Robert Pitcairn - Pittsburgh PA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 40° 26.592 W 079° 54.498
17T E 592582 N 4477522
He was an executive who headed the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad in the late 19th century. He was the brother of the Pennsylvania Plate Glass Company founder, John Pitcairn, Jr.
Waymark Code: WM12WWW
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/28/2020
Views: 0
He is buried in Homewood Cemetery in Section 14, Lot 96. His remains are in the family mausoleum.
Description:
From Wikipedia: Pitcairn's first job was as a messenger boy for the Eastern Telegraph Company where he worked alongside future steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. In 1853, when Carnegie left to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad, he got Pitcairn a job as a ticket agent at the Mountain House at Hollidaysburg, from there he was transferred to Altoona. Both men worked their way up the corporate ranks rapidly. When Andrew Carnegie left the railroad to start Carnegie Steel, Pitcairn replaced Carnegie as general agent and superintendent of the Pittsburgh division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He was also a friend and financial backer of George Westinghouse.
Pitcairn ordered construction of a rail yard along Turtle Creek near Pittsburgh that would become the largest rail yard in the world. The borough of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, located adjacent to the yard, was named in his honor.
Pitcairn was the superintendent of the Pittsburgh division of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company beginning in the Spring of 1865, and occupied that position during the 1877 riots which occurred in Pittsburgh Pa., as part of larger national railroad riots occurring the same year.
Date of birth: 05/06/1836
Date of death: 07/25/1909
Area of notoriety: Science/Technology
Marker Type: Tomb (above ground)
Setting: Outdoor
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Not listed
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