George F. Wagner Co., butter and eggs, were located here on Hudson St. from 1932 to 1949. The founder, George F. Wagner (1876-1938), was born in Callicoon Center, NY, 27 Nov. 1876. New York city directories first list Wagner as the senior partner at Wagner & Kastner, commission merchants located at 286 Greenwich St. in 1905.
George Kastner (1870-?) was "salesman butter & eggs," age 30, living at 896 Madison St., Brooklyn, in the 1900 U. S. Census, "wholesale merchant butter eggs," age 39, living at 21 Leggitt Ave., Queens, in the 1910 U. S. Census, "eggs & butter wholesaler," age 50, living at 110 Shelton Ave., Jamaica, Queens, in the 1920 U. S. Census, and "merchant commission," age 58, living Harpersfield, Delaware County, NY, in the 1930 U. S. Census. His partnership with George F. Wagner lasted until 1909.
A partner with George F. Wagner at George F. Wagner Co. in 1909 was his brother, Alfred Louis Wagner (1879-1947?). Alfred L. Wagner was still a partner in 1938 when George F. Wagner died. He registered for the World War II draft in 1942 when he was 63 years old, born 24 April 1879, Callicoon Center, NY. He lived at the time on Manhattan Ave., Union City, New Jersey, and was "in business for himself George F Wagner 77 Hudson St New York City NY."
Also an officer at George F. Wagner Co. was Wagner's nephew, Arthur William Ludwig (1891-1955). Arthur W. Ludwig, like George and Alfred Wagner, was born in Collicoon Center, NY. He was listed as a director at George F. Wagner Co. in 1914, and he registered for the World War II draft in 1942 when he was employed "Geo F Wagner Co Inc., 77 Hudson St. New York City."
Two sons of George F. Wagner were also involved in the business. These were Robert Sheldon Wagner (1915-1978) and Stanley Harrison Wagner (1918-1981).
R. Sheldon Wagner was president of George F. Wagner & Co. in 1950 when the company was absorbed by the June Dairy Products Co. As announced in the New York Times, 30 March 1950, "George F. Wagner Company, Inc., distributors of butter, eggs and cheese in the metropolitan market, will merge its interests with the June Dairy Products Company, Inc., on April 3, it was announced yesterday. The personnel and facilities of the Wagner Company will be absorbed by June Dairy. R. Sheldon Wagner, now president of the New York Mercantile Exchange, will become vice president and director of June Dairy. According to N. W. Bandler, president of June Dairy, the joint procurement, manufacturing and distribution facilities will result in greater efficiency and economy which would benefit the consumer."
On his death in 1978 the following appeared in the New York Times, 9 Nov. 1978, "Robert Sheldon Wagner, former Mayor of Hastings-on-Hudson, died Tuesday of an aneurism at his home in the Westchester community. He was 63 years old. Mr. Wagner, a dairyman by profession, was Mayor from 1961 to 1975. He then served as assistant to the village manager of Hastings. Until he sold the business 10 years ago, Mr. Wagner was president of a wholesale dairy products company, R. Sheldon Wagner Inc. He is survived by his wife, Janet; two sons, Bruce of Birmingham, Mich., and Jeffrey of San Francisco, and a daughter, Joan Low of San Francisco. He is also survived by a brother, Stanley of Tucson, Ariz." R. Sheldon Wagner Plaza in Hastings-on-Hudson is named for him.
The Wagner home in the Fieldston enclave in the Bronx is a New York City landmark. Located at 4600 Fieldston Road, New York City Landmarks, 2009, says, "4600 Fieldston Road (Dwight James Baum, 1926-27). Built for George F. Wagner, owner of a butter, cheese and egg company based in Manhattan, this house stands at the northeast corner of West 246th Street. Among the finest works in the district designed by Baum, this Norman Revival residence features a prominent entrance tower capped by a conical roof, as well as flanking hipped roofs clad with slate shingles." A photo of the home is found at collections.mcny.org/.
Copyright © 2018 Walter Grutchfield
