Spring Grove, Pa., papermaker CEO George Glatfelter II talks about his decision to retire at year's end from the company his family has operated since the 1860s, in this ydr.com video. Also of interest: A leading York County name: 'Keeping it in family is the Glatfelter way' and Private, public interests built Lake Marburg for manufacturing, recreation and P.H. Glatfelter and S. Morgan Smith head list of York County industrial movers and shakers.
George Glatfelter's planned retirement from the paper manufacturing company started by his great-great-grandfather raises the question about how his family got involved in that line of work, the first place.
Yorkblogger Scott Mingus, who is an exec with Glatfelter and a tireless researcher, has dug out the story.
The Glatfelter story starts after the Battle of Gettysburg ended... .
Here's the short story, according to Scott's Cannonball blog:
Rag peddlers, who supplied the Spring Grove paper mill, collected discarded clothing, bandages, slings and cloth from who know what sources from around the battlefield.
Authorities put a stop to that. Which put a stop to the Spring Grove rag supply. Which put a crimp on paper mill operations.
Which brought in P.H. Glatfelter I.
But, really, get the details from Scott at: Spring Grove paper mill got its start because of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Also of interest:
- Worker saved key historical surveys from Glatfelter pulping machine.
- Fourth-generation member of Glatfelter paper family dies.
- Glatfelter, Farquhar, Shipley: Insights from local greats.
- Samuel Small tops York, Pa. community contributor list.
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