About
John W Gindlesperger (sometimes misspelled as Gintlesburger) was born August 6th of 1843 in Wayne, Ohio to Joseph Gindlesperger and Anna Frase [5]. He served in the 169th Infantry Regiment of Ohio in the Civil War between 1961 and 1965 [12]. Evidently he was seeking a new life as in 1873 he had married Martha 'Mattie' V. Hensey and moved to Miami, Kansas [6]. By 1880 he was living in Aubry, Kansas and worked as a farmer to support his wife, son Joseph Ezra (b.1875), and daughter Luella (b.1876) [6][7]. Tragedy struck in 1883 when Martha died at the age of 32. I'm unable to find her cause of death but they had lost four children in infancy and death during childbirth was not unusual for the era [8][9]. The 1890 census was lost in a fire so his occupation during that time is unknown.
In the 1900 census he was single, living on his own in Kansas City, and was a piano tuner as well as living off his war pension [3]. By 1910, he was lodging at 1716 Locust St in the home of Mary and Sylvester Malloy continuing his job as a piano tuner [4]. I cannot find him in the 1920 census but in 1930 he was living at the same home this time renting from John Morgan and his occupation was listed as a manufacturer of musical instruments [2]. On January 13th, 1934 John died at the age of 90 [8]. After her father's death, Luella quit working as a house servant and moved in with her brother in Los Angles [10]. Neither had any children.
Timeline
- 1898 - John Gindlesperger is located at 802 Main Street and listed as a Musical Instrument Manufacturer in Hoye's City Directory [15]
- 1912 - Gindlesperger Guitar and Violin Mfg Co is listed as a Musical Instrument Manufacturer in the National Lumber [1]
- 1934 - John Gindlesperger dies at the age of 90
Sources
[1] https://www.google.com/books/edition/National_Lumberman/WSkyAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=wood+working+guitar&pg=RA6-PA82&printsec=frontcover
[2] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRHT-4DY?i=14&cc=1810731&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHV5-D4V
[3] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY7S-BQZ?cc=1325221&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A66JK-DNYT
[4] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRNY-RZ7?i=27&cc=1727033&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM2Y6-Y71
[5] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2CZ-5DR
[6] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWGS-62S
[7] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB6-PVR?i=4&cc=1417683&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMF5S-G75
[8] https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LJYB-VYQ
[9] https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KCFV-729
[10] https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/GQ69-WJL
[11] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1J-XJG3?cc=2968245&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQ5FN-NY2M
[12] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS9S-7X3
[13] http://www.harpguitars.net/history/makers.htm
[14] https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/2012/12/c1905-john-gindlesperger-mandolin.html
[15] https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hoye_s_City_Directory_of_Kansas_City/Qz3DIatBbYAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=john+Gindlesperger+musical+instrument&pg=PA912&printsec=frontcover
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