Thanks. That catalog is a great resource of information! With that info. in hand I was able to look up the company and came up with this profile of the company and its owner (from 1920):
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY (Vol. III)–1920
Thomas T. Fenton, president of the Fenton United Cleaning and Dyeing Company, Cincinnati's largest enterprise of its kind, was born at Petersburg, Boone county, Kentucky, June 1, 1874, and received his education in the public schools of his native community. He was eighteen years of age when he became self supporting, at that time coming to Cincinnati and securing a position with the Home Steam Laundry, a firm for which he worked nine years. During this period, through industry and fidelity, as well as a display of native ability, he won promotion to the post of assistant manager. Having accumulated a small capital, and being desirous of putting into effect some plans of his own, in 1903, he founded the present business, at that time known as the Fenton Dry Cleaning Company. Mr. Fenton's energy and novel methods caused this concern to prosper from the start, and in 1906, the business was incorporated for $5,000, with Thomas T. Fenton, president; H. B. Fenton, vice president, and William K. Fenton, secretary. The original business was located at No. 14 East Sixth street, but as the business grew and developed new offices were opened in various parts of the city, and in 1909, it was found necessary to re-incorporate. The capital at that time was advanced to $50.000, and the officers elected were: Thomas T. Fenton, president; H. B. Fenton, vice president, and D. O. Cross, secretary, the establishment being at that time located at Reading road and Hickman street. In 1916, the enterprise absorbed the Sehn Dye House, the Capital Barg Dye House, the French Benzol Dry Cleaning Company, and the Thayer American Carpet Cleaning Company, and adopted the new name of the Fenton United Cleaning and Dyeing Company, moving its establishment to 2243 Gilbert avenue, its present location. The business was re-incorporated with a capitalization of $1,000,000, and the following officers were elected: Thomas T. Fenton, president; H. B. Fenton, vice president; E. K. Wuerdeman, secretary, and W. H.. Wuerdeman, treasurer. The company does all kinds of cleaning, from hats to carpets and rugs, and dyeing, makes alterations and carries on such other work as is done by a first-class concern of this nature. The business is now the leader of its kind in Cincinnati, and its fireproof building on Gilbert avenue is equipped with the most modern machinery and equipment of all kinds. During the World war period, the concern had the contracts for doing the cleaning for Camp Wadsworth, Camp Greene, Fort Thomas and Camp Sherman. Mr. Fenton, as the founder and directing head of the Fenton United Cleaning and Dyeing Company, occupies a prominent place in business circles of the Queen City, a position which he has gained solely through the medium of his own efforts and abilities. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Cincinnati Rotary Club, the Advertisers' Club, the Business Men's Club, the Cuvier Press Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Hyde Park Country Club and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He has interested himself in movements which have had as their object the betterment of civic conditions and in numerous ways has shown himself a public-spirited citizen of constructive tendencies. Mr. Fenton married Miss Olive, daughter of William Harper, of Cincinnati, and they are the parents of one son, Frank S., who is attending school.
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Posted 10/07/2010 6:34 pm
