ALBION CIGAR MAKER, TOM FUREY

I recently acquired from the Parma Antique Mall an old Albion historical item: a late 19th century wooden cigar box of a local cigar maker, Thomas J. Furey (1855-1913). Furey operated a cigar-making establishment here in town for twenty-three years, mainly in the 1890s and early 1900s.

His cigar facility was located on the 2nd floor at 201 S. Superior St. in 1894, and in 1897 at 120 ˝ W. Porter St. on the 2nd floor of the northeast corner of W. Porter and S. Clinton Streets (120 W. Porter St.). Thomas would place advertisements for his cigars in various Albion newspapers at the time. He was a member of the Cigarmaker’s International Union of America.

His home was at 719 N. Clinton St. where he lived with this wife Ada (Garick)(1859-1897) and their children Ella, Marguerite, Edward and William. In the late 1890s the family moved to 109 E. Walnut St. Thomas’wife Ada died in 1897 and he subsequently married Rose Power (1868-1932).

Thomas moved to Lansing around 1910 and continued cigar-making, where he died of cancer on December 14, 1913. His remains were brought to Albion by train (Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad), and they were taken directly to Riverside Cemetery upon arrival. At the graveside service, Block 49, Lot 12, the following local Albion cigar-makers served as pallbearers: Herman Kamp, August Baader, Ben Kabel, William Zick, August Behling, and August F. Wochholz.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the inside cover of a Tom Furey cigar box which includes his photograph. This particular box bears a "Union Made"label on the side that’s dated July 8, 1897. The wood box measures 8 x 5 Ľ"and is 2 ˝ inches tall. The phrase "Tom’s Own"is printed three times on the box. and a State revenue "Tax paid"label appears on the other side of the box. How many of our readers have old Albion-merchant cigar boxes?

	Frank Passic — Albion Historian An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page. Historical Notebook \| From the Archives \| Subject List \| 100 Years Ago \| Alphabetical Index \| Frank Passic Home Page \| Albion History Books \| Contact Frank
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