Gary, Elbert Henry (1846–1927)

US lawyer and financier. A practising lawyer, county magistrate, and latterly president of the Chicago Bar Association (1893–94), he moved to New York City in 1898 to become president of the Federal Steel Company. In 1901, at the request of J P Morgan, he helped organize the US Steel Corporation, becoming chairman of its board in 1903. Although he was generally fair in dealing with his employees, and some of his policies were fairly progressive for the time – he abolished the 12-hour, seven-day work week in US Steel plants – he was adamantly against organized labour unions and his opposition provoked the major steel strike of 1919.

Gary was born near Wheaton, Illinois. In 1871 he joined his brother's Chicago law firm, Gary, Cody & Gary, and prospered while specializing in corporate law. He served two terms as county magistrate (1882–90), and was thereafter always known as ‘Judge’ Gary. The company town US Steel built around its Indiana plant was named after him.