ROY LOUIS KENYON:
Roy was the son of Alonzo Kenyon and Helen Utter, and daughter of Charles Utter and Eunice E. Jones. His family were early pioneers of Wisconsin.
On the 1880 census, he lived with his parents and infant brother, Fred, in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. His father, Alonzo was a farmer.
By 1900, his family was living in LaCross, LaCross, Wisconsin. His parents had been married for 26 years. His father was a teamster, which he had done for six years. Roy, then 22, was employed in upholstery, which he had done for two years. His two younger brothers, Fred and Claude, were also teamsters. His sister, Coila, and brother, Arthur, attended school.
On July 10, 1901, Roy married Miss Edna Florilla Gear of Campbell, LaCross, Wisconsin. Edna was the daughter of Matthew William Gear, born in Yeovil, Somerset, England, and Florilla L. Richardson, of Chautauqua County, New York. They settled in LaCross where they started their family. (A photo of the entire family is on the left.)
In 1910, Roy and wife, Edna, lived in Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where Roy was the president of a manufacturing company. Living with them were sons Archie L, age 7, and Harold G., age 3. Their daughter Helen was born later that year, their son Leslie, born in 1912, in Waukesha, and their son Charles, born in 1913, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
In 1913, his factory was involved in constructing complete homes. The business was very successful. An article in the Waukesha Freeman, 21 Aug 1913, indicated the company employed 250 people. By, 1915, Roy resigned from the company. It is unclear what could have led to his resignation.
Family lore has it that Roy was the first to create what is now known as mobile/ modular homes, someone took that from him. It isn't clear whether he hadn't gotten a patent on the idea, as he had previous patents. At this point, Roy left a highly successful enterprise to begin all over again.
An article in the Bisbee Daily Review," dated 1 Jan 1916, "The R. L. Kenyon Company, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, manufacturers of the Ready-Built, Take-Down, Portable Houses or Portable Furniture, is introducing its new product in the Warren District, through B. H. McLain."
As Roy announced his retirement in 1915, this announcement suggests that his company continued operation, after his announcement.
It appears Roy went to New York State in the hope of reestablishing.
In 1915, their son Robert Lawrence Kenyon, was born in Long Island, New York. Their son Theodore, born in 1918, in Mexico, Oswego County, New York, and James Russell Kenyon born in 1921, in Manhattan, New York.
In 1916, Roy moved to Mexico, Oswego County, New York, where he started another large manufacturing company, Kenyon Manufacturing Co.
His WWI Draft Registration Card showed he was 41 years old, dated September 12, 1917-18, living in Mexico, Oswego County, New York, where he was a factory manager. The registration describes him as medium height, stout, with blue eyes, and light brown hair.
Family lore has indicated he would form a partnership, which went sour after his partner absconded with the company's money. Another report is that the factory was destroyed in a fire. In either event, his efforts to reestablish himself failed.
In 1920, Roy and his family rented a home at 165 Union Street, Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He was not working, but his son Archie who was also living in the household, at age 16, working in a factory.
By 1930, Roy and Edna lived at 1238 23rd Avenue, San Francisco, California. He owned his own home, valued at $5000. He owned a radio set, one of the questions on the 1930 census. He was working as a salesman, selling merchandise. Also living with them were his son, Archie, and his wife Genevieve, their two daughters, Lucille and Patricia; their children, Helen, Charles, Robert, Theodore, and James.
In 1940, Roy and Edna, with their two sons, Theodore and James, lived at 966 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California. It was reportedly the same place where they lived in 1935. He worked as a rug collector. His two sons, Theodore, 22, and James, 19 also lived in the home. They were both employed as laborers in the rug company business. Roy with his sons formed a family business, Kenyon Bros., which sold and installed carpets.
On the 1950 Federal Census, Roy and Edna lived at 2690 Alemany Blvd., San Francisco, California. He was 73 years old, and Edna 69 years old. He was the owner/manager of the family floor covering store, working 48 hours the previous week.
At some point, Roy and Edna moved to Boulder Creek, California, where he later died in 1955.
Roy Kenyon was an entrepreneur in every respect. He held numerous patents. Despite having great success seeing it taken from him, on more than one occasion, he managed to emerge from these setbacks to find success.
ROY LOUIS KENYON:
Roy was the son of Alonzo Kenyon and Helen Utter, and daughter of Charles Utter and Eunice E. Jones. His family were early pioneers of Wisconsin.
On the 1880 census, he lived with his parents and infant brother, Fred, in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. His father, Alonzo was a farmer.
By 1900, his family was living in LaCross, LaCross, Wisconsin. His parents had been married for 26 years. His father was a teamster, which he had done for six years. Roy, then 22, was employed in upholstery, which he had done for two years. His two younger brothers, Fred and Claude, were also teamsters. His sister, Coila, and brother, Arthur, attended school.
On July 10, 1901, Roy married Miss Edna Florilla Gear of Campbell, LaCross, Wisconsin. Edna was the daughter of Matthew William Gear, born in Yeovil, Somerset, England, and Florilla L. Richardson, of Chautauqua County, New York. They settled in LaCross where they started their family. (A photo of the entire family is on the left.)
In 1910, Roy and wife, Edna, lived in Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where Roy was the president of a manufacturing company. Living with them were sons Archie L, age 7, and Harold G., age 3. Their daughter Helen was born later that year, their son Leslie, born in 1912, in Waukesha, and their son Charles, born in 1913, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
In 1913, his factory was involved in constructing complete homes. The business was very successful. An article in the Waukesha Freeman, 21 Aug 1913, indicated the company employed 250 people. By, 1915, Roy resigned from the company. It is unclear what could have led to his resignation.
Family lore has it that Roy was the first to create what is now known as mobile/ modular homes, someone took that from him. It isn't clear whether he hadn't gotten a patent on the idea, as he had previous patents. At this point, Roy left a highly successful enterprise to begin all over again.
An article in the Bisbee Daily Review," dated 1 Jan 1916, "The R. L. Kenyon Company, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, manufacturers of the Ready-Built, Take-Down, Portable Houses or Portable Furniture, is introducing its new product in the Warren District, through B. H. McLain."
As Roy announced his retirement in 1915, this announcement suggests that his company continued operation, after his announcement.
It appears Roy went to New York State in the hope of reestablishing.
In 1915, their son Robert Lawrence Kenyon, was born in Long Island, New York. Their son Theodore, born in 1918, in Mexico, Oswego County, New York, and James Russell Kenyon born in 1921, in Manhattan, New York.
In 1916, Roy moved to Mexico, Oswego County, New York, where he started another large manufacturing company, Kenyon Manufacturing Co.
His WWI Draft Registration Card showed he was 41 years old, dated September 12, 1917-18, living in Mexico, Oswego County, New York, where he was a factory manager. The registration describes him as medium height, stout, with blue eyes, and light brown hair.
Family lore has indicated he would form a partnership, which went sour after his partner absconded with the company's money. Another report is that the factory was destroyed in a fire. In either event, his efforts to reestablish himself failed.
In 1920, Roy and his family rented a home at 165 Union Street, Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He was not working, but his son Archie who was also living in the household, at age 16, working in a factory.
By 1930, Roy and Edna lived at 1238 23rd Avenue, San Francisco, California. He owned his own home, valued at $5000. He owned a radio set, one of the questions on the 1930 census. He was working as a salesman, selling merchandise. Also living with them were his son, Archie, and his wife Genevieve, their two daughters, Lucille and Patricia; their children, Helen, Charles, Robert, Theodore, and James.
In 1940, Roy and Edna, with their two sons, Theodore and James, lived at 966 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California. It was reportedly the same place where they lived in 1935. He worked as a rug collector. His two sons, Theodore, 22, and James, 19 also lived in the home. They were both employed as laborers in the rug company business. Roy with his sons formed a family business, Kenyon Bros., which sold and installed carpets.
On the 1950 Federal Census, Roy and Edna lived at 2690 Alemany Blvd., San Francisco, California. He was 73 years old, and Edna 69 years old. He was the owner/manager of the family floor covering store, working 48 hours the previous week.
At some point, Roy and Edna moved to Boulder Creek, California, where he later died in 1955.
Roy Kenyon was an entrepreneur in every respect. He held numerous patents. Despite having great success seeing it taken from him, on more than one occasion, he managed to emerge from these setbacks to find success.
