In
August of 1895, stockholders of the Diebold Fire Brick
Company incorporated the Canton Pressed Brick Company
as the successor company to the Diebold Fire & Brick
Company.
Officers of the new company: Henry S. Belden, President;
C.J. Diebold, Vice President; James G. Barbour, Secretary/Treasurer;
S.J. Allen, Superintendent. The first annual meeting
of the Canton Pressed Brick Company was held in 1896.
Henry Belden worked hard to organize the company and
to equip their plant for the kind of brick that he knew
how to make. He was determined to hold on to what he
had. The Company’s affairs were not stable.
What the Canton Pressed Brick Company needed was fresh
capital to operate their plant. In 1904
when Paul Belden, Henry’s youngest son, heard
about his father’s financial troubles he immediately
returned to Canton. His friend, P.D. Hardy went along
to see if his own business experience might be helpful.
They arrived in Canton in 1904 and began to pick up
the ruins of the Canton Pressed Brick Company. Paul
Belden would clearly learn that the company needed operating
capital.

Pictured below from left to right
:: Top Row :: Henry Belden, L.B. Hartung,
Paul w. Hartung, Sr., Paul Belden, Sr., Paul Belden,
Jr., William H. Belden, Sr., Paul w. Hartung, Jr., Richard
Belden, Bottom Row :: John Belden, William
H. Belden, Jr., Robert f. Belden, Brian Belden, Robert
T. Belden, Bradley H. Belden, Julia Belden
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