How it started
History
In April 1869, Otto Ihling, a 22-year-old journeyman bookbinder, moved from Milwaukee to Kalamazoo to open his new shop. While attending night school, he created handmade blank books for businesses, banks and counties. The first issue of "The Michigan Freemason" was bound by Otto Ihling and edited by Mr. W. J. Chaplin, a partner in the business. In 1871, Otto persuaded his brother Reinhold to join the partnership, and the three men were the publishers and proprietors of "The Michigan Freemason." In 1872, these blank books, records and ledgers became the original accounting system developed specifically for lodges. All had the approval of the Grand Master. In 1879 Herbert H. Everard, a printer by trade, joined the firm as a full partner. Herbert had been born and raised in Kalamazoo, attended Kalamazoo College, and had previously established the printing businesses Pease & Everard and H.H. Everard & Co.
Ihling Bros. supplied many institutions including the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate with their stationery.
In the Chicago World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893, the patented Duplicate Whist Trays, of Ihling Bros. & Everard won a top award.
Family business
At the turn of the Century, Reinhold's son, Carl Ihling, was active in adding and emphasizing the manufacture of Fraternal Regalia and Costumes in a separate department.
From Wikipedia’s article on Ihling Brothers Everard Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2