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Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York
Vol. I, Biographical and Genealogical
The Genealogical Publishing Co., Buffalo; 1906-8

   [126-127]

        GEORGE KINGSLEY BIRGE, President of M. H. BIRGE & Sons Company, is
     a life-long resident of Buffalo, one of the industrial leaders of that
     city, and head of one of the largest wall-paper manufacturing concerns
     in the United States. In addition to his business pursuits MR. BIRGE
     is a prominent factor in Buffalo's general interests.
        MR. BIRGE was born in Buffalo December 19, 1849, and was educated
     in the public schools, Buffalo Academy and Cornell University. Upon
     leaving the university he entered the wallpaper establishment of his
     father, the late MARTIN H. BIRGE, and was soon admitted partner, the
     firm style being M. H. BIRGE & Company. Later HENRY M. BIRGE became a
     member of the house, which became M. H. BIRGE & Sons. This partnership
     continued until 1890, when it sold out to the National Wall Paper
     Company. In 1900 the original proprietors bought back the business,
     establishing the corporation since widely known as the M. H. BIRGE &
     Sons Company, of which GEORGE K. BIRGE is President. The house main-
     tains branch offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis,
     Boston, and London, England, and its products are sold throughout the
     United States, Europe, South America, South Africa and Australia. The
     designing of wall paper has been raised by the BIRGE Company from the
     status of mere trade work to that of artistic decoration. In 1896, MR.
     BIRGE reorganized the GEORGE N. PIERCE Company, which was then engaged
     in the manufacture of bicycles, but is now one of the foremost auto-
     mobile concerns in the country.
        When the Pan-American Exposition was organized, MR. BIRGE was
     elected a director and a member of the Executive Committee. But one of
     the most difficult functions of the enterprise rested with the Build-
     ing Committee, of which MR. BIRGE was also a member, his associates
     being J. N. SCRATCHERD, Col. T. W. SYMONS, CARLTON SPRAGUE, and HARRY
     HAMLIN. The work was so divided that upon MESSRS. SCRATCHERD, BIRGE
     and SPRAGUE devolved the task of erecting the numerous and beautiful
     buildings of the Exposition.
        MR. BIRGE is a trustee of the Fine Arts Academy, and a member of
     the Historical Society. He belongs to the Arts Club of New York City,
     and for several years was one of its Vice-Presidents. He is also a
     member of the Buffalo, Saturn and Country clubs.
        MR. BIRGE married CARRIE HUMPHREY, a daughter of the HON. JAMES M.
     HUMPHREY, who represented Buffalo in Congress during the Civil War
     period and later received the honors of the bench. The children of MR.
     and MRS. BIRGE are HUMPHREY, MARION and ALLITHEA BIRGE.

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