Charles Diebold facts for kids

Charles "Carl" Diebold (October 24, 1824 – March 5, 1894) was a German-American industrialist. He is famous for founding the company Diebold, which makes safes and security systems. Carl Diebold was also a very skilled safe maker and locksmith.

Carl Diebold's Early Life

Charles Diebold, often called Carl, was born in Rosenberg, Bavaria, Germany. His birthday was October 24, 1824. His parents were Bernhardt and Mary Diebold. We don't know much about his childhood or where he went to school.

Carl had a fun side too! At a Fourth of July celebration in 1893, he entered his mule, Dick, into a race. Dick finished in third place!

Starting the Diebold Company

Carl Diebold started his company, Diebold Bahmann, in 1859. It was located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company's main job was to make strong safes and vaults.

Carl's company became very well known after The Great Chicago Fire in 1871. This huge fire destroyed most of the city of Chicago. People said that 878 safes made by Diebold were in the fire area. Amazingly, the items inside these safes were still safe and sound! This event gave Diebold a great reputation for making very secure products.

In 1872, Diebold needed more space because the company was growing fast. Many orders came in after the Chicago fire. So, Carl moved his company to Canton, Ohio.

Two years later, in 1874, the famous company Wells Fargo asked Diebold for a special project. They wanted the largest vault in the world at that time. Diebold built a huge vault that was 32 feet long, 27 feet wide, and 12 feet high. It was so big that it took a train with 47 cars to move it to San Francisco!

In 1876, the State of Ohio officially recognized the company as Diebold Safe & Lock Co. Diebold made its first international shipment in 1881. This important shipment went to the President of Mexico, Manuel González Flores.

A major invention for the company during Carl's lifetime was magnesium steel doors. These doors were designed to be "TNT-proof." This was important because thieves were starting to use explosives like TNT to break into banks.

Carl Diebold's Roles at Diebold

Carl Diebold held several important jobs at his company:

• 1848-1859: Safemaker and locksmith at Baumann and Company, which later became Diebold.
• 1859-1876: Co-Founder and President of Diebold.
• 1876-1894: Superintendent, overseeing the company's operations.

Carl Diebold's Death

Carl Diebold passed away on March 5, 1894. He died in North Canton, Ohio, after having a stroke that left him paralyzed.