Thread: A Brief History of J.J. Lang & Co, Baltimore, Maryland

(If you like to make corrections in your copy of Goins, it's time to get out your marking pen).

Company’s Dates of Operation: 1889 – 1935

John Jacob Lang was born in 1855 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and, according to census data, immigrated to the U.S. in either 1872 or 1873. His wife was named Margaret, and together they had four children: John, Ferdinand, Agnes, and Lena.

In 1889, John Jacob Lang bought out an established barber supply business* and set up shop in its premises at 421 W Pratt Street. For approximately the next 45 years J.J. Lang & Co would operate at this address.

Lang passed away in September of 1920, and his son John assumed control of the company. After the younger John Lang’s death in November of 1925, it’s unclear who ran the firm.


The Baltimore Sun, Sept 17, 1920, pg 7



Like many businesses, J.J. Lang & Co struggled during the Great Depression. As a last ditch effort to cut costs and shore up margins, the company downsized in its final years of existence and in either 1933 or 1934 relocated to 402 N Eutaw Street. It wasn’t enough to save the company. In late 1935, J.J. Lang & Co went into receivership, and its remaining assets were sold at auction.


The Baltimore Sun, Nov 8, 1935, pg 25



*The business that J.J. Lang took over was owned and operated by Henry Hartwig, who, according to city directories, appears to have founded Baltimore’s earliest barber supply company. He got his start in 1873 when he and his brother Fred joined to form Hartwig & Bro (located at 153 E Baltimore), a tailor shop that also sold barbers’ articles. By 1878 Henry had struck out on his own and started a dedicated barber supply shop at 313 W Pratt Street. Roughly 10 years later—in either 1887 or 1888—Hartwig moved his business to 421 W Pratt Street, where it would shortly become J.J. Lang & Co.



Final notes:

1) Some J.J. Lang & Co advertising bears the line “Established 1872,” not only co-opting Hartwig’s history, but pushing the date back a year as well.


Detail from a razor roll

2) J.J. Lang’s obituary states that he “…was in the barber supply business at 421 West Pratt Street for 33 years.” However, simple math tells us that the span from 1889-1920 is only 31 years. There are two possibilities here. First, whoever wrote the obituary made a simple mistake in his or her calculations. Second, Lang may have worked under Henry Hartwig before taking over the business.

In any event, Lang was well established in the barbering trade before he bought out Hartwig. He was part of the committee that organized the first grand ball of the Mutual Barbers' Principal Benevolent Association (my goodness, that's a mouthful!) in 1879.


The Baltimore Sun, Dec 31, 1878, pg 2



Sources:
Auction Notice #1; The Baltimore Sun, Oct 23, 1935; pg 22
Auction Notice #2; The Baltimore Sun, Nov 8, 1935; pg 25
Baltimore City Directories
John Jacob Lang Obituary; The Baltimore Sun, Sept 17, 1920; pg 7
John Lang Obituary; The Baltimore Sun, Nov 24, 1925; pg 6
U.S. Census, 1910 and 1920

Always good to have history, thanks much!