Thread: Cattaraugus Article 1931 The Olean Herald.

Interesting newspaper article about Cattaraugus cutlery.

The Olean Herald August 12, 1931

Little Valley’s Most Prominent Citizen 65

Red Letter Day Also marks Tint Champlin’s 50th Anniversary With CattaraugusCutlery Company

LITTLE VALLEY, Aug., 11, was a red letter day in the life of this community’smost prominent citizen – Tinto Champlin, widely known manufacturer, inventorbusiness man and club man.

Tint Champlin was born on a farm in the town of Napoli, Aug 11, 1866, the sonof John Brown Francis Champlin, founder of the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company. Afew years later the family moved to Little Valley, where as a boy, Tintoreceived his early education in what this village then offered in the way ofpublic Education, he then entered Byrant and Stratton’s Business College inBuffalo, where he took a general business course.

Founded Business

In 1878, J.B.F. Champlin sr., founded a cutlery jobbing business in LittleValley. Two years later an office building which is now known as the OperaHouse Block was erected and in 1881, Tint, at the age of 15, was taken into thebusiness by his father, as a partner, the firm being known as J.B.F. Champlin& Son.

The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company was Incorporated for $25,000 in 1877, at whichtime Factory No. 1 was built. In 1887, the capitalization was raised to$100,000. Factory No. 2 was erected in 1906, when the business rapidlyincreased.

In 1907, just when his visions of a large and flourishing industry began tofully materialize, J>B> F> Champlin’s untimely and widely mourneddeath occurred at the early age of 61, leaving Tint to carry on what he had sosuccessfully established.

Business steadily increased with the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company and in 1914,additions were made in Factory No. 2. In 1918 the company capitalized for$1,000,000 and two years ago a more modern and up-to-date office building waserected at the factory site on Sixth Street. The Cattaraugus Cutlery Companyhas now become one of the largest exclusive cutlery plants in America. Startingas a local concern covering New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, their businesshas branched out to such and extent that their products are now sold in everystate of the Union as well as Canada, Philippines, Taiwan and Mexico.

Company Veterans

For over 20 years, Tint Champlin has been the guiding hand of this flourishingbusiness and closely associated with him have been Elmer E. Kelly, who enteredthe business in 1866, Claude L. Wilson who has been a leading salesman for thecompany for over 10 years, and William C. Bushnell, plant superintendent, whois another veteran of 40 years service.

All of these men, together with a dozen other veteran employees, havecontributed materially with ideas and inventions, to the steady growth andsuccess of the local cutlery company. Tint Champlin has several patents in hisown right and that of company in the Washington, D.C. patent office.

Two years ago Tint Champlin relinquished active control of the company placinghis oldest son, J.B.F. Champlin Jr, who entered in the business in 1911, aspresident and his youngest son Philip T. Champlin, who became associated withthe company in 1919, vice president and treasurer. Mr. Champlin remains aschairman of the board of directors. His daughter, Mrs. Hazel T. Andrews, widowof the late James A. Andrews also is now associated with the company taking herhusband’s place in an official capacity.

Very cool, Martin. Thanks for sharing. This is the way things should be in this country. Businesses with family ties, growing and prospering. Just think of the people who worked there. I wonder where some pictures of the factory and possible production are?
Tom

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Very cool, Martin. Thanks for sharing. This is the way things should be in this country. Businesses with family ties, growing and prospering. Just think of the people who worked there. I wonder where some pictures of the factory and possible production are?
Tom

Words of wisdom there my friend!

More cool stuff from Cattaraugus Cutlery Co
Awars from the Army Navy presented to CCC in 1944 for their war efforts

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Very cool, Martin. Thanks for sharing. This is the way things should be in this country. Businesses with family ties, growing and prospering. Just think of the people who worked there. I wonder where some pictures of the factory and possible production are?

100%! Family-run businesses -- owned-and-operated by successive generations related by blood and/or marriage... together with lifelong employees -- that entire area of NY/PA was full of "success stories" like this one. Thanks for posting this, Martin!!

Company dinner in 1948

the other side shows the menu in 1899

Here's the old building in 2009



Now THIS would be cool to go see! American Museum of Cutlery in Cattaraugus | Enchanted Mountains of Cattaraugus County, New York ... Naturally yours

"Cattaraugus" Indian Princess. Her name was
Goldie Jamison Conklin, a Seneca of the Heron Clan, from the Allegany Reservation, in Western New York.For some undetermined period of time she worked as a model for the Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. of Little Valley, New York, as some of the postcards are advertisements for the company’s line of “Indian Brand” knives.


The postcards were sent to potential buyers!

Indeed, they were big on the Indian thing.