The Coye Furniture Company of Stevens Point
Reprinted from Pedigree Pointers, Vol. X, No. 3, Spring 1988
This profile originally appeared in the October 25, 1899 Portage County
Gazette
BIG FURNITURE PLANT
To Be Built at Once by the Coye Furniture Company of Stevens Point - Capitalized
at $75,000
Within the next few months Stevens Point will have in active operation one
of the best and largest furniture manufacturing plants in the state of Wisconsin.
It will be known as the Coye Furniture Co. of Stevens Point, articles of incorporation
having been filed with the register of deeds on Saturday morning last. The
company will have a capital stock of $75,000, about $50,000 of which has already
been taken. The members of the corporation are all Stevens Pointers with one
single exception, that being Mr. W. H. Coye, at present a resident of Marshfield
and general superintendent of the Upham Manfg. Co." furniture factory. Mr.
Coye will sever his connection with the latter institution on the 1st of December,
however, and will come to Stevens Point to reside. A meeting of those interested
was held at the Citizens National Bank, last Friday evening, Mr. Coye being
present, and all details of the organization were fully agreed upon, including
the naming of the company as above stated. On Saturday evening a meeting of
stockholders was held and the following directors chosen: A. R. Week, E. J.
Pfiffner, W. H. Coye, D. E. Frost, F. E. Bosworth, L. Brill and F. A. Southwick.
At this time the form of contract with Mr. Coye was read and adopted, giving
that gentleman the entire management of the plant, including the manufacturing,
buying and selling. The new plant will occupy a building 70 x 300 feet in size,
two stories in height, and will be a frame structure, work upon which will
be commenced as soon as the contracts can be let. Besides this there will be
constructed the necessary dry kilns and other additions, and the cost of the
new industry when completed, including macnhinery, is estimated at about $35,000.
The kind of furniture to be manufactured will be chamber suits, chifoniers,
side boards, etc., for which there is a steady market.
Mr. Coye, who will be the general manager of the new plant, has been located
at Marshfield for the past five years, and under his management the Upham factory
has grown to be recognized as one of the best of its kind, giving employment
to about 125 hands and is a paying enterprise for its owners. The Stevens Point
plant will employ about the same number of men, and under the management of
Mr. Coye is certain to prosper. His entire life has been devoted to this line
of business. He understands all the details thereof and is well acquainted
with the trade throughout this country, enjoying the confidence of all. He
is a man of family, having a wife and three children, and decided to come to
Stevens Point on account of our excelent educational facilities, as well as
for the fact that this city is one of the best manufacturing locations in the
state, with no limit of hard wood and other timber at our very door, besides
having good shipping accomodations.
Mr. Coye will be in the city tomorrow afternoon, at which time the directors
will meet and the organization perfected by the election of officers. Thereafter
a site will be selected and work on the building commenced with the least possible
delay.
Those who have taken stock in the new company thus far are F. E. Bosworth,
E. J. Pfiffner, A. R. Week, N. A. Week, L. Brill, F. A. Southwick, V. Pl Atwell,
D. E. Frost, W. W. Spraggon, Bukingham & Engberry, E. D. Glennon, J. A.
Slothower, C. A. Hamacker, Harry C. Welty, R. A. Cook, W. E. Kingsbury, Thos.
Hyde, L. R. Anderson, Jackson Reuter, W. W. Mitchell, August Goerke, W. T.
Whiting, Alexander Krembs, g. F. Andrae, Henry Hoeffler, P. F. Mullen, Boston
Bros., Taylor Bros., I. C. Newby, Fred. Stieler, Gus. Hein, J. A. Mirat, E.
I. Tozier, John Martini, Gross & Jacobs, A. G. Green, W. w. Gregry, B.
Brill, J. M. Bischoff, J. D. Lindores, D. N. Alcorn, G. E. Oster, G. L. Park
estate, P. Rothman, W. F. Owen, E. W. Sellers, Frank Blood, Jr., W. H. Mulvey.