Abram Killinger Pages 516-517 - Abram Killinger. Stringed musical instruments are the oldest of which the modern world has record and the violin since the earliest medieval days has been the ruling favorite among stringed instruments of music. The entire United States comes to Grand Rapids to buy violins manufactured by Abram Killinger who is conceded to be a master of his art, for it is an art rather than a trade. He is of German extraction, his grandfather, John Killinger, coming from Germany to settle in the United States in the early part on the nineteenth century. Abram A. Killinger, the father of the subject of this review, was born in 1847 near Akron, Ohio, whither his family had gone from Pennsylvania. When a young man Abram A. Killinger came to Michigan and there carved out of the wilderness a farm which he developed into one of the valuable pieces of farm property before he returned to Ohio where he is now living with a daughter in Akron. Abram Killinger, the Grand Rapids representative of the family was born on his father’s farm in Cass county, Michigan, in 1885. He was reared in the customary life of Michigan farmer boys and attended the Five Points school in his home community. From earliest boyhood, he showed a decided bent for mechanical devices and his ingenious contrivances were the wonder of the community. He learned the art of violin making and in 1911 came to Grand Rapids where he established a shop for that purpose. Today the United States from coast to coast is familiar with the quality of Killinger violins. Musicians recognize in them instruments of exceptional tone quality and extraordinary workmanship. He is indubitably a master of his art and wherever violins are mentioned, the name of Killinger is immediately brought. That he has placed his instruments before the people as he has is due not only to his ability and knowledge of violin making but also to his keen business judgment and executive ability. His plant, well equipped for the purpose to which it is put, is located 12 ½ Monroe Street. Mr. Killinger married Martha Ernest, a scion of an old pioneer family of Indiana.

Transcriber:  Nancy Myers
Created: 5 November 2002