08/19/2024
This is a bit of a long read, but this is to let people know there has been a glass artist in the family for over 170 years.
St. Clair Family History – A Brief Story
The following narrative gives additional information to the family story of John Baptiste (1860-1939) and Rosalie Bertrand StClair (1859-1935), the father and mother of John “Pop” St. Clair, as the family travelled to the United States to begin a new life for their family. The discovery of the new material written here began with a phone call from a descendant of Leon and Eugenia Lambert to Joe Rice at The House of Glass in Elwood, Indiana.
The Lambert, Haytin and StClair (Singler) families arrived at the Port of New Orleans aboard the SS La Bourgogne on 19, March 1888. It is not known if the StClair, Lambert and Haytin families knew each other before they set sail from La Harve, France on 8 October 1885. The ships manifest simply lists a “clan” of other families traveling together aboard the Bourgogne.
After disembarking from this ship in New Orleans, the St. Clair, Lambert, and Haytin families and the others from their group travelled to St. Louis, Missouri. They were expecting to find employment in St. Louis. However, work was not as available as expected, and many of the clan turned their sights to the glass industry in Crystal City, Missouri.
Pauline Betrand, sister of Rosalie Bertrand StClair was already living in Crystal City, Missouri working as an interpreter for the factories that hired immigrants from Germany and France. More work was more available in the glass houses in Crystal City such as the American Plate Glass Company. American Plate Glass Company had begun operations there in 1871. Exceptionally high-quality silica was found in this area and produced high quality crystal glass. In 1876, the Crystal Plate Glass bought out the American Plate Glass and began making glass using four gas fired furnaces. Crystal Plate Glass, however, owned the entire town. No saloons, non-employee homes or private enterprises were allowed to exist. For about two years, the StClair, Lambert, and Haytin families lived and worked in Crystal City. However, in 1891, The St. Clair, Lambert and Haytin families moved together to Elwood, Indiana.
It seemed the glass industry lured them all to Elwood. The glass business was booming in central Indiana from the late 1880’s through the turn of the century. On October 6, 1886, drillers in Howard County, Indiana, discovered natural gas at a depth of 900 feet. By 1887, the Indiana Gas Company had 475 gas wells. Known as the Trenton Gas Field, the discovery of natural gas in east central Indiana launched a boom of industry in many industrial fields, including the glass industry. Many glass factories were located in Elwood and in the surrounding areas: MacBeth Glass (later merged with Evans Glass to become MacBeth-Evans) and Diamond Plate Glass, and many more. In 1899, Pittsburgh Plate Glass bought Diamond Plate and opened a plate glass factory in Elwood. Many glass workers, such as the St. Clair, Lambert and Haytin families, came from Missouri to work in the glass factories in Elwood.
By 1891, the St. Clair, Lambert and Haytin families had moved to Elwood, Indiana. The following information is based on the 1900 US Federal Census: John and Rosalie St. Clair lived at what is now 126 North F Street which was not inside the city limits of Elwood in the 1900 US Federal Census. They lived there with their three children: John, Rosa, and Paul Leo. John and Rosa had been born in France before the family came to the United States. Paul Leo was born in Elwood, Indiana, on 28 August 1891. John Baptiste, the father, worked in the glass industry, as did both of his sons as they grew older. It is not definitively known with which glass factory they were initially employed. However, most of their glass working careers were with MacBeth-Evans which operated in Elwood until its merger with Corning Glass on 24 December 1936. After that time, the St. Clair Glass Works came into existence.
John Baptiste Sengler (St. Clair) (1860-1939) and Rosalie Bertrand St. Clair (1859-1935) Father and Mother of John B. “Pop” St. Clair (1881-1958). John Baptiste and Rosalie Bertrand St. Clair were parents of three children: John Baptiste “Pop” St. Clair, Rosa Beatrice St. Clair Pyle, and Paul Leo St. Clair.
The Story of Pop and Mom StClair
The story of John Baptiste (Singler) StClair and Ellen Catherine Carroll is the foundation of the past, it gives strength to our present and hope for the future. By the early 1890’s, the families of James Patrick Carroll and Jean Baptiste (Singler) StClair found their way to Elwood, Indiana. John, Pop (Singler) StClair was born in 1881 in the Northeastern region of France. It is not clear if Liepvre, St. Die or Epinal France was the birthplace. Ellen Catherine, “Nellie” Carroll, the daughter of James Patrick and Sarah Casson Carroll. The Carroll family history begins with William Carroll born in the early 1800’s near Meath, Leister, Ireland. Williams son Hugh married Eliza Jane Corrigan on 31 July 1848 in Dublin. Hugh and Eliza had five children. Hugh Carroll 1824-1888 is the father of James Patrick Carrol, the father Ellen Catherine “Mom” Carroll StClair. The family moved to Lancashire, England where Hugh was listed in the 1851 census as head of household and his occupation was glassworker.
Documentation exists for the StClair family living in Elwood, Indiana by 1891. John Baptiste (Singler) Sr. became a naturalized US citizen on 23 April 1892 in Madison County, Indiana. Ellen Catherine (Nellie) Carroll lived with her family in a rented home at 204 North 9th Street, Elwood. Ellen was one of fourteen children, eight died in childhood. So, by the early 1890’s, John “Pop” StClair and Ellen “Nellie” Carroll were living with their families in Elwood. Both families had been drawn to Central Indiana and Elwood by the glass industry. The StClair family definitely came to work at the MacBeth Glass Company and James Carroll to the Diamond Plate Glass Company. The discovery of natural gas in the Trenton Gas Fields was the primary reason the StClair and Carroll families moved to Elwood. In the 1900 census, John Baptiste sr. listed his occupation as day labor at the glass factory and John “Pop”, age 19, listed his occupation as a chimney gatherer at the glass factory. James Carroll in the 1900 census listed his occupation as a day laborer in the glass factory. So, the two families, the StClair and Carroll families were making glass in Elwood at different glass factories as the supply of natural gas began to diminish.
There was much turmoil from 1900-1905 as the gas supply dwindled and the skilled glass work force was reduced. The Carroll family moved to Pennsylvania and the StClair’s remained in Elwood for a time. Records show that Ellen Catherine Carroll and John StClair were married on 15 July 1903 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Springdale, Allegheny County Pennsylvania. After their wedding John and Nellie resided at 408 North 5th street in Elwood, Indiana. Work in various glass houses took Pop and Mom to Butler Pennsylvania, Fort Smith Arkansas, and Dunbar West Virginia before returning to Elwood and began raising a family. Marie Louise, 1904-1962; John James 1905-1961; Paul Carroll 1907-2000; Joseph Leo 1909-1987; Rosalia Sarah 1911-1986; Edward Bertrand 1912-1989; Ellen Elizabeth 1914-1915; Dorothy Carolyn 1916-1963; Robert Maurice1919-1986; Margaret Helen 1922-1967; Jane Ann StClair Rice, my mother 1923-1990.
The dwindling supply of natural gas, shortage of skilled craftsmen and the looming depression had a major impact on Elwood, Indiana and the country. Most of the StClair family moved to Dunbar West Virginia to work and MacBeth-Evans closed as demolition began in 1937. Joe and Paul StClair and their families remained in Elwood to begin the new adventure, opening their family owned and operated glass works in September 1938. Joe, or Jodie began to experiment and develop an extensive of “flowers in glass” paperweights, perfume bottles, vases, ashtrays and later lamps that became a standard line for the StClair family. The five brothers, Aunt Marie Carroll Hirsch, Joe Carroll, and many family members contributed to the early success which created a high demand for their newly developed product.
Pop and Mom continued to live in the house on 5th street. Grandmother passed away in 1951 and Grandfather in 1958. Joe took over the reins with brothers Ed and Bob, while Johnny and Paul contributed as well as other family members. Business was going strong, and Joe introduced a line of pressed glass in the early 1960’s. He experimented with many colors, always improving and introducing new designs while using many of the Greentown glass patterns. In 1971, Uncle Joe “tried” to retire. He sold the family business, all the molds and equipment, to Robert Courtney and Richard Gregg managed the business for a few years. It was in 1971 that Bob and Maude StClair opened their own small glass studio on State Road 28 in West Elwood. The new glass factory was named Maude and Bob StClair House of Glass. Uncle Bob, Uncle Joe, Uncle Ed and Joe Rice worked together again until Uncle Joe StClair came out of retirement to purchase the original glass works at 408 North 5th Street in Elwood. For the next twelve years there were two glass studios owned by the StClair brothers. It was in in June 1986 that Bob StClair died, and the shop was closed. Later in October 1987 Uncle Joe passed and both glass factories were closed.
There ensued another transition for the Carroll and StClair family. The only StClair’s remaining were my Mother Jane Ann, Uncles Paul and Ed. I was graced with the blessings of my gifted family, the help of many, under the guidance of my uncles, fortified by my experience of working with Joe, Bob, Ed and Paul beginning from age twelve. In October 1987 I purchased The House of Glass and continue to this day my beloved families traditions. So, from Hugh Carroll in Lancashire, England in 1851 through August 2024 at The House of Glass my families and I have been making glass for over 173 years
It was in 2010 at a family gathering that my cousins began sharing stories about our StClair family heritage. Therese StClair Lloyd commented, “Someone should write all this down.” Never did we know that Therese would embark on several years of ancestry research that uncovered many more stories and information that she amassed into the most wonderful and amazing book, “THE FAMILY OF JOHN BAPTISTE AND ELLEN CATHERINE CARROLL STCLAIR”. To Therese goes the credit for all her work on this book. To our family the hard work, passion and dedication to the wonderful world of glass. The book is available to view only at the Elwood and Tipton Public Libraries. Jar 8-15-2024
