Dies in N. Y.
Denison Dies While On Vacation
Death brought to a close one of Mankato's outstanding success stories Wednesday night as word came from New York City that H. Warren Denison, 56, president of the Denison - Johnson corporation, had died there.
Mr. Denison and his family had left Mankato for New York by plane Friday. After clearing up some business there he and the family had planned on a trip through the New England states. Word was received by Roy Holmberg, manager of the company, that Mr. Denison had died at about 10:30 p.m. New York time, at a New York hospital. Cause of death was believed to be a heart attack.
With him in New York were Mrs. Denison; his son, William, 13; his daughters, Barbara, on summer vacation from Denison university at Granville, Ohio, and Mary, who works in New York. Another daughter, Mrs. Robert (Ardeth) Volk of Minneapolis also survives.
Mr. Denison and his partner, Lloyd Johnson, worked an idea for the a new spinning fishing reel from a shoestring basement operation to a major Mankato industry in less than eight years. Fishing buddies for many years, Denison and Johnson had experimented with homemade improvements on the conventional fishing reel and late in 1949 decided to turn some out for experimental sale.
That first operation produced 800 reels and was carried on in the basement and kitchen of the two men's homes with the families pitching in to help. The following spring they went into partnership and rented space in the back end of a garage at their present location, 720 Minneopa Road. They hired one employee.
They have come a long way since then. Now they have a working force of 75 and a plant which was built to handle increasing business. In 1957 they produced 320,000 reel and this fiscal year's figures are expected to top that by 10 per cent.
Before going into the spinning reel business, Denison operated a sporting goods store. During World War II he worked in the engineering department of the Kato Engineering company. Earlier he was assistant sales manager of the Louden Machinery company at Fairfield, Ia.
Mr. Denison was born at Amboy on February 3, 1902 and went to grade and high school there. He earned his bachelor of science degree at Iowa State college.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, Elks club, Kiwanis club and Mankato Golf club.
Funeral arrangement, the Landkamer funeral home in charge, are pending.
-- Mankato Review, Thursday, June 19, 1958, p. 1.
-------------------------------------------
HISTORY OF THE JOHNSON REEL
Two Mankato, Minnesota fishermen, Lloyd Johnson and Warren Denison, loved to fish with spinning reels. But the lines were always getting tangled, and snarls & backlashes were common. So in 1949 they decided to build a reel from an old alarm clock that would be tangle-free. After several modifications, the world's first enclosed spinning reel was displayed in Denison's Sporting Goods Store. In the spring of 1950 they took the reel to the Minneapolis Sportsman's Show, and sold their first big order to Janey-Semple-Hill in Minneapolis. The first factory was in Johnson's basement, with Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. Denison completing the work force. In the fall of 1950 the factory was moved to a garage, and a year later to a larger building, with Johnson running the factory. Denison managed the sales force, which ultimately grew to 8 manufacturer's reps who covered the entire United States.
Warren Denison died in 1958 at the age of 56, and Johnson at age 57 in 1970. In between these years a 30,000 sq. foot building and then an addition were built on top of the hill in Mankato. In 1970 the Johnson Reel Company was acquired by Johnson Wax; and in 1979 Johnson Fishing was formed in Mankato by merging Johnson Reels and several other smaller fishing products companies. The two inventors were posthumously inducted into the Mankato Business Hall of Fame in 1993. Then in 2000 Johnson Fishing was purchased by Pure Fishing of Spirit Lake, IA.
See About Johnson, the story of the reel on the Johnson website.
Fishing reel US Patent 2644647 A.
Denison Dies While On Vacation
Death brought to a close one of Mankato's outstanding success stories Wednesday night as word came from New York City that H. Warren Denison, 56, president of the Denison - Johnson corporation, had died there.
Mr. Denison and his family had left Mankato for New York by plane Friday. After clearing up some business there he and the family had planned on a trip through the New England states. Word was received by Roy Holmberg, manager of the company, that Mr. Denison had died at about 10:30 p.m. New York time, at a New York hospital. Cause of death was believed to be a heart attack.
With him in New York were Mrs. Denison; his son, William, 13; his daughters, Barbara, on summer vacation from Denison university at Granville, Ohio, and Mary, who works in New York. Another daughter, Mrs. Robert (Ardeth) Volk of Minneapolis also survives.
Mr. Denison and his partner, Lloyd Johnson, worked an idea for the a new spinning fishing reel from a shoestring basement operation to a major Mankato industry in less than eight years. Fishing buddies for many years, Denison and Johnson had experimented with homemade improvements on the conventional fishing reel and late in 1949 decided to turn some out for experimental sale.
That first operation produced 800 reels and was carried on in the basement and kitchen of the two men's homes with the families pitching in to help. The following spring they went into partnership and rented space in the back end of a garage at their present location, 720 Minneopa Road. They hired one employee.
They have come a long way since then. Now they have a working force of 75 and a plant which was built to handle increasing business. In 1957 they produced 320,000 reel and this fiscal year's figures are expected to top that by 10 per cent.
Before going into the spinning reel business, Denison operated a sporting goods store. During World War II he worked in the engineering department of the Kato Engineering company. Earlier he was assistant sales manager of the Louden Machinery company at Fairfield, Ia.
Mr. Denison was born at Amboy on February 3, 1902 and went to grade and high school there. He earned his bachelor of science degree at Iowa State college.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, Elks club, Kiwanis club and Mankato Golf club.
Funeral arrangement, the Landkamer funeral home in charge, are pending.
-- Mankato Review, Thursday, June 19, 1958, p. 1.
-------------------------------------------
HISTORY OF THE JOHNSON REEL
Two Mankato, Minnesota fishermen, Lloyd Johnson and Warren Denison, loved to fish with spinning reels. But the lines were always getting tangled, and snarls & backlashes were common. So in 1949 they decided to build a reel from an old alarm clock that would be tangle-free. After several modifications, the world's first enclosed spinning reel was displayed in Denison's Sporting Goods Store. In the spring of 1950 they took the reel to the Minneapolis Sportsman's Show, and sold their first big order to Janey-Semple-Hill in Minneapolis. The first factory was in Johnson's basement, with Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. Denison completing the work force. In the fall of 1950 the factory was moved to a garage, and a year later to a larger building, with Johnson running the factory. Denison managed the sales force, which ultimately grew to 8 manufacturer's reps who covered the entire United States.
Warren Denison died in 1958 at the age of 56, and Johnson at age 57 in 1970. In between these years a 30,000 sq. foot building and then an addition were built on top of the hill in Mankato. In 1970 the Johnson Reel Company was acquired by Johnson Wax; and in 1979 Johnson Fishing was formed in Mankato by merging Johnson Reels and several other smaller fishing products companies. The two inventors were posthumously inducted into the Mankato Business Hall of Fame in 1993. Then in 2000 Johnson Fishing was purchased by Pure Fishing of Spirit Lake, IA.
See About Johnson, the story of the reel on the Johnson website.
Fishing reel US Patent 2644647 A.
Dies in N. Y.
Denison Dies While On Vacation
Death brought to a close one of Mankato's outstanding success stories Wednesday night as word came from New York City that H. Warren Denison, 56, president of the Denison - Johnson corporation, had died there.
Mr. Denison and his family had left Mankato for New York by plane Friday. After clearing up some business there he and the family had planned on a trip through the New England states. Word was received by Roy Holmberg, manager of the company, that Mr. Denison had died at about 10:30 p.m. New York time, at a New York hospital. Cause of death was believed to be a heart attack.
With him in New York were Mrs. Denison; his son, William, 13; his daughters, Barbara, on summer vacation from Denison university at Granville, Ohio, and Mary, who works in New York. Another daughter, Mrs. Robert (Ardeth) Volk of Minneapolis also survives.
Mr. Denison and his partner, Lloyd Johnson, worked an idea for the a new spinning fishing reel from a shoestring basement operation to a major Mankato industry in less than eight years. Fishing buddies for many years, Denison and Johnson had experimented with homemade improvements on the conventional fishing reel and late in 1949 decided to turn some out for experimental sale.
That first operation produced 800 reels and was carried on in the basement and kitchen of the two men's homes with the families pitching in to help. The following spring they went into partnership and rented space in the back end of a garage at their present location, 720 Minneopa Road. They hired one employee.
They have come a long way since then. Now they have a working force of 75 and a plant which was built to handle increasing business. In 1957 they produced 320,000 reel and this fiscal year's figures are expected to top that by 10 per cent.
Before going into the spinning reel business, Denison operated a sporting goods store. During World War II he worked in the engineering department of the Kato Engineering company. Earlier he was assistant sales manager of the Louden Machinery company at Fairfield, Ia.
Mr. Denison was born at Amboy on February 3, 1902 and went to grade and high school there. He earned his bachelor of science degree at Iowa State college.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, Elks club, Kiwanis club and Mankato Golf club.
Funeral arrangement, the Landkamer funeral home in charge, are pending.
-- Mankato Review, Thursday, June 19, 1958, p. 1.
-------------------------------------------
HISTORY OF THE JOHNSON REEL
Two Mankato, Minnesota fishermen, Lloyd Johnson and Warren Denison, loved to fish with spinning reels. But the lines were always getting tangled, and snarls & backlashes were common. So in 1949 they decided to build a reel from an old alarm clock that would be tangle-free. After several modifications, the world's first enclosed spinning reel was displayed in Denison's Sporting Goods Store. In the spring of 1950 they took the reel to the Minneapolis Sportsman's Show, and sold their first big order to Janey-Semple-Hill in Minneapolis. The first factory was in Johnson's basement, with Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. Denison completing the work force. In the fall of 1950 the factory was moved to a garage, and a year later to a larger building, with Johnson running the factory. Denison managed the sales force, which ultimately grew to 8 manufacturer's reps who covered the entire United States.
Warren Denison died in 1958 at the age of 56, and Johnson at age 57 in 1970. In between these years a 30,000 sq. foot building and then an addition were built on top of the hill in Mankato. In 1970 the Johnson Reel Company was acquired by Johnson Wax; and in 1979 Johnson Fishing was formed in Mankato by merging Johnson Reels and several other smaller fishing products companies. The two inventors were posthumously inducted into the Mankato Business Hall of Fame in 1993. Then in 2000 Johnson Fishing was purchased by Pure Fishing of Spirit Lake, IA.
See About Johnson, the story of the reel on the Johnson website.
Fishing reel US Patent 2644647 A.
Denison Dies While On Vacation
Death brought to a close one of Mankato's outstanding success stories Wednesday night as word came from New York City that H. Warren Denison, 56, president of the Denison - Johnson corporation, had died there.
Mr. Denison and his family had left Mankato for New York by plane Friday. After clearing up some business there he and the family had planned on a trip through the New England states. Word was received by Roy Holmberg, manager of the company, that Mr. Denison had died at about 10:30 p.m. New York time, at a New York hospital. Cause of death was believed to be a heart attack.
With him in New York were Mrs. Denison; his son, William, 13; his daughters, Barbara, on summer vacation from Denison university at Granville, Ohio, and Mary, who works in New York. Another daughter, Mrs. Robert (Ardeth) Volk of Minneapolis also survives.
Mr. Denison and his partner, Lloyd Johnson, worked an idea for the a new spinning fishing reel from a shoestring basement operation to a major Mankato industry in less than eight years. Fishing buddies for many years, Denison and Johnson had experimented with homemade improvements on the conventional fishing reel and late in 1949 decided to turn some out for experimental sale.
That first operation produced 800 reels and was carried on in the basement and kitchen of the two men's homes with the families pitching in to help. The following spring they went into partnership and rented space in the back end of a garage at their present location, 720 Minneopa Road. They hired one employee.
They have come a long way since then. Now they have a working force of 75 and a plant which was built to handle increasing business. In 1957 they produced 320,000 reel and this fiscal year's figures are expected to top that by 10 per cent.
Before going into the spinning reel business, Denison operated a sporting goods store. During World War II he worked in the engineering department of the Kato Engineering company. Earlier he was assistant sales manager of the Louden Machinery company at Fairfield, Ia.
Mr. Denison was born at Amboy on February 3, 1902 and went to grade and high school there. He earned his bachelor of science degree at Iowa State college.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, Elks club, Kiwanis club and Mankato Golf club.
Funeral arrangement, the Landkamer funeral home in charge, are pending.
-- Mankato Review, Thursday, June 19, 1958, p. 1.
-------------------------------------------
HISTORY OF THE JOHNSON REEL
Two Mankato, Minnesota fishermen, Lloyd Johnson and Warren Denison, loved to fish with spinning reels. But the lines were always getting tangled, and snarls & backlashes were common. So in 1949 they decided to build a reel from an old alarm clock that would be tangle-free. After several modifications, the world's first enclosed spinning reel was displayed in Denison's Sporting Goods Store. In the spring of 1950 they took the reel to the Minneapolis Sportsman's Show, and sold their first big order to Janey-Semple-Hill in Minneapolis. The first factory was in Johnson's basement, with Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. Denison completing the work force. In the fall of 1950 the factory was moved to a garage, and a year later to a larger building, with Johnson running the factory. Denison managed the sales force, which ultimately grew to 8 manufacturer's reps who covered the entire United States.
Warren Denison died in 1958 at the age of 56, and Johnson at age 57 in 1970. In between these years a 30,000 sq. foot building and then an addition were built on top of the hill in Mankato. In 1970 the Johnson Reel Company was acquired by Johnson Wax; and in 1979 Johnson Fishing was formed in Mankato by merging Johnson Reels and several other smaller fishing products companies. The two inventors were posthumously inducted into the Mankato Business Hall of Fame in 1993. Then in 2000 Johnson Fishing was purchased by Pure Fishing of Spirit Lake, IA.
See About Johnson, the story of the reel on the Johnson website.
Fishing reel US Patent 2644647 A.
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