C. W. Osgood
Company is a musical instrument manufacturer in
Elkhart,
Indiana. It was founded by
Charles W.
Osgood (c.
1855 -
September 6,
1946) who is believed to have lived most of his life in
the Elkhart area. In
1890 he
was working for
Conn, and in
the later years he worked there as a horn maker. By
1914 he had left Conn and founded the
C. W. Osgood
Company adjacent to his residence.
It is believed that he
produced small quantities of high quality instruments. There are
two known examples of his work in the Elkhart area, both trombones.
Both are also elaborately engraved, and it is believed that had
been an engraver at Conn before he started his own business. The
company is last seen in
1928,
and in that year Osgood would have been 73 years old. His second
wife died after
1936, and his
remaining years were spent alone. For the last three months, he
resided at the Lockerbie Convalescent Home in
Goshen.
References
Elkhart city directories (available
Elkhart Public Library) McMakin, Dean "Musical Instrument
Manufacturing in Elkhart, Indiana (unpublished typescript, 1987,
available at Elkhart Public Library) Elkhart Truth, 6 September
1946, obituary for Charles W. Osgood