Cyrus Elder
Like his older brother William, Cyrus Elder (1833-1912) was born in Somerset, Pennsylvania, on June 16, 1833, some twenty seven years after William. Cyrus attended both public and private schools during his formative years. After finishing school, Elder worked at a store in Somerset, before moving to Philadelphia, to work at a dry goods wholesaler. He would then return to his parent’s house in 1855, in order to undertake the study of the Law. He would be admitted to the bar in 1856. Around this time, Elder would also be active in the newly formed Republican Party, and would subsequently be nominated as a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention. Then, in 1859, Elder would marry the sister of fellow protectionist James M. Swank.
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At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Elder was quick to join the Union Army, enlisting in the volunteer infantry company in Somerset, where he would be appointed as second lieutenant. Later in the conflict, he would be appointed as quarter-master of the tenth regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserve and would serve in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862. During this operation, however, Lieutenant Elder would contract chickahominy fever and would subsequently resign from his post. Elder would then return to his law practice in late 1862, where his services were be enlisted for the Cambria Iron Company.
Elder would work almost exclusively for the Cambria Iron Company until his retirement in 1901. The owner of the company was Daniel J. Morrell, who along with Joseph Wharton and several others, would go on to establish the explicitly protectionist American Industrial League in 1868. As a staunch Protectionist and associate of Morrell, Elder would be appointed to serve as Secretary of the League. In this capacity, Elder would also serve as the editor of the Industrial Bulletin. Elder would continue in this role until the collapse of the League in 1873.
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Elder’s first publication on political economy would appear in 1872. This piece was entitled Dreams of a Free-Trade Paradise, which consisted of several satirical essays mocking the arguments of free traders. It would not be until 12 years later in 1886 that his main work on political economy would appear. This was entitled Man and Labor. This contained the substance of a series of lectures delivered by Elder at the Cambria Scientific Institute. In addition to his economic writings, Elder also produced a poetic work entitled My Gift in 1867. Cyrus Elder died in Philadelphia on December 14, 1912