 | This articlerelies largely or entirely on asingle source. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "George Winthrop Fairchild" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(November 2019) |
George Winthrop Fairchild | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York | |
| In office March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1919 | |
| Preceded by | Frank J. LeFevre |
| Succeeded by | William H. Hill |
| Constituency | 24th district (1907–13) 34th district (1913–19) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1854-05-06)May 6, 1854 |
| Died | December 31, 1924(1924-12-31) (aged 70) |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Josephine Mills Sherman |
| Children | Sherman Mills Fairchild |
| Parent(s) | Jesse Fairchild Belle Fairchild |
| Occupation | Businessman |
George Winthrop Fairchild (May 6, 1854 – December 31, 1924), was a six-term RepublicanU.S. Representative fromNew York. Prior to joining congress, he was a businessman and investor, best known as the chairman of theComputing-Tabulating-Recording Company from 1915 to 1924, which later becameIBM.
He was born inOneonta,New York, to Jesse and Belle Fairchild.His father was a poor farmer. George and his siblings had to help their father on the farm and had little opportunity to study. He attended the local school until he was 14 years old, when he apprenticed to a printer.
Primarily self-educated, he rose to prominence through his own effort and enterprise.In 1890, he became the sole proprietor of the OneontaHerald, a weekly newspaper.He was a pioneer in the time recording industry. In 1896, in association with his friend Harlow N. Bundy, he joined theBundy Manufacturing Company, a time clock manufacturer, as both an investor and director. In 1900 Fairchild formed theInternational Time Recording Company as the selling agency of theBundy Manufacturing Company, Willard and Frick Manufacturing Company, and Standard Time Stamp Company, which also manufactured a card recorder.
In 1911, when the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company was formed through the efforts ofCharles R. Flint, Fairchild became president of the new company.He later became chairman of the company and continued in this role when, in February 1924, CTR was renamed as IBM. He was chairman of IBM until his death on December 31, 1924.
Apart from manufacturing and journalism, Fairchild was a seasoned politician. He was elected as aRepublican to theSixtieth and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1919) while elected delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1912 and 1916.
Fairchild was elected vice president of the International Peace Conference.He was appointed by President Taft on August 10, 1910, as special commissioner to the First Centenary of Mexico at Mexico City, with the rank of Minister.
He married Josephine Mills Sherman, daughter of William Sherman, of Davenport, Delaware County, New York, on March 18, 1891. They had a son,Sherman Mills Fairchild, who was born on April 7, 1896.His home in Oneonta, known as theFairchild Mansion, was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1974.[1]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 24th congressional district 1907–1913 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 34th congressional district 1913–1919 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
