Hi All

I need some help identifying this private label dial on a 18s Elgin pocket watch. I will not be able to post a picture since this is not my watch. The dial reads P. Lewis L. & N. Watch Inspector Andalusia, ALA. Any help is welcome. Thanks.

Regards
Keith

bump!

Powell Lewis was a jeweler in Andalusia Al. He was born about 1878 in Alabama. I find him in the 1910 & 1930 census for that city listed as a jeweler in 1910 & jewelry store proprietor in 1930.

Hope that helps.

Tom

Thanks Tom

Nothing on this guy being a watch inspector for the L & N Railroad?

Ed "bump!" what is does this mean?

Regards
Keith

Ed posting 'bump' in this thread 'bumped' it back to the top of this section so folks would find it.

Regards! Mark

Keith

I searched again & could not find anything listing Powell Lewis as a inspector, but that doesn't really mean anything. If you have a dial with that printed on it I would accept that. In my research of watch inspectors some I have found listed as such in city directories, some in advertising & some in lists printed by the railroads in their ads. But since there were thousands of independent jewelers appointed at one time or another some of them have just slipped through the cracks.

So if I had an time period correct dial stating that I myself would accept that he was an inspector at sometime & also since the L&N did run through his city.

Tom

Nice work again Tom. You are one heck of a detective.

Thanks Mark for the info on "bump"

Wow Tom great job, Thanks again for the up-date on Mr. Lewis. Andalusia must have to been a small town. Rigth between Red Level and Opp.

Regards
Keith

Your welcome Keith

I might add there could still be some listing with his name as an inspector, not all newspapers or city directories have been put on line, so if someone were to travel to Andalusia they might find him listed there as an inspector.

For example I found inspector's listed in ads they took out in high school year books & that is the only place I found them.

As I mentioned there were thousands upon thousands of watch inspectors across this country & Canada. If you can imagine each town that had a railroad running through it & a jeweler who would like the extra business the railroad men brought almost every jeweler would want to be an inspector. Some I found lasted for years & some a few months, so needless to say I am certain we will never know who every watch inspector was.

If you get the watch it would be nice to add a photo to this topic.

Tom