"The Palladium-Item" (special on Whitewater Gorge Project): "Since 1920, the American Gramophone Company (Colombia) and the Victor Talking Machine Co. had pooled their patents on the lateral cut method of recording in an attempt to monopolize the market. The majors were challenged by a growing number of smaller manufacturers, including Vocalion, Emerson, Brunswick, and Starr. The giants sought protection in the courts, and in Victor Talking Machine Co. vs. Starr Piano Co. (1922) the Second Circuit Court of Appeals held the Victor patent void for lack of invention and for abandonment. Not only did the lawsuit effectively end the majors monopolization of lateral recording, it formed a bond between the smaller companies which had joined the Gennetts in the legal battle. Leasing arrangements between the companies followed, eventually involving hundreds of Gennett masters. In the mid-twenties, Gennett was producing three million records annually in addition to 15,000 pianos and 35,000 spring driven phonographs. In 1928, Gennett cut 1,250 master records, compared to Victor's 1,900.
"Located at the southern end of the Starr complex, all recording activity frequently had to cease as boxcars would rumble by the recording studio. Over the period for 1916 to 1934, the Richmond studio made thousands of acoustic and electric recordings, featuring blues, jazz, country, ethnic, classical, spoken word, and any other recorded sound that had or could have a market.
"A list of famous names who recorded for Gennett in Richmond and at their studio in New York, is a long one. In 1922, the Friars Society Orchestra (later the New Orleans Rhythm Kings) made their first recordings in Richmond. The following year, 1923, Jelly Roll Morton waxed some records, reaching over 2 masters in one day--an astounding feat for that time or any other. He also participated in the first interracial recording session with NORK, the same year King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band with Louis Armstrong, Lil Hardin, and Honore Dutrey performed before the acoustic horn. In 1924, Bix Beiderbeck made the first of several appearances for Gennett, with the Wolverines, and later as the leader of Bix and his Rhythm Jugglers, featuring Tommy Dorsey on the trombone. Hoagy Carmichael, a fan of the NORK and Bix also performed in Richmond with Bix, Hitch's Happy Harmonists, as leader of Carmichael's Collegians, recording the first version of Stardust. Earl Hines was there, in Lois Deppe's band, as was Mugsy Spanier, with the Bucktown Five, Red Nichols, Billy Butterfield, Mary Lou Williams and a wonderful musical personality who worked both sides of the street. He made religious recordings under the name of Thomas A. Dorsey; for pop recordings, his name was Thomas Dorsey, and for jug bands, it was Georgia Tom. Wingy Manone, a fine trumpet player from New Orleans, came to Richmond in the summer of 1930 to record under the name of "Barbecue Joe and his Hot Dogs." One of the tunes that he recorded was "Tar Paper Stomp," that years later was revised to become "In the Mood."
"Unfortunately, many of the recording companies were ruined by the Great Depression. In 1929, record sales were $75 million. In 1930, $18 million, and in 1931, $5.5 million. Gennett and numerous small labels went out of business in the early thirties. The Starr Factory continued to make pianos and press records for other concerns, but actual recording slowed to a trickle. Decca bought the rights to Gennett's "Champion" label. Henry Gennett, Jr. and his uncle Fred kept their hand in the business by producing sound effect records. The last Starr piano was made in the 1949."

RPG: "...only the line of buildings on the west of the banks of the Whitewater River was involved in phonographs and records. In the North six story building, the stock was mixed and blanked on the first floor. Components I do not remember beyond shellac, china clay, carbon black, rosin, and carnauba...Pressing and edging was done on second floor--stock was carried on second floor of next four story building. Label pressing and envelope press and folder were in the first floor of this building also electroplating of masters, mothers, and stampers. In the later years the hand out--folders with lists were printed there both Gennett and Champion. On the line of buildings next came the plant stock room in a two story building. Across a ditch then came a group of old one story buildings originally to used to store rare woods for the cabinet work on pianos such as rosewood, boxwood, etc. One of these was repaired and used as a recording studio. They also operated another at Woodside, LI.N.Y. the eastern lab was used for dance bands, comics, etc. off the New York and eastern engagements. The lab in Richmond, I would say, recorded 70 or 80% "hill billy"--the ancestor of present country music. Mostly they were brought in by music dealers who acted as booking agents locally for local shindigs. Most of the jazz (if you will call it that) came from artists sent in mainly by the Chicago Record Co. (Domino Label I think). They specialized in the colored type of jazz...Recordings might be used for them and then again with cooperation on other labels who needed blues numbers or other-even boogie woogie. The department (whole record was headed by Mr. Fred Wiggins who with the current music director when we had one passed on what we issued as records. Others were mailed to Sears Roebuck (Silvertone), Montgomery Ward, or other companies for pressing under their labels for their selection. Another type for instance of work was recording Homer Rodeheaver's musicians for religious sales in connection with Billy Sunday revivals under Rainbow label. There were many type of labels and recordings for different markets and usages. Sometimes the same recording or another master from the same session would appear on many different labels with several different aliases of same artist. A man might appear as Pie Plant Pete or some such on another label.

Musicians: I don't remember but few. Hoagy Carichael and Old Rocking Chair; Vern Dalhart and Wreck of the Old 97 are about all. They came and went. Some were clean and workmen. Others were literally filthy and ruined many cuts by being scared or musically poorly organized. If I remember rightly, we had to aim at 3 min. plus or minus very little. With a good musician we usually ran 2 masters for selection others we ran three and then lost as being not fit to issue because of being just poor or with musical or vocal mistakes. The reason for multiple cuts is thus evident. Also sometimes there could be a poor separation in the plating and stripping processes...Things happened all the time---stopping a cut to tell a tuba player to stick a note in a void--a clarinetist hitting a blue not--a singers voice breaking--sometimes a rack knocked over--speedups---slowdowns--a flaw in the lead based wax-which also could be too hot or too cold--losing a sapphire in the middle of a cut off the cutter head-a cough-a sneeze.
....with the exception of a library of sound effects and some historical cuts such as William Jenning Bryans Cross of Gold Speech--made on old horn method--most all masters and mothers were seized and scrapped for copper content in World War II.
The Gennett label was used for classical and dance band items. Sales were mostly to music stores and department stores. It was priced higher than Champion. Factory prices and retail varied according to cost of recording. Including were pressing of English, French, German, Italian, and other company pressings of which we had purchased mothers some of which were downright expensive. Most dance recordings made in New York were by paying union rates to the name bands of the times. One of the early popular groups was Naylor's Seven Aces. Gene Goldkette recorded I believe several sessions. These were set up as the music came out or became popular.
The Champion label was used for sales to the five and dime trade. It sold heavily in the hilly southern region and was mostly hill billy. Vernon Dalhart was the seller of the time and recorded on about every label made. There were others similar. Surprises were constant on what sold. Most of payments on them were by royalty. For instance we made a recording by a country artist called "Little Birdie" which had the greatest sales of any record we ever issued. That I remember because I believe that people bought them to try to figure out what he was saying. It went great in Ky, Tenn, and the Carolinas. P.S. There were more Silvertone pressed than either Gennett or Champion. RPG 1971

Richmond, Ind. City Directory, 1958: "Gennett & Sons, Inc., Fred Gennett, Pres., Richard Gennett, V-Pres., Henry Gennett, Sec.-Treas. Manufacturers Stainless Steel Hospital Equipment, Jobbers for Refrigeration, Heating Supplies & Paints, 1 E. Main, Tels. 2-2151 & 2-7927."

Letter, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "Jan 2, 1961/ Robert P. Gennett/ 700 Rockbridge Road/ Birmingham 16, Alabama "Dear Son:/ I am enclosing additional check in the form of $200.00 to apply to your account. I do not anticipate there will be any more available until the first of April, and thought I had better advise you to that end.
"We still have snow on the ground but today is not so cold. Nothing particularly new.
"Yours truly,/ Pop (sign.)"

Letter, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "March 30, 1962/Mr. Robert Gennett/700 Rock Bridge Road/ Birmingham 16, Alabama
"Dear Son:/ I am enclosin a check for $300.00 to apply to your account.
"We have had a very tight quarter and even the Travel business has been very much down, howver I am in hopes that the travel commissions in sight will clear up the balance due you on this account sometime between now and the middle of July.
"Yours truly, Gennett & Sons, Inc./ Fred Gennett/Pres (sign.)/FG/mr"

Letter, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "Aug. 29, 1963/ Mr. Robert Gennett/ 928 North 28th St./ Birmingham 3, Ala.
"Dear Son: I am enclosing a paper from the Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa, and request that you date it and sign it, attaching your Sociel Security Number and return it to me.
"This piece of paper does away with the necessity of having to report the interest which accrues on this policy. The other two policies have already had instructions to purchase paid up dividends, consequently, this will make all three policies so that you can ignore the request of interest accrual. I understand this continues indefinately after we signed this paper.
"Please return the paper to me so that I can complete my file in getting this autherized change made.
"Fred Gennett (sign.)/Fg/mr"

Letters, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "July 6, 1964/ Mr. Robert Gennett/ Refrigeration Supply Distributors/ 928 North 28th St./ Birmingham, Alabama
"Dear Son:/ I am enclosing a copy of a letter addressed to Mr. Martin G. Isom of Vulcan Eqquipment-Supply in your city. I seem to have the notion that I have met Mr. Isom or at elast have had some contact with him. However, I am sending this down to you just to see whether or not something might turn up out of it. I am enclosing the copy of the advertisment and also a duplicate set of literature. As you know our regular dealer discount is 40% from list, 2% 10 prox., net 30, F.O.B. factory, Richmond, Indiana. If Mr. Isom has any business for us hope to get some part of it and let me know what I should do for you to handle it.
"Yours truly,/ GENNETT & SONS, INC./ Fred Gennett (sign.)/Pres./ FG/gmv/encl."

"July 6, 1964/ Martin G. Isom/ General Sales/ Vulcan Equipment-Supply/ Box 1889/ Birmingham, Alabama/
"Dear Mr. Isom:/ Institutions Magazine has been kind enough to send us your name with the request that we furnish you further information regarding our Ice Carts as advertised in their June issue. We enclose a complete set of our literature with price list. Our representative in your territory is Refrigeration Supply Distributors of 928 North 28th, Birmingham, Alabama. We are requesting that they contact you relative to your interest in our product./ Yours truly/ GENNETT & SONS, INC./ Pres./ FG/gmv/ encl.

Letter, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "July 22, 1964/ Robert Gennett/ Refrigeration Supply Corp./ 928 North 28/ Birmingham, Alabama
"Dear Son:/ You certainly seem to be having an enjoyable time with your burglaries; three in a sincle week, shows that you have a good reputation. Hope that you can find some way to stop this interesting performance.
"Last evening I was checking up on insurance rates largely because of the Mr. Pizza building which is now closing its second month of operation. The combination of tax problems and insurance problems and the job of keping ourselves from being taxed out of business seems to lie in the same bed. The rate given to me yesterday was $69.05 with a 80% coverage. It looks like that the tax situation would justify a 100% coverage and eliminate some of the cost such as foundation, repairs on old buildings attached and etc. The fact that I have already worked on that situation and think that the insurance policy would work out just right. If the tax people got nosey and pickd on the insurance rates and coverage, we would work out satisfactorily.
"I understand that you have not been advised as yet but Sarah is going to be married to her man, Bruce Whitham on the 26th day of August. I was honored by a personal visit from the bride's mother to tell me that the wedding was going to be private and that neither of the grandfathers or grandparents are to be present. However this was not to interfere with donations. I mention this as you may come up here just in time to get into the mess and you had better know in advance. Katherine told me that she had intended to write you a letter so you would know about it so don't be surprised if you get one.
"Dick is in Washington attending a convention and showing an exhibit of our carts. This is the first time that I have managed to get him into a sales undertaking like this in many years. I am in hopes that it will do him some good. He took one of the men from the shop down with him. You will be welcome and tell Judy that I still have her broken sun bonnet which I keep on exhibition in the study. My grandchildren don't come to see me like they formerly did and we have even stopped eating out. Mike is working at night for Mr. Pizza but I was out to their house last evening and he is getting tired of it and also I don't think his mother enjoys the company of the other employees. Expect him to leave when school starts because he willhave to come home at a decent hour.
"In regard to closing up our business for the 6 months out tax situation in Indiana concerning which I talked with you last Christmas, our inventory has knocked our book figures all to pieces. Don't know exactly how this will work out but one thing is sure I reduced the taxes.

Top: Dick, Fred, Sara, Henry, Bob. Middle: Barbara, Stephen, Hazel, Judy (me), Mary. Bottom: Mike, Freddy, John Henry, Tim.

Letter, Gennett & Sons, Inc.: "October 16, 1994/ Robert Gennett/ Refrigeration Supply Co./ 928 North 28th St./ Birmingham, Alabama
"My dear Robert:/ You will recollect telling me that somebody in Birmingham purchased a bunch of Lakeside Carts and you saw them on the side walk. I have been trying to get the dimensions of the three Lakeside carts and the weight empty if possible. However, I can find no literature with dimensions and weight mentioned. I want to get the BTU rating of each of the ice containers and the comparative weight of the stainless steel in each of the carts. If you can do anything to help me out, I would appreciate it very much.
"Yours truly,/ Fred Gennett (sign.)/ Fred Gennett/ FG/gmv"
[note by RPG] "Last Letter- Died Oct 27th- Hosp Oct 19th"

Fred left a will, written as a resident of Wayne County, Indiana 31 August 1960. He left the balance of his estate when debts were paid, equally to his three sons. Henry sent Bob a list of the contents of the house, with the price the auction house would pay. A "*" means that I have this object:
Living Room: $12.50 Stand-2 drawer, drop leaf, 5.00 Table lamp, 10.00 Banel back chairs 1*, 8.00 Rocker, 25.00 Chest, 3 drawer @2, 8.00 Matching Table lamps @2, 35.00 American Oriental Rug 6X10, 15.00 American Oriental Rug 4X7, 12.50 Coffee Table-maple, 5.000 Tea Cart, 30.00 Baker Painting*, 2.00 Painting @2, 125.00 [Jessee] French Piano, 10.00 Cut Glass Compote *, 8.00 Wicker chair & rocker @2 [1 to Hayward], 7.50 Oriental Rug- well worn 10X15, 90.00 Drop leaf Table & 8 chairs, 30.00 Hutch cabinet, 1.00 Floor lamp, 10.00 Hutch cabinet-contents, 10.00 silverware. Breakfast Nook: $7.50 Breakfast table & 2 chairs, 25.00 Hutch-glass front, 10.00 Dishes-set-England Romey Copeland spode, 10.00 dishes remainder, 12.50 American Oriental Rug 4X6. Kitchen: 10.00 Magic Chef- apartment size (old), 10.00 Hot Point Electric- apartment size (old), no value Refrigerator, 20.00 Kitchen utensils, 10.00 Pots & Pans. Hall: $3.00 Baker painting = 8X10, 6.00 Throw rugs @3, 4.00 American Oriental rug 3X4, 3.00 Desk, 1.50 Mirror*, 1.50 Desk lamp*. Den: 17.50 Seth Thomas Clock, 10.00 Rocker, 3.00 Round table, glass top, 2.00 Floor lamps @2, 7.50 Sofa Simmons, 20.00 Hot Point TV (does not work), 10.00 Books, 4.00 End table, 1.50 Table lamp, 20.00 American Oriental Rug 7X9, 4.00 High Back chair. Bed Room-north: $25.00 Beds, 10.00 Stands, 7.50 Table lamps @5, 15.00 Dressing Vanities @2, 1.50 Throw rug, 6.00 Chair @2. Upstairs Hall: $6.00 Desk, 3.50 Telechron Clock, 1.00 Chair, straight, 6.00 Oriental Rug, 1.50 Mirror*, 3.00 Stand with drawer, maple*, 1.00 Table @2, 3.00 Chair. Bed Room: $110.00 Maple Bed Room Suite-Twins @2, Chest @2, Night stand @2, Mirror, $3.00 Rocker, $3.00 Chair, 1.50 Stand and portable top, $4.00 Table lamps @2, 1.50 Throw rugs @2, 1.00 Table lamp, 1.00 Alarm clock-Westclox. Basement: 100.00 China dishes, 7.50 Electric Power Mower, 20.00 Hand tools with bench, 10.00 Lawn chairs, 2.00 Electric Ice Cream Freeze, 2.00 Spray Gun, 2.50 2-wheel truck, 2.00 Utility bench, 12.50 Pie safe & contents, 5.00 Drop leaf table, 3.50 Step ladder- aluminum, 2.00 Step ladder-wood, 5.00 Washer, 1.00 Base cabinet, 5.00 Wheel barrow, 5.00 Hand tools, Miscellaneous dishes, 1.00 Clothes rack...$1096.00 Total.

He married Hazel Bertha Reid (12) (A13), 12 Dec 1907, in Richmond, Wayne Co.,

Bob and cousins, Henry, Freddie, Dick

Henry, Dick, Bob ca 1958

IN. Children:

5 i. Robert Pettis[3] Gennett.

ii. Richard Henry Gennett. Born, 11 Jul 1912[1]. Died, 2 Dec 1993, in Richmond, Wayne Co., IN. Census: 1920, in Richmond, Wayne Co., IN. He married Katherine Busche.

iii. Fred Gennett. Born, 2 Feb 1916[1]. Died, 2 Sep 1933, in Richmond, Wayne, IN. Census: 1920, in Richmond, Wayne Co., IN.

iv. Henry Gennett. Born, 12 Jun 1922[6]. Died, 16 Jun 1989[6]. He married Barbara Colignon.