The story of Charles Koegel and Charles Koegel Sons was of a family that emigrated from Germany in the 1860s in search of a better life. German immigration to the United States is primarily credited to followers of August Stursberg, the founder of Germania Mills and one of the movement's catalysts. One of the early arrivals was Charles Koegel, the topic of today.
Karl "Charles" Friedrich Koegel was born in Baden, Germany, on February 7, 1848. He arrived in the United States on September 28, 1866, and was listed as a carpenter in his Naturalization records.
He married Wilhelmine P. Merkel on June 1, 1872. In 1876, he and his family resided at 303 Park Street, and later they moved to 682 (South) Bridge Street. His family grew to nine in all.
For fifteen years, he was employed as a master mechanic at the Holyoke Paper Company on Race Street. His aptitude was centered on the workings of paper-making machinery. He was awarded a patent for his design and development of paper machine slitters.
With experience gained from working on machinery, he left his employment in 1893 to start his own business, Charles Koegel & Son, a manufacturer of paper-making machinery and equipment. In the early stages of his company, he perfected a new bottom slitter, which was combined with his patented slitter. The first of this paper machine was placed in service in the Linden Paper Mill.
He continued his inventive acumen, developing a slitter grinder and spreaders and filing applications for additional patents.
Charles Koegel & Son was initially located on Front and Cabot on the west side of the First Level Canal. The property was owned by the Holyoke Water Power Company. However, when Holyoke Water Power decided to sell the real estate to the Farr-Alpaca Company, both the Koegel and Jolly companies were forced to move. Farr-Alpaca planned to build a warehouse on the site.
In November 1904, Charles Koegel & Son purchased a lot on the northeast corner of Race and Cabot Street. The company built a two-story foundry on the land and furnished the space with an updated machine shop.
On August 8, 1911, Charles Koegel died at his 2090 Northampton Street residence after a three-year illness.
The business was incorporated under the new name, Charles Koegel's Sons Incorporated, on December 30, 1919.
The business continued under his sons, Frederick Koegel as President, and Charles Koegel as Vice President and Treasurer. Employment was relatively consistent with 18 to 30 employees, most of whom were highly skilled machinists producing machinery for the paper industry.
In 1955, Frederick W. Koegel died at age 75. He was associated with the business his father started for 60 years. He was shown as President for 25 years. His brother, Charles Koegel, assumed the Presidency. On July 18, 1960, Charles died at age 76. He had been associated with the business for 62 years.
The business continued. Although no information could be located for the sale to new owners, Frank T. Norris was a subsequent President and owner of the company. He was a Holyoke native who attended local schools, Deerfield Academy, and Amherst College. He operated the company until his passing on September 28, 1992.
Frederick K. Borowsky is shown as the final President and Treasurer when the corporation was dissolved on January 16, 2001. This was about the time the real estate was shown as sold to another concern. The reconditioned building today stands as the home to Tapestry Health at Holyoke.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Press; publication dates and pages are shown.
Massachusetts Cultural Research and Information System (MACRIS), Boston, Massachusetts
Ancestry.com (paid subscription) Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1895 and 1915
City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Assessors' Office
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