Furniture Industry 1876-1908

by William Widdicomb

William Widdicomb catalogs the new furniture companies, or additions and changes to firms already established, for each year from 1876 to 1908.

YEAR	NEW FIRMS, ADDITIONS, CHANGES
1876	No addition; strenuous times
1877	Wm. A. Wight, Erie St.
1878	E.A. Roberts, 28 Mill St.
1879	Folger & Ginley, 28 Mill St. Geo. W. & Hiram Gay, 434 Canal St. Roberts Brothers succeed E. A. Roberts
1880	Wolverine Furniture & Chair Co., Pearl St. Kent Furniture Co. North Front St., L.H. Randall, Pres.; J. H. Wonderly, V. Pres.; C.W. Watkins, Treas.; E.C. Allen, Sec. McCord & Bradfield, R.C. Luce, Pres.; T.M. McCord, V. Pres. New England Furniture Co., Succeeding Ward, Skinner & Brooks, sash and door manufacturers. Sligh Furniture Co., L.H. Randall, Pres.; Chas. R. Sligh, Sec. Stockwell, Bryne & Co. John Waddell & Co. Stow & Haight
1881	Wm. A. Berkey & Koskul, Lyon St.
	F.L. Furbish
	Oriel Cabinet Co., North Front St.
1882	The Folding Chair & Table Co. Ford Furniture Co., Wm. Winegar, Pres.; J.L. Shaw, V. Pres.; Chas. H. Hooker, Sec. and Treas. The Luther & Sumner Co. Worden Furniture Co., Henry Fralick, Pres.; A.E. Worden, Sec. and Manager Winchester & Moulton
1883	Stockwell & Darragh Furniture Co. Nathan Strahn The Union Furniture Co. Fogg & Higgins
1884	Stephen Cool & Co., Fourth St. S.E. Allen, 44 Mill St. Peninsular Furniture Co.
1885	West Michigan Furniture Co., Third St. Wm. A. Berkey Furniture Co. Succeeding Berkey & Koskul
1886	Stow & Davis Strahn & Long, Composed of Harry W. Long, John E. Moore, Nathan Strahn Union Furniture Co., Grand Trunk Junction, Successors of S. Luther & Co., with A.S. Richard, E.G.D.Holden and Cyrus E. Perkins as officers Grand Rapids School Furniture Co. E.F. Winchester & Co., 34 Mill St.
1887	Wm. T. Powers again enters the furniture business I.C. Smith, J.C. Darragh and Jos. Penny doing business as American Dressing Case Co., Canal St. Empire Furniture Co., 32 Mill St. S.L. King, Pearl and Front Streets. Welch Folding Bed Co.
1888	Clark & Hodges Furniture Co., North Canal St.
1889	Valley City Rattan Works J.J. White, T. Bedell and H. Bedell doing business as the Crescent Cabinet Co. Grand Rapids Cabinet Co., M.C. Burch and B. DeGraff, officers Grand Rapids Parlor Furniture Co. Grand Rapids Table Co. Martin L. Sweet
1890	Klingman & Limbert Chair Co. Birge & Shattuck Grand Rapids Enamel Furniture Co. Universal Tripod Co., the original of the Royal Furniture Co. Michigan Chair Co.
1891	C.E. Amsden Richmond & Lyman Co. Standard Table Co. Valley City Table Co.
1892	Stickley Bros. Co. Central Furniture Co. Mueller & Slack Co. Royal Furniture Co. McGraw Manufacturing Co.
1893	C.A. Berge Upholstering Co. Grand Rapids Church Furniture Co.
1894	C.P. Limbert & Co. Valley City Desk Co. Grand Rapids Wood Carving Co. Ryan Rattan Chair Co. Grand Rapids Carved Moulding Co.
1895	J.A. Anderson & Co. Grand Rapids Seating Co. H.N. Hall Cabinet Co. Grand Rapids Standard Bed Co. Hansen Bros. Retting & Sweet
1896	Hake Manufacturing Co. Arlington Cabinet Co. Grand Rapids Bookcase Co. Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Co. Luce Furniture Co., Succeeding McCord & Bradfield Fred Macey Co. Michigan Art Carving Co. Grand Rapids Wood Carving Co.
1897	Reuben H. Smith John Widdicomb Co.
1898	Novelty Wood Works Boyns-Morley Co. Gunn Furniture Co. Wernicke Furniture Co.
1900	Chase Chair Co. Raymond Manche Co. Chas. F. Powers Co. Wagemaker Furniture Co.
1901	Furniture City Cabinet Co. C.S. Paine Co. Standard Cabinet Co. Van Kuiken Bros.
1902	Century Furniture Co. Grand Rapids Show Case Co. Grand Rapids Table Co. Nachtegall & Veit G.S. Smith
1903	Burnett & Van Overan Ideal Furniture Co. Imperial Furniture Co. Linn-Murray Furniture Co.
1904	Grand Rapids Cabinet Co. Greenway Furniture Co. Hetterschied Manufacturing Works Michigan Order Work Furniture Co.
1905	Cabinetmakers Co. C.A. Greenman Co. Michigan Desk Co. Retting Furniture Co., Succeeding Retting & Sweet Shelton & Snyder Co.
1906	Veit Manufacturing Co. Grand Rapids Cabinet Furniture Co. Grand Rapids Parlor Furniture Co. Kelley & Extrom Luxury Chair Co. John D. Raab Chair Co. Raab-Winter Table Co. Sweet & Biggs Furniture Co.
1907	Grand Rapids Upholstery Co.
1908	Criswell Keppler Co. Dolphin Desk Co. Michigan Seating Co. Rex Manufacturing Co.

The surprising number of manufacturing efforts compared with the moderate number that have survived is, perhaps, a true indication of the vicissitudes that attend the furniture manufacturing business. No more than three or four new institutions for the manufacture of fine grades in furniture have been successfully established in the United States within the past ten years. There is not business demanding such unremitting personal attention as our industry.

Excerpted from, The Early History of the Furniture Industry in Grand Rapids, by William Widdicomb. Grand Rapids Historical Society. 1909. Grand Rapids Public Library, Coll #141-20-3