J. C. Yarns, 109-111 Spring St., New York, 2005  

Proprietor of the J. C. Yarn Co. was Joseph Contessa (1893-1977). Joseph Contessa was an immigrant from Italy who registered for the draft in both 1917 and 1942. His World War I registration says that he was 24 years old, born 30 May 1893, in Euclie?, Italy, that he lived at 6822 16th Ave., Brooklyn, and that he worked as a clerk and salesman at the Universal Textile Co., 96 Grand St., Manhattan. The World War II registration says that he was 49 years old, that he lived at 4412 Beach 44th St., Sea Gate, Brooklyn, and that he was in business for himself at 111 Spring St., New York City.

Contessa also appeared in the U. S. Census of 1930 when he lived at 4412 Beach 44th St., Brooklyn. At that time he was 34 years old, and the entry specified that he had immigrated from Italy in 1903. His occupation was "Yarn Manufacturer." He also was probably the Joseph Contessa recorded in the 1910 U. S. Census, who he was one of the 10 children of Raffel Contessa and his wife Lucy, who lived at 20-24 Hancock St., Manhattan. Joseph Contessa at that time was 17 years old and worked as a "Helper, Silk House."

Kevin Walsh's Street Necrology explains that Hancock St. was located between Houston and Bleecker St., west of MacDougal St. It was destroyed in the 1920s when 6th Ave. was extended south from Carmine St. to Canal St. A map on NYPL's Digital Collections shows Hancock St. extending south from Bleecker St. at the point where Bleecker now crosses 6th Ave.

Polk's New York City Directory listed the J. C. Yarn Co. at 242 Spring St. in the 1920-21 issue. The New York telephone directory listed J. C. Yarn at 87 Greene St. in 1921, then at 151 Spring St. in 1922 and 1923. They moved to 131 Spring St. in 1924, then to 109 Spring St. in 1931. They were located at 109-111 Spring St. from 1931 to 1966.

Copyright © 2011 Walter Grutchfield