American Directories Listings IV

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Ensign

Henry Ensign who was born in Connecticut in about 1790 is listed with the occupation jewelry in the 1850 Lansingburgh, New York census along with his son William who was born in New York in about 1833 and who also had the jewelry occupation.

Henry Ensign is listed in the 1860 Lansingburgh census as a master jeweler.

There is a William F Ensign listed in the 1880 San Francisco, California census who was born in New York about the same time as Henry's son and who is listed as a manufacturing jeweler. I believe this same gentleman was in the lock and safe business and had at least one patent in that line.

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Ford, Tupper & Behan

Patrick Ford, Jonas C H Tupper & William J Behan

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Benjamin R (Reigel) Norton

Some additional information about this gentleman that is not currently readily available elsewhere:

Born about 1818 New York

1850 census Syracuse, New York jeweller
1862 - 1869 San Francisco Directories R B Gray & Co bookkeeper
1870 Oakland Directory Goldsmith
1871 - 1874 San Francisco Directories Norton & Gardiner jewelry & etc importers & manufacturers
1900 Oakland, California census jeweler

Died June 15, 1902 Oakland, California

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Gunnar Andersen

I have been looking for a Gunnar Andersen that goes along with the designer of the Karen flatware pattern for a very long time. I am satisfied that there isn't one.

Here is some information about my choice for the correct silversmith from primary records and etc. that look much more likely to be the person of interest:

Gustave Engolf Andersen was born in 1883 in Bergen, Norway and immigrated to the U S in 1903.
In the 1910 census, he is listed in Taunton, Massachussetts as a silversmith in a shop working on his own account. His brother William lived there also.
In a 1918 city directory, he in listed in Newark, New Jersey as a silversmith living at 68 Winthrop.
In the 1920 census he is listed in Madison, Wisconsin as a lathe operator in a machine shop. Apparently, at least one daughter, Lillian, married and settled there.
In the 1930 census, he is listed in Columbia, Wisconsin as a farmer.
In the 1940 census, he is listed in Chicago, Illinois as a silversmith. His wife's name is Karen.
His 1942 draft registration shows him working for Celini Shop in Evanston, Illinois.

I personally have no problem accepting that Gustave and not Gunnar is the designer of the Karen pattern and others and used the mark "G. Andersen."

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John Knepfly a jeweler who was earlier in New Albany, Indiana is listed in the 1880 census in Dallas, Texas. He died there on 30 November 1882 at age 72.