Orrin Henry Ingram

Orrin Henry Ingram
Born	Template:Birth date Westfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	October 16, 1918(1918-10-16) (aged 88)
Occupation(s)	Lumber magnate, banker, philanthropist, autobiographer
Years active	1847–early 1900s
Known for	Empire Lumber Company, philanthropy in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Orrin Henry Ingram (May 13, 1830 – October 16, 1918) was a prominent American lumber magnate and benefactor who operated primarily out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Orphaned at the age of eleven, he developed sawmill enterprises in both Ontario, Canada, and Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley. In addition to his lumber ventures, Ingram was active in banking and recognized for his philanthropic efforts within Eau Claire.

Early life

Born on May 13, 1830, in Westfield, Massachusetts, Ingram descended from a lineage that included his grandfather David Ingram, who immigrated from Leeds, England in 1780. Raised in Saratoga, New York, he lost his father in 1841 at the age of eleven, becoming an orphan. From that point until he was seventeen, he labored on a farm. After his mother remarried, the family relocated to reside near Lake George. His brother, Julius Ingram, later served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Career

Ingram’s professional journey commenced in 1847 with Harris & Bronson Lumber Company based in New York City. Subsequently, he joined Fox & Englin where he was involved in constructing sawmills along Canada’s Rideau Canal and Moira River. He also built an additional sawmill in Ottawa for Harris & Bronson before affiliating with Gilmour & Company, a Canadian lumber enterprise. Among his innovations was the invention of the gang edger, although he never secured a patent for it.

In 1857, together with Donald Kennedy and Alexander M. Dole, Ingram established a sawmill operation in the Chippewa Valley region of Wisconsin. This venture catalyzed the founding of new communities and led to expansion into lumber yards located in Wabasha, Minnesota, and Dubuque, Iowa. By 1881, their company was reorganized as the Empire Lumber Company with its headquarters situated in Eau Claire. The Wabasha location evolved into the Wabasha Lumber Company while the Dubuque site became known as Standard Lumber Company; both entities were under Ingram’s presidency. Additionally, he founded and led the Rice Lake Lumber Company in Wisconsin and was an early backer of Friedrich Weyerhäuser’s timber enterprises that ultimately grew into the Weyerhaeuser corporation.

Ingram played a key role in Eau Claire’s growth by serving as president of the Eau Claire Water Works Company and holding leadership positions at both Eau Claire National Bank and Union National Bank.

In Canada, he held the office of Treasurer for the Anthracite Coal Company operating out of Anthracite, Alberta.

He chronicled his life and career details in an autobiography.

Philanthropy

A devoted philanthropist in Eau Claire, Ingram financed construction of the local YMCA headquarters and donated a statue of Adin Randall located in Randall Park. His service extended to board memberships with organizations such as the Wisconsin Congregational Church, Ripon College, and the commission overseeing the Wisconsin State Capitol. He was also a benefactor to the American Red Cross.

Following the passing of his son Charles, Ingram commissioned the Charles H. Ingram Memorial Congregational Church in Washington, D.C. The church’s cornerstone was placed by President William Howard Taft amid attendance by distinguished individuals including Senator Robert M. La Follette. Designed with community welfare in mind, the church incorporated a school as well as a swimming pool. The structure still stands on Massachusetts Avenue today and is currently owned by Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church.

After losing his wife, Ingram established the Cornelia Pierce Ingram Memorial Community House to honor her memory.

Personal life

On December 11, 1851, Ingram wed Cornelia Pierce. Together, they had four children: two sons—Charles H. Ingram, who predeceased him, and Erskine B. Ingram—and two daughters, Fanny, who also passed away before him, and Miriam, who became the wife of Edward S. Hayes. The family resided in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Cornelia passed away in 1911.

Death

Ingram died at the age of 88 on October 16, 1918. At the time of his passing, his estate was valued at more than one million dollars. He was laid to rest at Lake View Cemetery located in Eau Claire.

Secondary source

• Charles Twining. Downriver: Orrin H. Ingram and the Empire Lumber Company. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society. 1975.