Henry W. Oliver was born on February 25, 1840, in Ireland and two years later his family settled in Pittsburgh. Oliver began working at the age of thirteen as a messenger boy for the National Telegraph Company in Pittsburgh. Oliver worked at various jobs until 1861 when he served in the Civil War. In 1863, he formed a partnership with William J. Lewis and John Phillips to create the firm of Lewis, Oliver and Phillips to manufacture nuts and bolts on a small scale. By 1866, two of his brothers joined the firm and in 1880, they formed the firm, Oliver Brothers and Phillips. By this time, the company was one of the largest manufacturers of bar iron and iron specialties in the United States. In 1888, the company incorporated under the name of Oliver Iron and Steel Company. Oliver was involved in working with the Mesabi Ore region in Minnesota and became politically active with the Republican Party in Pittsburgh. He married Edith Cassidy in 1862. The Olivers had one daughter. Oliver died February 8, 1904.
From the description of Records of the Oliver Iron and Steel Company, 1863-1930, 1959. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 30468815
