Francis C. (Francis Cowles) Frary

Born in 1884, Francis Cowles Frary was an American chemist best known for his long association with the Aluminum Company of America, where he rose to become Director of Research. Early in his career he studied chemical equilibria and published technical work including Equilibria in Systems Containing Alcohols, Salts and Water in 1912 and Laboratory Manual of Glass-Blowing in 1914.

Frary built his reputation as a research leader in industrial chemistry, especially in problems connected with aluminum and its production. By the mid-20th century he was recognized as one of the key scientific figures in the field, and in 1946 he received the Perkin Medal for his achievements.

He is remembered as the kind of scientist whose work linked laboratory chemistry with large-scale manufacturing. Rather than staying only in academic theory, he helped develop methods that mattered in everyday industry, making him an important figure in the history of American chemical research.