H. P. Sinclaire & Company

Henry P. Sinclaire, Senior, died at his residence, corner of Third and Pine Streets at 1 o'clock this morning.

Mr. Sinclaire's health had not been good for several years, but he was more or less regular in attendance at his business office until early in the present month; he had not been down town since Election Day, but was seen walking in the neighborhood of his house and driving with members of his family until a week ago, since which time he had been confined to his home. An alarming turn in his condition on Tuesday of last week caused the family to summon an eminent specialist from New York, who came here on Wednesday. Nothing that could be done, however, checked Mr. Sinclaire's decline and for two or three days the end has been hourly expected. Some years ago Mr. Sinclaire had a severe attack of grip and it is believed that his heart has never since been strong, and a diseased condition of that organ was the real cause of death.

Henry P. Sinclaire was born in Belfast, Ireland May 6th 1834 and came to this country with his parents at the age of 10 years. His family settled in Hoboken, N. J., where some of its members yet reside. He was educated in the public schools and afterwards took a place in the office of a wholesale dry goods house in New York.

Later he was connected with a glove importing establishment for which he made many trips to Europe becoming an expert glovier.

In 1866 he became book-keeper for the then owner of the Brooklyn Flint Glass Works. He came to Corning in the autumn of 1868 when the factory was removed here. He continued in the employ of the concern until January, 1875, when with Amory Houghton, Jr., Joseph J. Tully and the late Charles F. Houghton, he became a stockholder and incorporator of the Corning Glass Works. He was elected Secretary of the company, a position he ever since held. Until failing health compelled him to reliquish a part of the responsibility of his office, Mr. Sinclaire gave his entire time and attention to the direction of affairs in the office of his company.

He was regarded as a man of exceptional abilities . . . [3 or 4 illegible words] . . . [and was] an accountant of great accuracy. He loved to hunt and fish and in former years spent a month of each year at Moosehead Lake, Maine; later on he spent his leisure time in traveling all over the United States, Canada and Europe. With his wife and youngest son, Mr. Sinclaire spent last winter in Florida where he hoped to go once more early in the new year.

Mr. Sinclaire was a remarkable reader, and, as a consequence was regarded as one of the most intelligent and best read men in Corning; there was scarcely any subject upon which he was not well versed; he was strong in his likes and dislikes and vigorous in his ideas. His honesty and conscientiousness were as marked as his character was strong; he was an unusual type of man, who made a strong and lasting impression upon everybody with whom he ever came in contact. By those in the business circles with which he had been so closely associated, and who knew him so well, he was held in deep affection and he commanded the highest respect of the hundreds of people in the employ of his company.

Mr. Sinclaire was a sturdy Republican, and took the greatest possible interest in the public affairs of his community and of the state and nation; he never held public office, however, save as a member of the Sewer Commission of which he had been treasurer since its incorporation.

He was an attendant at Christ Episcopal Church and had been for many years one of its vestrymen. He was a charter member of the Corning Club.

Mr. Sinclaire married twice. His first wife was Miss Frances Oakes of New York, who was an aunt of Amory Houghton, Jr., and who died in Corning in 1872. Two sons were born of this marriage, Henry P. Sinclaire, Jr., a member of the corporation of T. G. Hawkes & Co., the cut glass manufacturers, and William Sinclaire, the assistant secretary of the Corning Glass Works. April 28, 1890 Mr. Sinclaire married Miss Annie Watson whose father had been a former employer of Mr. Sinclaire in New York. Mrs. Sinclaire and a third son, Reginald, nine years old, are of the surviving family; also two sisters, Harriet of St. Leonard, England; Elizabeth of Hoboken, N. J., and a brother of Rutherford, N. J.

The funeral will be observed on Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the family residence, Rev. Walter C. Roberts, rector of Christ Church, will officiate.

Reprinted 23 May 2006