The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-11-15

JOHN FEHNNBArcH, the President of
the International Union of Machinists and
Blacksmiths, and the subject of this
sketch, whose portrait is given above, was
born at Rochester, Monroe county, New
York, on the 29th day of June, 1874
Left motherless at the tender age of three
years, and compelled, through the poverty
of his father, to enter the workshop in his
eighth year, he entered that school Of
hardship and toll which has given to the
world its ablest orators, statesmen, and
leaders
He first commenced work in wooden
mandatory, which was owned by Messrs.
Douglass & Hollowell, being necessitated
to commence work at six o'clock A. NJ, and
continue until seven o'clock in the even
ing. He obtained the rudiments of
common school education by walking from
the shop, two miles, to the night school,
which was then located on High street,
near the old Erie canal after school,
walking home, a distance Of two miles
more, and doing this without his supper,
and that after working hard for twelve
hours each day. This he continued for
five winters. On the 11th of April, 1857,
his father bound him as an apprentice to
u blacksmith, whose shop was located on
the banks of the Genessee river, on State
street, between Rochester and Charlotte
streets, toward Lake Ontario. He served
out his time on the 10th Of April, 1860,
when he left his home for the first time,
starting out in the world with Just four
dollars in his possession. He went to Pc
terboro, Ontario, paying three dollars and
half for his passage across Lake Ontario,
and landed in Peterboro with ten cents in
silver as his worldly possessions.
Not liking the blacksmith trade, and
desiring to be machinist, he went to
machine shop owned by Messrs. Mowry
L. Son, where, through the intercession of
kind friend, he was taken as an appren-
tice to the machinist trade. Shortly after
his time was out, he went to Ohio, arriv-
ing in Cleveland August IA, 1868, and
found employment in the shop of Chas
Winchel, in Cincinnati. He left Cincin-
natl and went to Evansville, Ind, in Feb
ruary, 1864, accepting employment at the
machine shop of Messrs. Cratz & Heilman.
Two weeks weeks thereafter he connected
himself with an organization for the first
time in his life. This organization was
Machinists anu Blacksmiths Union No. 5.
of Indiana, which Union still lives, and is
in fiourshing condition.
In May Of the same year he went to In
dianapolis, Ind, where he remained until
fall. In the meantime he was elected
Vice President of M. 4 b. Union No. 4,
of Indiana. On the 1lth of November,
1864, he landed in Nashville, Tenn, where
he was employed by re Government on
the United States Military Railroad. He
continued in the employ of the Govern
ment until April, 1865. when he returned
to indianapolis, and went through course
in the Purden College, Evenings, working
at his trade during the day.
In July, 1865, he was elected Special
Corresponding Secretary Of Nj. e. b. I'm
ion No. 4, of Indiana, with instructions
to open correspondence with the various
trades organizations throughout the State,
with a view to obtain mutual action on the
eight-hour question. Three months from
the date of his appointment, and subse-
quent to the opening of this correspond
ence, State Convention was called to
organize the Grand Eight Hour League
of Indiana, Secretary of which he was
elected. The agitation of the eight hour
question continued until nearly every
cityin the United States was organized.
At the fal lelections, nearly every proT.-
inent politician was converted into an
eight-hour man. When the election
was over the workingmen thought their
work done and abandoned the move
ment and as soon as their organizations
were abandoned, every ofice-holder who
had pledged himself to use his influence
in favor of the passage of an eight-hour
law, repudiated his pledge. Here the
eight hour movement stopped in Indiana,
The next event of Importance was his
election as delegate to the Special Session
Of the National Labor Union, held In New
York City, in July, 1868. In the fall of
1870, he returned to his old home, Roch-
ester, N. Y, after an absence of ten years
and half. Here he remained SIX months,
during which time he succeeded IN build
ing up M. & b. Union No. z, of New
York, from membership Of 10 to a MEM
bership of 220. He returned to Indian
apolis in April, 1871. In June he was
elected a. delegate to represent M. & b.
Union No. 4, of Indiana, in the Conven-
ton of the International Union, which
convened in Cleveland, Ohio, in Septem-
Der of the same year. At that Conven-
ton he was elected President Of the Inter-
national body. When he accepted the office,
the organization had scarcely member
ship Of /, 500 in good standing, % unions,
an income for the international Union
Of about 81 200. and an expense of about
&S, 500 per annum. He started into the
field, on an organizing tour, in April,
1874 The South was organized first, then
q portion of the Middle States, then the
J Western States and hs closed the year