CHARLES GLADDING (excerpts)

. . .founder of Gladding McBean in Lincoln (excerpts from Lardner & Brock, Placer and Nevada County History,1924.)

Born near Buffalo New York, on April 28, 1828 , he later became interested in the Buckeye Sewer Pipe plant in Akron, Ohio. . . He married and moved to Chicago where he became one of the early contractors who built up that city. At the breaking out of the Civil War he entered the government employ, being placed in charge of transporting supplies to the front. . .

When Pres. Lincoln issued his second call for 300,000 men, Charles Gladding resigned his position and, leaving his small children in the care of his wife, offered his services . . .
by enlisting in Company K, 72nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, known as the Board of Trade Regiment. He was commissioned a first lieutenant, under Capt. John Reed and served in Ransom’s Brigade, MacPherson’s Division. . .he took part in the battle of Champion Hills. . .during the siege his captain was wounded and Lt. Gladding then commanded the company. . .he resigned his commission when his wife died in 1863 . . .and went on to establish an extensive trade in the sale of Sanitary Ware and sewer pipe. . .however the Jay Cook failure and the panic of 1872-73 made business very slack. . .his eyes turned towards the Pacific Coast where he had a cousin, James Gladding residing in Sacramento. In 1874 he came to California and began the investigation which led to his favorable consideration of the clay deposits in Lincoln. He returned to Chicago and interested some of his friends and as a result the formation and incorporation of Gladding, McBean & Company followed in May 1875. . . .and it was only a month later when he and his son, Albert J. Gladding were en route on the overland train to California. 

Arriving in Lincoln in June, 1875 . . .they started the potteries which have since grown to such large proportion and have meant so much, not only to the town of Lincoln, but to the entire Sacramento Valley. . .in time he turned the whole operation over to his son. Charles died in Rome on January 17, 1894.