Albin H. Walter
Item
Title
Albin H. Walter
Date
ca. 1851 to December 10, 1924
Description
As early as 1895, Stickley & Simonds recorded a purchase made by an employee Albin Walter, probably a German immigrant wood-turner who was active with the company, likely through 1902. The difficulty confirming the identity of Albin Walter is that he had a son, also named Albin, whose occupation as wood carver makes him an equally plausible candidate as well. Based on the number of family groups employed in the factory, it is possible that both the father and son were employed by Stickley.
Albin H. Walter was born about 1851 either in Germany or in the German-speaking area of the Swiss Confederation, as both are mentioned in census data. He married in 1874, prior to immigrating to the United States in 1885 with his wife Josephine. His son, Albin F. Walter, was born in Switzerland about 1874, and this may be responsible for some of the confusion surrounding the father’s place of birth. From 1895 to 1900–when the last record of his purchase in Stickley’s general ledger was recorded–Albin H. Walter listed himself in the Syracuse city directory as a “wood turner,” and continued to do so until 1902, when he moved to Rochester, New York. Because Stickley continued to make revival style furniture until at least 1904, Walter’s skills would have still been useful and he may have continued to work there until his departure.
Albin H. Walter returned to Syracuse in 1907 and was employed as a veneerer, though the directories do not specify where he was employed. By 1910, the Federal Census documented him as a veneerer for a “furniture factory,” so he may have returned to Stickley’s factory. According to the 1915 New York State census, he was working as a finisher in a furniture factory and still living in Syracuse. In 1920, he was listed as a “repairman” for a store, suggesting that he may have left the industry.
Albin H. Walter was born about 1851 either in Germany or in the German-speaking area of the Swiss Confederation, as both are mentioned in census data. He married in 1874, prior to immigrating to the United States in 1885 with his wife Josephine. His son, Albin F. Walter, was born in Switzerland about 1874, and this may be responsible for some of the confusion surrounding the father’s place of birth. From 1895 to 1900–when the last record of his purchase in Stickley’s general ledger was recorded–Albin H. Walter listed himself in the Syracuse city directory as a “wood turner,” and continued to do so until 1902, when he moved to Rochester, New York. Because Stickley continued to make revival style furniture until at least 1904, Walter’s skills would have still been useful and he may have continued to work there until his departure.
Albin H. Walter returned to Syracuse in 1907 and was employed as a veneerer, though the directories do not specify where he was employed. By 1910, the Federal Census documented him as a veneerer for a “furniture factory,” so he may have returned to Stickley’s factory. According to the 1915 New York State census, he was working as a finisher in a furniture factory and still living in Syracuse. In 1920, he was listed as a “repairman” for a store, suggesting that he may have left the industry.