Henry A. Lozier (1840–1903)
Henry Abram Lozier was an influential American industrialist, best known for his contributions to the bicycle and seamless steel tubing industries. Born in Indiana, he spent his early years in the state before moving to Cleveland, Ohio, in his 30s, where he became a general agent for the New Home Sewing Machine Company. As bicycles gained popularity in the late 19th century, Lozier capitalized on the trend with partner Joseph Yost, launching a bicycle manufacturing plant in Toledo, Ohio.
Lozier was a key figure in the founding of the Lozier-Yost Seamless Steel Tube Company in 1891, located in Shelby, Ohio. The company, renamed the Shelby Steel Tube Company, was the only one of its kind in America at the time, pioneering the production of seamless steel tubing, which became crucial for bicycle manufacturing and later found applications in the armaments, aircraft and automobile industry. By 1897, he played a role in consolidating numerous steel tubing manufacturers into what became a steel trust, a significant move that reshaped the industry.
His influence extended into the bicycle market as a director of the Shelby Cycle Manufacturing Company in 1891, followed by the expansion of his bicycle empire through the Cleveland-based Lozier Manufacturing Company. By the mid-1890s, Lozier’s companies were among the largest bicycle manufacturers in the U.S. However, labor disputes and economic downturns impacted the industry, prompting him to diversify his business interests.
As the bicycle boom waned, Lozier sold his holdings to the American Bicycle Company trust and transitioned into the burgeoning automotive industry, founding the Lozier Motor Works in Toledo and later expanding to Plattsburgh, New York. He became an early pioneer in gasoline engine production for automobiles, establishing a significant presence in the industry before his passing.
Lozier died suddenly of heart disease at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on May 26, 1903. At the time of his death, he held executive positions in multiple companies, including the Standard Power Company and the St. Louis Manufacturing Company. His legacy lived on through the continued operation of the Shelby Steel Tube Company and the Lozier Motor Company, which went on to produce luxury automobiles in the early 20th century. His business acumen and innovative spirit left a lasting impact on the American manufacturing landscape.