Francis Abram Hollenbeck
1852-1933

From Sue Goodfellow: Bruce, Dwight H. (Ed.), Onondaga’s Centennial. Boston History Co., 1896, Family Sketches, Vol. II, p. 479.

Frank A. Hollenbeck, Syracuse, son of Howard and Angeline (Wilcox) Hollenbeck, was born in Tully, April 30, 1852. His parents now reside in Homer, NY. Howard Hollenbeck came to Tully from Coxsackie, NY about 1840, with his parents, Samuel and Eunice (Pruyn), and moved with his family to Homer soon after his son’s birth. The latter was educated in the schools of Cortland Co., and in Homer Academy, and first learned the trade of carriage ironing with the Cortland Co. Wagon Company, where he remained about four years. He then had charge of the Fisher Gear Company’s works in Homer, after which he learned every branch of the machinist’s trade in the Homer foundry and machine shop. Three years later he engaged in gun work for W. H. Baker & Co., at Lisle, NY, having charge of the forging department and tool making there are two and one half years. In 1858 he came to Syracuse and took contract work for L. C. Smith, manufacturer of guns, where he remained in all about eight years, after which he took out patents and started the Hollenbeck Lock and Knob Company, capitalized at $35,000, manufacturing hardware specialties, of which he was superintendent and manager and subsequently president. The factory was finally moved to Jordan, where it was burned in 1890. Mr. Hollenbeck had just previously withdrawn from the concern and had gone to Batavia as superintendent of the Baker Gun and Forging Company, where he remained three years. While there he invented and sold patents to them upon which they are now working. Returning to Syracuse in 1892 he invented and patented the Hollenbeck hammerless gun, and in Feb. 1893, organized the Syracuse Arms Company with a capital of $50,000, which was subsequently increased to $75,000. The officers from the start have been as follows: George Timmons, president; F. S. Wicks, treasurer; M. J. Colwell, secretary; and Frank A. Hollenbeck, superintendent. Mr. Hollenbeck has taken out in all about thirty patents, mainly of guns and of machinery for manufacturing them, and also a number on builders’ hardware. Many of them have been very successful, noticeably the Hollenbeck Hygienic Saddle for Bicycles which he commenced the manufacture of in September 1895. In Oct. 1872, he married Angie F., daughter of Henry Session, of Homer, and they have five children: Charles F., Albert H., Earl, Frank A. Jr., and Clara I.

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