S "American Working People", published in 1872. The publisher had been an intimate friend and fellow work-man of Capt. Rees for years, so, as we may positively conclude that the matter is true and just; we take the liberty of quoting freely from it. " In 1827 a family of Welsh immigrants consisting of a father, mother, and 9 children arrived in America from their native land. James Rees was then in his seventh year, having been born Dec.25, 1821. They settled in a small town St. Clairsville, Ohio near Wheeling, Virginia where his father died within a week. James soon after went to learn the trade of shoemaking, but left there to work on a farm. The family however removed to Pittsburgh and it was there the subject of our sketch conceived the importance of making himself useful in the world. The busy workers there developed within him the thoughts and hopes which he fought vainly for a while to realize. His first efforts were in the coal mines of Samuel Roberts, where he was employed to push cars out of the pit. Six months there gave him more muscle as well as ambition; and next he found employment in Bakewell's Glasshouse where Col. William Phillips was foreman. They worked together six months and there formed those habits of industry, and gathered together their first dollars, which were the basis of their current wealth and popularity. One dollar and a half was the pay then, which was placed in his mother's hands every Saturday night, with the pride of a struggling mechanic. But his natural inclination led him further to mechanical work, and he subsequently obtained employment in the machine shops of Smith & Irwin where he worked 15 months for $3 per week. Here among steamboat engines, the latent faculty within him developed rapidly; and he acquired, as if by magic, a practical knowledge and scientific conception of the operation of steam in conjunction with machinery. He never stopped to think of short or long hours, high or low wages,but every hour and every thought was devoted to the mastery of the science of machinery and engines. During this time he was the only support of his mother. But our young mechanic was not contented with working hard all day at his lathe, with hands and head. At evening he became a man of business on a small scale in this fashion: He would be on hand at the old canal depot when the travellers arrived and would contract with them for the delivery of their trunks at the hotels for 25c a piece, and would find a drayman to deliver the entire load, perhaps half a dozen or more, for 50c, leaving him a balance of profit. There are few boys who possess equal enterprise, and it is use of energy such as this that makes our leading men. While others were lounging in idleness. after a listless days work, young Rees was making his extra dollar or two and initiating himself in the ways of business. "Excelsior" was the motto of our, and he was after a while, engaged in the works of Snow, ??den, & Co. at Brownsville as foreman. He never spent a cent needlessly and saved every dollar for use. One who knew him during these days well, remarked to the editor " I don't believe James Rees spent a ten-cent piece for three years needlessly." He added dollar to dollar slowly and after a year or two returned to Pittsburgh-- now a young man-- where he was employed by the firm of Stackhouse & Thompson, to oversee the construction of engines for a new revenue cutter, the first ever built here by the General Government for lake service. It was called the 'Michigan" and was launched in 1843. Mr. Rees had now fought through ten years of hard work, and during that time had been the main support of his mother. He had thoroughly acquired a good trade, and also a reputation of thoroughness as a mechanic which few might claim. After finishing the steamboat Michigan, he took charge of the shop of Rowe & Davis. Mr. Rees subsequently became the lessee for six months of these works, and took in with him William Hutchinson and John Morrow. On the termination of the lease, the works were rented over his head and he was left with $25,000.00 of work on his hands with no shop to finish it in.
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