by and about John C. Lincoln and the Lincoln Foundation John C. Lincoln, The Lincoln Letter (October 1949)* John C. Lincoln, The Lincoln Letter (July 1951 – June 1952) J.A. Wadovick, "John C. Lincoln Here on Birthday" Cleveland Plain Dealer (July 16, 1955) John C. Lincoln, "Stop Legal Stealing" (1958) "Millions for Single Tax" The Oregonian (July 20, 1959) George J. Harmann, "John Lincoln Bequests..." Cleveland Plain Dealer (September 20, 1959) William Feather, "Those Single Taxers" Cleveland Plain Dealer (March 24, 1961) N.R. Howard, "John C. Lincoln Left Deep Impact on Land" (Spring 1962) Tony Ortega, "Georgist Burns," New Times (November 2–8, 1995) John C. Lincoln, "Dear Friend" (undated) John C. Lincoln, "The Importance of Natural Relations" (undated) John C. Lincoln, "The Natural Source of Revenue for Government" (undated) John C. Lincoln, "Scientific Taxation" (undated) John C. Lincoln, "Should Land Having Selling Value" (undated) John C. Lincoln, "Some Important Axioms" (undated)

Publications by and about James F. Lincoln and Lincoln Electric Company James Lincoln, Intelligent Selfishness and Manufacturing (Cleveland: Lincoln Electric Company, 1943) "Another Lincoln Heard From" The Daily Republican Eagle (May 26, 1944) James F. Lincoln, et al. "Why the Lag in Production?" Town Meeting (October 2, 1946) James F. Lincoln, "Wages and Workers" N.A.C.A. Bulletin (May 1, 1947) Thomas E. Shroyer, Report of the Joint Committee on Labor-Management Relations [c. 1947] James F. Lincoln, What Makes Workers Work? (Cleveland: The Lincoln Electric Co., 1951) Howard Hall, "Graded Taxes Urged Here" The Dayton Daily News (March 7, 1962) Peter Edson, "Lincoln Electric Suit First Court Test of Renegotiation," World-Telegram and Sun [c. 1953] John W. Love, "Lincoln Electric Soon to Pay Another Bonus," World-Telegram and Sun (December 12, 1953) Charles Hillinger, "For the 49th year, this company pays a bonus" Philadelphia Inquirer (December 5, 1982) William Serrin, "The Way That Works at Lincoln" New York Times (January 15, 1984) "Lincoln Preaches Incentive Plans" World-Telegram and Sun (April 30, [no year])