Horn-u-Copia's Display of Makers

In 1911 founded Elkhart Musical Instrument Co, and in 1916 started American Manufacturing Co, with Pedler. In 1917, he merged Elkhart Musical Instrument Co. into Martin.

• 1851 William Joseph Gronert is born in Hastings, England 1865 Gronert enlists in British army as musician, trumpeter; serves 9 years
• 1874 Gronert emigrates to the US and joins the 17th US Infantry as a musician
• 1880 listed in census as a musician living in Elkhart and boarding with instrument maker Jacob Berkley
• 1881 Gronert marries Alice in Elkhart in January; daughter Geraldine is born in October in Chicago
• 1884 daughter Charlotte is born in November in Elkhart
• 1885 Gronert joins Conn and becomes his factory manager
• 1900 William C. Reid (1875-1963) is a machinist in Elkhart
• 1910 Reid is a music shop owner; Gronert is factory manager
• 1911 Elkhart Musical Instrument Co. is founded; Gronert president, Reid secretary & treasurer; #916-920 Prospect St.; incorporated in June, 1911 with $25,000 capital
• 1911 Gronert is granted design patent #D43276 on Nov. 26th for a cornet matching his ‘Masterpiece Grand’ model (photos 1-3); Reid is granted patent #1,023,330 on April 16th for a piston valve guide (assignor to EMI Co)
• 1916 Harry Pedler quits Conn and starts the American Manufacturing Co. with William J. Gronert, #430 Baldwin St., Elkhart
• 1916 Gronert’s law suit with Conn from four years ago is settled in January. He had been seeking $150,000 but the final terms were not disclosed. This came about from an early agreement for Conn to pay Gronert $0.50 for every instrument produced under his management.
  
  Gronert & Reid are granted patent #1,171,191 for a building block; on Oct. 10th they are granted patent #1,201,039 for a tuning slide matching that on the ‘Super Grand’ model; Reid’s son William T. is working for them.
  
  a four-valve ‘Invincible’ model cornet is marked ‘Patent Allowed July 9, 1913’ which does not fit with any known patent granted (photos 7-9); these have a 4th valve that locks down for a key change to A
• 1917 EMI Co. merges with Martin and Gronert becomes GM
• 1919 Gronert dies in July; the American Mfg. Co. is re-named the Harry Pedler Co. perhaps after the 1920 Census; woodwinds only; Gronert’s obituary lists him as Martin Band Instrument Co.’s GM and secretary
• 1920 Reid is listed as a horn maker (probably for Martin)
• 1939 Reid is still listed as a band instrument maker
• 1963 Reid dies in Elkhart

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