Inventor & Superintendent Alfred Johnson:
-
1882 born in Grand Rapids in March (census) 1898 finisher, York & Sons (dir)
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1900 musician (census)
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1902 instrument maker, York & Sons (dir)
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1903 horn maker, York & Sons (dir)
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1905 musician (marriage form)
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1910 musician for musical industry (census)
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1911 Alfred W. Johnson, musician (dir) (This is a bit of a mystery as the directories have ‘W’ yet the patents all have ‘J’ for his middle initial starting in 1912. ‘W’ would sound more likely since his nickname was Bill.’
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1916 & 1919 Superintendent (dir)
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1930 Superintendent band factory (census)
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1940 same (census in April)
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1972 died December 23rd
(updated Feb 2010)
Personal Timeline for James Warren York:
| Date: |
Event |
Location |
| November 24, 1839 |
James Warren York was born
father - Ezekial - musician
mother - Nancy
|
Exeter, New Hampshire
|
| 1850 |
(age 11) US Census |
Haverhill, Essex cnty, MA |
| 1860 |
(age 21) US Census |
Biddeford, York cnty, MA |
| June 12, 1861 |
Enlisted in Union Military as Musician
4th Massachusetts Regiment
|
| August 23, 1863 |
Discharged from Union Military (musician)
8th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Company M
|
| 1867 |
Married Josephine Swasey (b.1840-New Hampshire) |
| 1869 (before April 29)(1868?) |
son, Frank W, born |
Maine |
| some time between 1869 & 1882 |
worked for the Boston Musical |
Boston, MA
Instrument Manufactory |
| 1873 (before June 17) |
son, Charles E, born
likely named for JW’s bro. Charles E (b.1845) |
Clinton, MA |
| 1882 |
relocated
performed at Smith’Opera House (?) |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1883 |
Partnership w/Cris J Smith
York & Smith |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1884 |
York’s Musical Journal (Goss-1906)
An eight page monthly musical journal
by J. W. York & Son. (Baxter-1891)
|
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1885 |
Partnership w/Frank Holton
York & Holton |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1886 |
York & Holton Music & musical goods
Frank W listed as \"engraver\"
|
57 Canal |
| 1891 |
York & Son (James W & Frank W)
Music Publishers & Mnfrs of Band Inst |
3 N Ionia, GR, MI |
| 1891 |
listed as Music Publishers
James W & Frank W (Baxter-1891) |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1891 |
resides w/ Frank W
Charles E (18) not listed
|
130 Fountain, GR, MI |
| 1895 |
York & Son (James W & Frank W) |
3 N Ionia, GR, MI |
| 1895 |
resides w/ both sons |
130 Fountain, GR, MI |
| 1895 |
son, Charles E, (22) listed as \"plater\"
@ J W York&Son from RL Polk directory
|
Grand Rapids, MI |
| April 29, 1896 |
son, Frank W (27) married
Florence Collis (22) from Chicago, IL
|
Grand Rapids, MI |
| June 17, 1897 |
son, Charles E (24) married
Mattie A. Finch (22) from Ionia Cnty, MI |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1909 |
(age 70) filed for Civil War Veteran’Pension |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1917 |
retired to CA |
CA |
| February 8, 1927 |
Died in
Buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery
|
Los Angeles
207 North Hobart Blvd |
1850 Census information: in Haverhill, Essex cnty, MA
| name: | married: | born: | from: |
| Ezekial | Nancy | 1814 | New Hampshire |
| Nancy | 1821 | New Hampshire |
| James W | 1839 | New Hampshire |
| Adelaide (f) | 1842 | Massachusetts |
| Charles | 1845 | Maine |
1860 Census information: in Biddeford, York cnty, MA
| name: | married: | age born: | from: |
| Ezekial | Nancy | 46 | 1814 | New Hampshire |
| Nancy | | 39 | 1821 | New Hampshire |
| James W | | 20 | 1839 | New Hampshire |
| Chas E | | 15 | | Maine |
| Mary A | | 18 | | Massachusetts |
| Sarah Mitchell | | 21 | | Maine |
| Deborah Goodwin | | 17 | | NH |
| Jas Tibbetts | | 21 | | New Hampshire (wood turner) |
1883 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
- York & Smith - music & musical merchandise @ 67 Canal (p745)
- Crist J Smith - resides @ 109 California (York&Smith) (p483)
- James W York - resides @ 67 Canal (York&Smith) (p582)
- York & Smith - music&musical merchandise @ 67 Canal
1886-87 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
- York & Holton - music & musical merchandise @ 3 N Ionia (p745)
- Isabella C Thomson bds @ 220 Ransom - clerk York&Holton
- Wm S Bronson rms @ 104 Canal - works J W York&Son
- Frank E Holton resides @ 57 Canal (York&Holton) (p317)
- James W York resides @ 57 Canal (York&Holton) (p704)
- Frank W York boards @ 57 Canal - Engraver for York&Holton
- York&Holton - music&musical goods @ 57 Canal
1889-90 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
- J W York & Son - music & musical merchandise @ 3 N Ionia (p1099)
- J W York & Son - music publishers @ 3 N Ionia
- York’s Musical Journal - monthly - terms: $.50/yr
- Louis Benz rms @ 67 Canal - lithographer J W York&Son
- Adelburt Burr rms @ 32 W Bridge - bookbinder J W York&Son
- U Grant Clark resides @ 416 N Front - printer J W York&Son
- Frank J Graulich bds @ 103 Gold - printer J W York&Son
- William Leichner bds @ 67 Canal - clerk J W York&Son
- Edwin H Shaw resides @ 118 Scribner - bookkeeper J W York&Son
- Wm S Bronson rms @ 57 Canal - instrument maker J W York&Son
- (Chester Bronson @ 57 Canal - musician - bro? )
- Newell L Thomas home @ 11 N Front - instrument maker - J W York&Son
- Charles L Wilkinson resides @ 41 W Bridge - engraver J W York&Sons
- Frank W York boards @ 130 Fountain (York&Son) (p1019)
- James W York resides @ 130 Fountain (York&Son)
- J W York & Son - mnfrs of band instruments
- & music publishers
- - advertisement (p1053)
1891 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
- J W York & Son - music & musical merchandise @ 3 N Ionia (p1296)
- J W York&Son - music publishers @ 3 N Ionia
- Perry R Willsey bds @ 112 S Division - music engraver
- Ralph Wood bds @ 22 Alabama - music printer J W York & Son
- Mrs Lizzie B Crater rms @ 28 Pearl - typewriter J W York & Son
- Frank J Graulich bds @ 103 Gold - burnisher J W York & Son
- Newell L Thomas home @ 11 N Front - cornet maker - J W York & Son
- Charles L Wilkinson resides @ 39 Calder - plater J W York & Son
- Frank W York bds @ 130 Fountain (York & Son) (p1233)
- James W York resides @ 130 Fountain (York & Son)
- J W York & Son - (James W & Frank W) mnfrs of band instruments
- & music publishers
- Wm S Bronson resides @ 122 Canal - instrument maker J A J Friedrich
- (Chester Bronson @ 57 Canal - musician - bro? )
1895 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
- J W York & Son - band instruments manufacturers @ 3 N Ionia (p1244)
- (employees of J W York & Son)
- John E Grace bds @ 80 Canal - helper
- Leon E Taylor bds @ 211 Ann - brassworker
- Louis L Thomas home @ 11 N Front - cornet maker (typo? - really Newell-?)
- Ralph Van der Wood home @ 80 Canal - burnisher
- Charles L Wilkinson home @ 132 Veto - plater
- Lizzie B Sylvester home @ 28 Pearl - stenographer J W York & Son
- Charles E York bds @ 130 Fountain - plater York & Son
- Frank W York bds @ 130 Fountain (York & Son) (p1232)
- James W York resides @ 130 Fountain (York & Son)
- J W York & Son - (James W & Frank W) band instruments mnfrs
- (Walter Goble listed as musician w/Milton a glasscutter)
- (Alfred Johnson (Bill) as machinist hd - home @ 445 2nd)
1902 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
J W York & Sons - musical instruments manufacturers @ 3 N Ionia (p1623)
Postal Telegraph-Cable Co - branch office w/ J W York & Sons
(employees of J W York & Sons)
- Charles Ames home @ 32 W Fulton - polisher
- Charles L Ball jr home @ 50 Dayton - hornmaker
- Henry J Barritt home @216 N Ottawa - bellmaker
- Charles M Bowen home @275 N Union - hornmaker
- Frederick Braxmaier bds @ 394 Ionia - casemaker
- Eugene L Brown bds @ 50 Lake ave - machinist
- Harry Clink bds 226 Hastings - machinist hd
- Edwin S Conrad home @ 681 S Division - valvemaker
- James Q Curran bds 139 Sheldon - plater
- Floyd J Finch bds @ 1032 Hall - plater
- George C Fitzsimmons jr bds @ 152 Ionia - bellmaker
- Charles Gaff bds @ 139 Sheldon - burnisher
- George P Haines bds @ 182 9th ave - hornmaker
- Herbert C Hier bds @ 234 S Division - hornmaker
- Elmer E Hobbs bds @ 218 N Lafayette - hornmaker
- Alfred Johnson (Bill) bds @ 329 N College - instrument maker
- Herman C Johnson bds @329 N College - hornmaker
- Bailey J Mackey home @ 21 W Fulton - machinist hd
- Charles D McDonald bds 226 Hastings - burnisher
- Henry C Martin home 184 S Commerce - foreman
- James F Miller home @358 Butterworth ave - finisher
- Guy H Moon bds 269 W Broadway - hornmaker
- George Phillips home @ 101 6ht ave - finisher
- Stephen B Putman bds 59 S Ottawa - polisher
- Foster A Reynolds bds @296 Watson - brace maker
- Henry A Rowe home @ 177 Prescott - plater
- Ernest Schmiedicke bds @ 48 Straight - tubemaker
- Frank H Simmer bds @ 247 7th - spinner
- Rudolph P Skusa home @ 177 2nd - hornmaker
- Earle B Stephonson bds @ 921 N College ave - engraver
- Henry Swartz home @ 95 Gold - hornmaker
- Edward H Ten Hopen bds @ 185 S Fuller - valvemaker
- Ulysses S Valentine home @ 164 Livingston - engraver
- Jeremiah Van Dam home @ 492 N Ottawa - hornmaker
- Arthur J Yuncker bds @ 244 Bowery - pumpmaker
- Ellis Brooks rms @143 LaGrave - manager music dept
- J Wesley Lafferty rms @ 14 The Hermitage - clerk
- John J Lindsay bds @ 326 Butterworth ave - printer
- Fletcher H Mason home @ 313 Paris ave - bookkeeper
- May P Moriarty bds @ 139 Taylor - stenographer
- Lizzie B Sylvester home @ 91 S Division - stenographer
- Lena E Wardy bds @ 239 Goodrich - stenographer
- Charles E York home @ 139 Sheldon (York & Sons) (p1520)
- Frank W York home @ 42 S Division (York & Sons)
- James W York home @ 42 S Division (York & Sons)
- J W York & Sons - band instruments @3 N Ionia
= = = = = = = = = = =
1916 Grand Rapids Directory (RL Polk)
(categorized business listing:)
J W York & Sons @ 1600 Division ave S
-Band Instrument Manufacturers
-Music Instrument Manufacturers
_ _ _ (employees of J W York & Sons)
- Elmer D Abbey home @ 617 Spencer - machine hand
- Fred S Adams @ 125 Burton SE - polisher
- Frederick J H Arthur bds 431 Gilbert - valvemaker
- Homer Avis home @ 1242 Randolph ave - bellmaker
- John J Baker home @ 6 Andre ave - polisher
- Louis L Ball home @ 1248 Salem - foreman
- George L Bandfield home @ 224 Hall SW - plater
- Frank Bennett bds @ 1013 Quarry ave - bellmaker
- George Berger bds @ 309 Valley ave NW - bender
- Carl W Bergstrom home @ 254 Dean NE - toolmaker
- Vern Billings home @ 2035 Michigan ave - polisher
- Daniel D Blakely bds @ 1037 Langdon ave SE - slidemaker
- Thomas Bolen bds @ 714 Sheldon ave - stockkeeper
- Harley F Boughner bds @ 451 Hall SE - valvemaker
- Thomas Brandt bds @ 2038 Horton ave - hornmaker
- Louis H Brooks home @ 850 Division S - bender
- Charles W Burdick home @ 119 Delaware SE - foreman
- Richard Burgwald bds @ 1061 Sheridan - polisher
- John Bustraan home @ 1141 Ionia ave SW - burnisher
- Arnott Buys home @ 1335 Fulton E - hornmaker
- Earl Calkins bds @ 413 Sheldon ave - hornmaker
- Charles A Chicklan home @ 1431 Turner ave - repairer
- Alvin B Clemens home @ 1941 Division S - foreman
- Fred Cole home @ 1403 Cass ave - drummaker
- George Cutler home @ 1231 Boston - hornmaker
- Earl Davis resides @ Grandville MI - bellmaker
- Murray Davis resides @ Ivanrest - valvemaker
- Frank M Decker home @ 57 Griggs SW - department manager
- Cornelius B DeKorne bds @ 44 Grove - polisher
- Benjamin F Dixon home @ 921 Underhill ave - polisher
- Frederick Druse home @ 2039 Horton ave - polisher
- Myron L Fay home @ 1245 Salem - leadman
- Jacob Fisher bds @ 851 9th - valvemaker
- William W Fitzsimons home @ 111 Fair - foreman
- R L Frost home @ 2057 - plater
- Alexander C Fyfe jr bds @ 703 Innes - valvemaker
- Robert Gietzen home @ 414 6th - inspector
- Floyd S Goodsell home @ 627 Scribner ave - hornmaker
- Anthon Gudaitis bds @ 302 Bridge - hornmaker
- Delbert Hansen bds @ 2013 Buchanan ave - bellmaker
- Bert Haverkamp home @ 362 Diamond ave NE - polisher
- Floyd P Hendershott home @ 65 Elm - toolmaker
- Leon C Hickok home @ 440 Henry - hornmaker
- Edward Hockberg roomers @ 754 Colt ave - assembler
- John Hoekstra bds @ 1807 Horton ave - burnisher
- Carl Holmes home @ 830 Sherman - polisher
- Delbert Howard home @ 131 Antoine - polisher
- Herman P Hunt home @ 410 Dickinson - hornmaker
- Alfred W (Bill) Johnson home @ 637 Innes - superintendant
- Herman C Johnson bds @ 523 College ave NE - foreman
- Louis C Jones home @ 1630 Horton ave - foreman
- Anthony F King home @ 1429 Quarry ave - engraver
- Charles D Klotz home @ 37 Elm - hornmaker
- Peter Korf bds @ 5 Euclid ave SW - casemaker
- Albert Ladewig bds @ 1145 Lincoln - bracemaker
- Albert A Laman home @ 1754 Jefferson ave - corr (?)
- Edward D Lawton home @ 213 Central ave (Wyoming Park) - stockkeeper
- Ralph E Lester home @ 26 Elm - valvemaker
- Alvah B Lipscomb home @ 863 Sutton ave - valvemaker
- Lloyd G Marshall bds @ 2 1/2 Alma pl - assembler
- Duvillo A Mate home @ 208 Dickinson - polisher
- Malvin Mate bds @ 311 Montgomery - polisher
- Michael Mertes bds @ 218 Brown - valvemaker
- Frederick M Morris bds @ 512 Howard - machinist
- Emil Munsch home @ 117 Griggs SE - foreman
- Bernard M Noel home @ 9 Joosten ave - burnisher
- George H Paulson bds @ 700 Bates - hornmaker
- Edward B Peacock bds @ 852 Dunham - bellmaker
- Frank L Peck home @ 744 Adams - hornmaker
- Marron Peck bds @ 1056 Division ave S - polisher
- John W Phelan bds @ 194 Thomas ave - bellmaker
- Edward Pixley home @ 126 Albany - casemaker
- Lewis L Pond home @ 311 4th - bellmaker
- August Posner bds @ 917 Ionia ave NW - hornmaker
- Clark Ralya bds @ 1121 Baxter - engraver
- Vern F Rykert home @ 325 Griggs SE - burnisher
- Earl W Sanders home @ _337 Montgomery - engraver
- Ira Sanford home @ 540 Naylor - machine hand
- Phillip E Sanford bds @ 128 Home SE - bellmaker
- Ernest A Schaffer bds @ 1186 Walker - hornmaker
- Frank W Schrader home @ 1347 Butler ave - toolmaker
- Frederick Schregardus home @ 2025 Buchanan ave - foreman
- Paul D Schultze home @ 40 McConnell - repairer
- Walter Shannon bds @ 1246 Euclid ave SE - burnisher
- Karl B Shinkman home @ 1412 Terrace ave - department manager
- Hugh R Sides ome @ 1146 Eastern ave SE - bracemaker
- Christopher Slebers bds @ 1051 Sheridan ave - polisher
- William A Simmer bds @ 634 3rd - assembler
- Conrad M Skoglund bds @ 1853 Gardner ave - bellmaker
- Martin Smith bds @ 808 Ionia ave NW - burnisher
- Robert Sorenson bds @ 130 Fair - hornmaker
- Gideon G Spink home @ 41 Elm - burnisher
- Ray F Squires home @ 2234 Lake dr - machinist hand
- William Stokkers bds @ 933 Chatham - bender
- Frank Stulgatt bds @ 522 Crosby ave - bellmaker
- E B Sullivan bds @ 104 Hall SE - bellmaker
- Leroy J Tallmadge bds @ 1311 Ionia ave SW - burnisher
- Edward H TenHopen home @ 309 Norwood ave - valvemaker
- Alfred G Thompson home @ 341 Henry ave - polisher
- Wallace Tiffany bds @ Beals rd (SGR) - bellmaker
- John VanKoevering home @ 540 A SW - polisher
- Fred H VanOeveren home @ 821 Sheldon - hornmaker
- John VanOeveren bds @ 540 A SW - polisher
- Joseph G Walters home @ 33 Franklin SE - bellmaker
- Charles Watznauer bds @ 1239 Turner ave - hornmaker
- LeRoy H Webster home @ 42 Burton SW - polisher
- Thomas Welmers bds @ 1121 Caulfield ave - valvemaker
- Michael P White home @ 36 Elm - valvemaker
- Duncan B Whittam home @ 1220 1/2 Division ave S - bellmaker
- Frederick Wickwire bds @ 965 Kirtland ave - valvemaker
- Jasper D Williams bds @ 1245 Euclid ave - machinist hand
- Arthur J Yuncker resides @ Grandville MI - valvemaker
- John W Zeller bds 1315 College ave NE - burnisher
- _ _ _ clerical, office, facility care & general business
- Frank M Bliss home @ 1719 Russell ave - sweeper
- J Francis Campbell home @ 826 Fairmount - secretary
- Oscar G Clement home @ 817 Fairmont - shipping clerk
- Ethel M Comstock bds @ 1741 Colt ave - stenographer
- Lee H Currey home @ 959 Baylis ave - advertising manager
- Glen A Davis bds @ 534 Lafayetter ave NE - shipping clerk
- Jeannette DeLange bds @ 108 Dale NE - clerk
- Anna Haan bds @ 741 Delaware SE - stenographer
- Nicholas E Hager home @ 714 Woodworth - bookkeeper
- Lina B Hartman bds @ 111 Fair - stenographer
- Margaret Hellem bds @ 2044 Gardner ave - stenographer
- Elizabeth A Hilden (widow Charles) home @ 1812 Buchanan - clerk
- William E Johnson home @ 1909 Place - employee
- Lena A Minar (Mrs) home @ 1204 Division ave S - clerk
- Arthur G Oelker resides @ Lamont MI - bookkeeper
- Nora Scheiern bds @ 1401 Jefferson - stenographer
- Blanche Schillinger bds @ 125 Garden - clerk
- Edward T Schneider home @ 1155 Marshall - employee
- Mary Scholma bds 1210 Sherman - stenographer
- Margaret J Sherk bds 1805 Division ave S - stenographer
- John Starr home @ 14 LaBelle SW - elevator operator
- Fern Sweezy bds @ 1239 Fron ave NW - employee
- Nellie E Winchester bds @ 731 Lafayetter ave SE - clerk
- lillian bds @ 150 Straight ave SW - clerk
- Hiram Verhaar bds @ 2114 Division av S - employee
- Martin Verhaar bds @ 2114 Division av S - watchman
- Hulda Youngquist bds @ 156 Griggs SW - stenographer
- J W York & Sons @ 1600 Division ave S
- - Band Instrument Mfrs & Music Publishers
- -Telegraphs/telephone: Citz 32453, Bell S 163
- James Duffy pres, J Francis Campbell sec, John Duffy treas
- C W McKeown asst treas, F Vernon Blakely asst sec,
- _ _ _ Company officials
- F Vernon Blakely home @ 1037 Lafayetter ave SE - asst secretary
- James Duffy home @ 220 Cherry SE - pres J W York & Sons
- (only John Duffy home @ 20 Gay ave - pres GR Hardware Co - same one?)
- Clair W McKeown home @ 132 Griggs SW - asst treasurer
- _ _ _
- Charles E York home 211 Delaware SE - salesman (no co listed)
- Frank W York home 22 Fair - (no other info)