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Vol. 86 July 18, 2026 No. 19

Otto Frederick Mehlin

b. 1880 · American

factory superintendent
  • Paul G. Mehlin and Sons

Biography

Otto Frederick Mehlin, born in New York in 1880, joined the family firm in 1896 to work alongside his two elder brothers assisting their father, Paul G. Mehlin. He attended public and high school and spent three years at the technical college of Mobile, Alabama, before completing an apprenticeship under his father. In 1901 he was appointed superintendent of the Mehlin factories. The text describes him as possessing an exceptionally orderly, energetic, and didactic mind suited to the exacting work of factory superintendence, calling him one of the 'silent workers' whose behind-the-scenes contributions were as essential to the firm's success as those of more publicly recognized designers and inventors.

Highlights

  • Appointed superintendent of the Mehlin factories in 1901
  • Studied three years at the technical college of Mobile, Alabama before serving his apprenticeship under his father

Source

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. II (1913), p. 161.

Public domain.

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