Lakewood Lore

Book remembers Kundtz as inventor and industrialist

Lakewood Lore remembers industrialist Theodor Joseph Kundtz for his baronial mansion at 13826 Lake Ave. (torn down in 1961 to the dismay of many), and for the nearby spectacular fire that raged for two full days in 1920, wiping out the lumberyard he established.

But a family history that reached our desk this summer reveals much more about Kundtz. It tells the story of a creative dynamo who migrated from Europe with almost no money, patented 44 inventions, built an immense manufacturing plant and became, at the turn of the century, Cleveland's largest employer with more than 2,500 workers.

Kundtz was born in 1852 in the small scenic town of Metzenseifen in the foothills of the Capathian Mountains. Although his birthplace was located in Hungary and today is a part of Slovakia, its citizens have always considered themselves German.

Kundtz was a poor youth with little education and had a glass eye (he lost his right eye in a fall from a tree as a child). Yet, after coming here in 1873 at age 21, his drive, inventiveness, business acuity and management genius transformed him into a manufacturing tycoon.

Be that as it may, he is remembered, too, for his modesty, kindness, generosity and a devotion to friends and family.

When he began to succeed in Cleveland, he paved the way for others from his hometown to get started in the New World. There were about 1,000 Metzenseifeners – many consummate woodworking craftsmen – who during a 30-year span, joined Kundtz in producing cabinets for White sewing machines.

The early influx of Hungarians begot more and more Magyar immigrants until Cleveland had a Hungarian population second only in size to Budapest.

It was apparent that Kundtz had a significant role in this. Thus it was that Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungry in 1902 awarded him the Order of Franz Joseph, the equivalent of knighthood.

One of the many hometown neighbors whom Kundtz hired here was Michael Eiben. After a spell, Kundtz told Eiben, "You're too smart to be working for me. Get your own company.

"Make dust collectors. I will finance you," continued Kundtz who, having problems with sawdust in his plant, needed filters for air purification.

Young Eiben followed his boss's suggestion and founded the northern Blower Co. on Almira Avenue on Cleveland's West Side. It prospered.

Generations later, Kundtz's great-granddaughter, Jayne Kundtz, met Eiben's grandson, Christopher Eiben, and they married. Today, the couple has a 1-year-old son named Theodor Michael, after the two grandfathers.

Christopher Eiben authored the newly printed family history. Publisher of the excellently written book is his father-in-law, Ewald E. Kundtz Jr. The edition is a limited one – only 400 copies, mostly for descendants and friends.

However, several volumes have been made available at Lakewood Public Library for lending. Also, those who once were closely associated with the Cleveland industrialist may write to the publisher at 14867 Hillbrook East, Novelty, Ohio 44072 and request a copy.

Title of the book is Tori in America: the story of Theodor Kundtz.

"Tori was a nickname given Theodor in Metzenseifen, where the townspeople still have a saying for someone who is blessed with food fortune: "Er hat es so gut wie Tori in America" – which means, "He has it as good as Tori in America."

The Kundtz manufacturing complex comprised five buildings in the Cleveland Flats. During its heyday – about 1910 – it was the largest user of hardwood in Ohio, making 10,000 sewing-machine cabinets a month for the burgeoning White company.

In addition, it produced school desks and church furniture. The exquisite wood carvings in Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland were done by Kundtz craftsmen.

Kundtz also founded a bicycle-wheel factory that made 2,000 wooden wheels per day. Evolving from this enterprise, and based upon a special expertise in laminating and bending wood, was still another Kundtz venture – the production of wooden car and truck bodies. Many of these were made for White Steamers during the fledgling years of the motor age.

Kundtz's magnificent mansion, located on his 5-acre Lake Avenue estate, was built during a four-year period from 1898-1902. It was inspired by the grandiose castles of Europe that its owner had seen as a boy. Kundtz retired to it at age 72, after selling his company.

It was adorned with woodcarving masterpieces. The Cleveland Press described the large rooms as being finished in their own distinctive wood types. These included walnut, sycamore, maple, cherry, quartered oak, satinwood and mahogany.

Elaborate murals decorated ceilings and walls. There was a bowling alley, a music room with dozens of stained-glass windows, a third-floor ballroom, a five-story tower and eight fireplaces.

Kundtz died in 1937 at age 85. In 1961, after a highly contested proposal that was approved by Lakewood City Council his elegant architectural masterwork succumbed to the wrecker's iron ball to make room for the construction of Kirtland Lane and 16 custom homes, all in the name of progress.

It is believed that Kundtz came to Cleveland because he had friends here. He married Agnes Ballasch, a Clevelander, in 1874. She also was originally from Metzenseifen. It turned out to be an unhappy, childless marriage, and ended in divorce in 1883.

Within a year or two, our subject wed Maria T. Ballasch, who was 15 years his junior and was purportedly Agnes' niece. The second marriage produced 10 children, nine of whom lived to adulthood. Maria died in 1946, nine years after her husband.

Today, there are many Kundtz descendants, a number of whom live in suburban Cleveland. Three great-grandsons are Lakewoodites – David John Fraser of Ethel Avenue, Gerry O'Neill Patno of Edgewater Drive, and William O'Reilly of Mars Avenue.

The awesome conflagration of 74 years ago, alluded to at the beginning of this story, consumed a huge lumberyard west of Giel Avenue between Clifton and Detroit that, for many years, was owned by Kundtz. However, he had sold it to White Sewing Machine Co. a year before the catastrophe.

The fire started in a glue room on the premises and burned for two days, lighting the sky for miles.

The lumberyard was never replaced. Instead, new Lakewood streets appeared at the old site – Chase, Bunts, Hathaway and Merl – and attractive homes soon were built to fill them.

This Lakewood Lore article by Dan Chabek appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post September 1, 1994.

Reprinted with permission. Western Reserve Historical Society photo.

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