I've been doing some research lately on early York County furniture makers and found that there were many more of these skilled craftspeople than I realized. It does make sense--everyone needed furniture and few were wealthy enough to have it "imported" from Baltimore or Philadelphia.
The existing tax lists from 1800-1850 abound with cabinet makers, chair makers, joiners and turners. There are hundreds of carpenters listed, most of which may have been house carpenters, but some probably also made some furniture. Some, like George Dowdel, who invented a bedbug-proof bedstead didn't get picked up in the existing tax lists as a furniture maker or carpenter at all.
Dowdel/Doudel did make more than just bedsteads, as evidenced by his sale bill, listed in the January 24, 1832 Gazette. He was selling everything, including his carpenter and cabinetmakers. A George Doudel from Pennsylvania arrived in Ohio about this time, so he may have preparing to move west, as many were doing during this period.
The sale bill, transcribed below, also gives us a glimpse of daily life in York in the 1830s.
Will be sold at public vendue, on Thursday the first day of March next, at the house of the subscriber in the borough of York, in main street, near the bridge and next to Adam Eichelberger's tavern, the following property, viz.
Two ten plate Stoves and pipe, and one Cooking Stove with all the cooking apparatus, Tables, Chairs, Secretary, Desk, Bureaus, bedsteads, one Eight day Clock and Case, Carpeting, and a variety of household and kitchen furniture.
at the same time and place, Three head of Horses, on Cow, one Waggon, wood Ladders, Hay Ladders, Cutting Box, Plows, Harrows, and a variety of farming utensils.
a large quantity of New furniture, consisting of Bureaus, Dining and Breakfast Tables, one Desk, one Secretary and Desk, Bedsteads, with a large quantity of Carpenter and Cabinetmaker Tools, Turning Lath and Work benches, Cherry and Pine Boards, with a lot of Poplar Scantling.
at the same time, will be sold, all the Household Furniture of Jacob Doudel.
Sale to commence on said day, at ten o'clock. A.M. and attendance given and terms made known by
N.B. At the same time and place, Eight Acres and 93 perches of Land, with young thriving timber, in York township, adjoining Jacob Loucks, John Gotwalt and others, and about three hundred excellent Chesnut Posts ready for fencing, and some unfinished.
Jan. 24.
Click here to read about Weaver piano and organ manufacturer.
Click here to read about some York countians that settled in Ohio.
There were also a few furniture manufacturers in Glen Rock. One was Glen Traditionals, owned by some of my late relatives. They made high end French Provincial furniture sold mostly in New York, Los Angeles, North Carolina and the Caribbean. I've been told that Janye Mansfield owned a Glen Traditionals bedroom suite.
We own one piece of Glen Traditionals furniture and we live right down the street from the old factory which closed about 30 years ago.
Thanks Kathy. I'm glad to know that your furniture stayed close to home. In fact, that reminded me that we used to have a whole bedroom suite made at Eberts Furniture Co. in Red Lion in the 1930s. My daughter has it now. We bought it at a local used furniture store in the 1960s. At the time we lived just a couple of blocks from where it was made. It was, and still is, a nice sturdy set. My biggest regret is painting it, which is what people unfortunately did with old furniture in the 1960s.
I am looking for info on the Glen Traditionals Furniture Company. I am hitting dead ends and I am hoping someone out there has information. My email is memo4jc@classicnet.net