Most of us know that Henry E. Winkler and at least two of his sons worked at the family piano manufacturing and repair business. William was a salesman at the store and later Philip, who was a repairman from what we can find.
We have a Sanborn Insurance map from around 1900 that shows the business at 64 Park St. in SF.
We are following some leads and asking questions of some professionals regarding the business and its possible affiliation with Winkler Piano Co. in Trenton, NJ. We'll let you know what we come up with.
Philip was listed on the 1900 census as a plumber along with his brother Frederic. It makes one wonder what is the deciding factor is in choosing a profession in some cases.
I am also researching the area in SF that the Winklers lived. From what I've been told, construction records were lost in the 1906 earthquake and they are relying on water company records to determine the construction date of a home. I believe the water for SF was piped from San Mateo which makes sense that those records survived.
Frederick Winkler's house is listed as being built in 1908. I am trying to determine if this is the original house or a rebuild as Frederick lived there prior to his marriage to Gazella Wilson somewhere around 1904-1906. I know that all houses didn't have running water back then and just because water was hooked up in 1908, doesn't mean that is when the house was built. I will compare new and old pictures of addresses if and when I get them.
We'll let you know what we come up with.
If you find the connection between the two piano companies, I will be happy to hear of it. I am a descendant of the Trenton Winklers through my mother. I have pictures of Harry, Gustav and Emma Dorn Winkler, Gottwald Winkler and Sophie Steinwalde. Gottwald and Sophie married in Germany in 1848. Gottwald came to the US from Hanover in the same year. This is all from notes on the backs of the pics. Please reply if you have interest or information. hrmkbird@charter.netltpopvn
ReplyDeleteHello Harry! I have not shut down this lead, either, but I do have a suspicion that our Henry (from Hessen or Saxony) may have either learned what he knew or used his knowledge with his future father-in-law's existing Piano business. Phillip Rohrbach, in NY, was also musical...
ReplyDeleteThey were sometimes called cabinetmakers, too... so a skill is a skill.