Robert F. Seiffert, 1344 Prospect Ave. near 169th St., Bronx, NY, 2015
The name here should be Seiffert, rather than Seffert without the i. Robert Fulton Seiffert (1871-1956), plumber, appeared in Trow's 1900 New York City Directory at 773 Melrose Avenue, the Bronx. This is the only reference I have found for him at this address. Earlier in 1898 he was listed at 801 Melrose Ave. with his home at 629 East 158th St. Seiffert was recorded in the 1900 U. S. Census and the 1905 New York State Census living at 629 East 158th St., the Bronx. And he was an officer at Standard Plumbing Supply Co. from as early as 1901. In 1901 Standard Plumbing Supply was located at 739 E. 156th St. near Brook Avenue. Shortly after they moved to 814-820 St. Ann's Avenue, near 159th St., where they were in business from 1904 to 1971.
Also an officer at Standard Plumbing Supply was Robert Seiffert's brother, Edward Oscar Seiffert (1877-1961). Edward O. Seiffert was a prominent figure in the Bronx of his time. The following is his obituary, New York Times, 16 Feb. 1961, pg. 31, "Edward O. Seiffert of 814 King Avenue, City Island, the Bronx, co-owner of a chain of plumbing supply companies, and for many years a civic leader in the Bronx, died yesterday at University Hospital. His age was 83. Mr. Seiffert was vice president of the Standard Plumbing Supply Company in his home borough. He had previously served it in various capacities, including as treasurer and director. He had also been president and a director of the Poughkeepsie Plumbing Supply Company and County Supply, Inc., Norwalk, Conn.; secretary and director of the Rochester and Bethlehem (Pa.) Plumbing Supply Companies, the Inland Supply Company of Syracuse, and the Frontier Water and Steam Supply Company of Buffalo, and vice president and a director of the Springfield (Mass.) Plumbing Supply Company. Mr. Seiffert was president of Union Hospital and a director of the Bronx Board of Trade, the Bronx Eye and Ear Infirmary, the North New York Savings and Loan Association, the Bronx County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Bronx Young Men's Christian Association. He was a councilor of the Lions in New York State. He was a widower."
Another officer at Standard Plumbing Supply was Konrad Kromer (1844-1922). Kromer was Robert Seiffert's father-in-law. Seiffert married Kromer's daughter, Magdeline K. Kromer (1873-1966). Konrad Kromer was a founding member of Standard Plumbing Supply, and he was recorded as president in 1908. (Kromer's name was often spelled with c, as Conrad Kromer, or Conrad Cromer, and sometimes even Konrad Cromer.) Kromer was an immigrant from Germany, naturalized 21 October 1879, when he was a cabinet maker living at 144th St. and Willis Ave., the Bronx.
The Seifferts were native New Yorkers, sons of Charles Seiffert (1842-1914), an immigrant from Bohemia. According to his passport application in 1900, Charles Seiffert was born 10 November 1842 in Carlsbad, Bohemia. He emigrated from Bremen, Germany, November 1849, and became a naturized U. S. citizen 20 September 1856. Charles Seiffert appeared in the 1880 U. S. Census, a locksmith, living on East 158th St., the Bronx, with wife and five children. The children included Robert age 8 and Edward age 3. He was a locksmith, machinist, and hardware dealer in New York from as early as 1869. He had a partnership with Rudolph Hoffmann, as Seiffert & Hoffmann, hardware dealers, at 3154-3156 Third Avenue, from 1892 until around 1900.
Charles Seiffert was probably the son of Joseph Seiffert, an immigrant from "Austria," who can be traced in directories from 1853 to 1873 as a blacksmith and machinist in New York City. Joseph Seiffert appeared in the 1860 U. S. Census, a locksmith, age 43, living in New York's Ward 17, District 7, with a son, Charles, age 17, a machinist apprentice.
Copyright (c) 2016 Walter Grutchfield