January 19

Henry Bessemer was born in Hackney, London in 1813. He pursued engineering and developed a strong interest in industrial metallurgy. In 1856 he patented the Bessemer process, allowing mass production of steel at lower cost. He established the Bessemer Steel Company and his invention catalyzed advances in railways, construction, and machinery. Bessemer also experimented with sugar refining and printing technologies throughout his career. He became a prominent figure in the Industrial Revolution and passed away in 1898.

John Fitzwilliam Stairs was born in Halifax in 1848 into a leading merchant family. He expanded the family business into shipping, manufacturing, and finance, becoming one of Canada’s wealthiest figures. Stairs entered politics and was elected to the House of Commons representing Halifax. He championed railway expansion, trade policies, and infrastructure development in Atlantic Canada. Stairs was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his public service. He remained influential in business and politics until his death in 1904.

John H. Johnson was born in Arkansas in 1918 and moved to Chicago as a child, where he faced racial segregation. In 1942, he launched Negro Digest and in 1945 founded Ebony magazine, providing a platform for African-American culture. Jet magazine followed in 1951, becoming a leading weekly news magazine within the black community. Under his leadership, Johnson Publishing Company expanded into fashion, cosmetics, and records, influencing media and advertising. He broke racial barriers in the industry and was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame. He died in 2005, leaving a lasting legacy in publishing and civil rights.

Born in 1932, Harry Lonsdale earned a Ph.D. in chemistry and founded successful companies in the field of membrane science. He served as CEO of Bend Research, pioneering technologies in pharmaceuticals and materials. In the 1990s, Lonsdale entered politics as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Oregon, focusing on environmental and economic issues. Though unsuccessful in his campaigns, he was praised for his policy expertise and grassroots approach. After politics, he returned to business and philanthropy, supporting science education and conservation. Lonsdale passed away in 2014, remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit and civic engagement.