The Fillmore Company started in business in 1905 as importers of instruments.
Most brass are made in Austria and use model names National,
Elite, Imperial, Marvel, Avalon, Princess, Reliable & Norwood.
- 1874 Frank G. Fillmore (1853-c.1890) is a printer in Cin.
- 1875 brother Charles Millard Fillmore (1860-1952) and cousin
Lavias Challen Fillmore (1856-1945) join Frank as printers
- 1876 first listing for Fillmore Brothers, 8 East 4th St., music
book publishers
- 1878 brother James Henry Fillmore, Sr. (1849-1936) joins them
(top photo)
- 1881 Fillmore Brothers moves to 12 Glenn Building, 185 Race St
- 1890 brother Fred A. Fillmore (1856-1925), music teacher &
composer, is listed with them
- 1891 Fillmore Brothers moves to 141 West 6th St. and also starts
Armstrong & Fillmore, printers & binders
- 1900 Fillmore Bros. now at #119 West 6th St.
- 1902 now Fillmore Brothers Co., #421 Elm St., James Sr. pres,
W.W. Warwick vp, Lavias sec-tres, Charles director
- 1905 now at #528 Elm St.
- 1912 name changes to Fillmore Music House, #538 Elm St.
- 1920 James Henry Fillmore, Jr. (1881-1956) is the manager; he
is a publisher, composer, & trombone player (bottom
photo)
- 1925 now at #524-528 Elm St.
- 1930 now at #522-528 Elm St.
- 1941 still at #522-528 Elm St., James H. Jr. is pres, Challen is
sec-tres; claim established in 1874
- 1952 Fillmore Music House is absorbed by Carl Fischer music
- 1956 Henry (JHF, Jr.) dies in Miami, Florida where he is head
of the University of Miami music department
- Instruments marked ‘Fillmore Bros’ date to 1876-1901.
- Instruments marked ‘Fillmore Bros. Co.’ date to 1902-1911.
- Instruments marked ‘Fillmore Music House’ date to 1912-1952.