I was fortunate today to trade for a very nice Elgin 17j 12s model 345 dating to 1925. It needs to make a visit to Chris in the near future for cleaning and crown case adjustment.

What I'm needing some help with is from anyone who may shed some light on the engraved dedication in the back of the hinged 14k gold filled star case cover.

It says, and I quote : "V. A. Davis, from EMPLOYEES, Kingan & Co, Tampa, X-mas, 1926".

Apparently Mr. Davis was quite proud of the watch, as it's in wonderful condition, complete with his initials engraved on the back, and several service marks in the back cover...so he had it serviced regularily.

Any insight as to who this may have been, or his company, would be appreciated. I've pulled up nothing in my internet search so far. I kind of suspect it may have been a cigar co., as that was the thriving business in Tampa through the 1920's, until the Depression pretty much destroyed the economy in the area after 1929.

Thanks for anything anyone can supply. I'm very happy with what I got.

Regards! Mark

So far what I have found is that Kingan & Co, Tampa was a meat packing & processing company.

If you go to this link there are several photos of the company & employees

http://www.lamartin.com/burgert/1940-1949.htm

Tom

Here you are Mark,

Kingan & Company, 101 Governor Street, trucks and drivers at main facility: Tampa, Fla.

http://digital.hcplc.org/burgert/archive11/10252.jpg

Built-in refrigerators for meat product cold storage at Kingan & Company: Tampa, Fla.

http://digital.hcplc.org/burgert/archive11/10251.jpg


Employees at work in sausage making departments of Kingan & Company: Tampa, Fla.


http://digital.hcplc.org/burgert/archive11/10250.jpg

rgds

Enzo

Might have found something.

Vincent A. Davis is listed as living in Tampa & the manager of a meat processing plant. I will do a little more digging.

Tom

WOW!!!!

This is GREAT!!! THANK YOU!!!!

How in the world did this watch end up in an antique store in Tullahoma, TN?!!!

I wonder if the company still exists?

I REALLY appreciate this, folks!

HIGH regards! Mark

I think that is him, I found his WWI reg. card, he shows he works for Kingan & Co in Tampa Fla., his complete name is Vincent Angelo Davis & he was born October 5, 1890 & he was born in Ohio

Tom

1930 census shows
Vincent A. Davis 39, wife Nettie V. 37, Vincent A. Jr. 17, Maxine 15, Herbert E. 5, Thedore R. 3
Sr. is manager of Wholesale meat, Jr. is a box maker at a factory, perhaps dad's? They lived in Tampa Fld. at the time

Tom

If you would like emailed copies let me know

That would be GREAT, Tom!

Yes, thank you!

Please email them to mcross@utsi.edu

I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to look all this up! It really puts a human 'history' behind this new watch! It didn't by chance say where in Ohio he was born, did it?

It appears he was 35 at the time he was given this watch, based on that census information.

Regards! Mark

Will do Mark, I guess it was a Christmas gift & not a retirement gift, it looks like he continued to work there after he got it. Maybe he was just a great boss.

He was born in Carthage OH

Tom

Also it looks like he moved to Florida with his parents, in 1910 he was 19 & living with his father & mother & sister. Both his parents were from England. He & his sister were born in Ohio.

Tom

Carthage, Ohio? That's just downriver from my hometown of Portsmouth!

Small world!

Thank you again, Tom. WAY more information that I DREAMED of anyone finding!

HIGH regard! Mark

Just to update, this watch is now in Chris Abell's capable hands, so we'll see how it turns out after a overhaul.

Thanks once again for the provided information on Mr. Davis' watch. It puts a personal story behind one nice time piece.

Regards! Mark

When do we get to see a photo of this jewel, Mark....

hopefully when it returns from Chris....

Regards,
Jerry

I kinda hope Chris will do that for me when he gets around to the work, as my camera is a peach, but my computer is so old there's no way to connect it to the camera.

Chris.....are you out there?

Regards! Mark

WOW!

Here's the watch! Right year and at Christmas too!

http://elginwatches.org/scans/...santa_gets_gift.html

Regards! Mark

I found something interesting.

It's obviously not your Kingan's because of the Tampa reference, but it's about a Kingan's in Indianapolis. It's a history of Manufacturing there, and Kingan's is the major Meat Co. there.

It's a very early developement of the city, and goes back to the very beginning of the settlement of Indianaplois, including the times when butchering was done by the families, and stored in smoke houses.

Below is a photo of that Co.
I wondered if maybe there was a later connection.
Maybe a moved family business?

I remember the Kingan's meat co. If I have ever met any of the Davis e's it doesn't ring any bells.
They would have been way out of my neighborhood.

I don't know, Sheila. This is the first time I had ever heard of the company myself.

Phillip, do you recall if the company still exists in Tampa, or did they go under or get absorbed by another company?

Now, all I need to do is find one of the watch boxes as seen in that advertisement....

Regards! Mark

Long Gone, Mark. Just like all of the cigar factories, street vendors, bolita peddlers and old Ybor City which is now a mini New Orleans french quarter. However you can still get a great cuban sandwich.

Mark, I was able to locate this photo that shows
Women workers packaging Kingan's Reliable Wieners at Kingan & Company: Tampa, Fla.
This photo was taken March 28, 1945.

Thanks, Phil! That just keeps adding layers to the story.

I did some work in the Tampa/ClearWater area back in the late '80's when I was working for the DHSMV out of Tallahassee. I had to videotape and create PSA's for the department for legislative viewing and public service announcements. I spent MOST of my time in Miami, though, as our executive director was from there and thought the sun rose and set over Miami....therefore I was sent there...a LOT!

Anyway, I really appreciate the efforts, my friends. This watch is the only one I own that is revealing a life behind it's original ownership (besides personal family pieces), and that's just fancinating to me. For all we know, the gentleman on the far right could be Mr. Davis himself. He's about the right age for the time, by all appearances. He would have been 55 at the time this photo was shot.

HIGH regards! Mark

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Thank you Chris!

Isn't she a beauty?

Regards! Mark

Hey Mark,

Yes, SHE is a beautiful lady....and I'm sure SHE will be a good runner as well, since Chris has looked at her....

I have a few of the Elgin 345 12's and I have noticed that none have the same (exact) face. Kind of unique in this way....

Watch over HER, now, and I know you will....

Regards,
Jerry

Thank you Jerry. Yes, I will.

The man did love his watch, that's a fact, and as you can make out on the back, there are several jewelers service marks, so he kept it up on a regular basis.

One thing Chris told me was he found brand new jewels had been installed before the watch was 'retired'....but he had to remove over 12+ minutes of timing washers from the balance to make it run right!! Sounds like the last person who worked on the watch knew his stuff on re-jeweling, but had NO clue how to time one in!

That could be why the watch was found in such good condition. It started keeping 'bad time', and was retired from service by Mr. Davis. Just a guess, of course....but who knows?

Anyway, it's alive again!

Regards! Mark