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The following is an excerpt from Minnesota: The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters: A History of the State and its People. Vol III, by Theo. Christianson, 1934, pgs 109-111. (The photos were not part of the article--I have added them from my own collection.)

Luger Furniture Company

Luger is a name that for over half a century has been synonymous with a high quality of furniture products in the Northwest. In fact, the skill which the Lugers have put into their business is a matter of experience on the part of at least three generations in America,

Luger Factory - No. St. Paul

and prior to that there were many cabinet makers of the name who put real artistry into their work in the old country. In 1887 the Luger enterprise became the foundation of the industrial activities of the residential suburb of North St. Paul, and ever since it has continued to be the chief source of industrial employment in that community.

Luger co-founder Johann Luger

The founder of the business was John Luger Sr., who was a native of Dorenbirn, Germany*, where he learned cabinet making. He married one of his schoolmates, Catherine Rhomberg. John Luger was born October 6, 1832. After coming to America in 1849 he lived for a number of years at Dubuque, Iowa, where he had a shop in which he supplemented his own skill by directing the employment of other cabinet makers. In those years nearly all cabinet work and furniture was hand tooled. Design, cabinet work, line, and finish were the result of craftsmanship rather than machinery.

From Dubuque, John Luger moved to southeastern Minnesota and settled at

Luger Building, Fargo

Wabasha, set up a shop where with the assistance of his sons he continued cabinet making. Up to 1872 the plant at Wabasha depended upon horse power. Then a steam plant was installed, and the capacity of the business greatly enlarged. For some years John Luger Sr. had two brothers associated with him, Ferdinand and George. George Luger remained with the firm until his death in 1902; Ferdinand Luger until 1884, when he went into the retail business at Fargo, North Dakota, where his son, Peter, now operates the largest furniture store in that city. One son after another of John Luger Sr. came into the business, and in February, 1882, the Luger Furniture Company was incorporated. In the spring of 1887 they acquired a new site at North St. Paul, broke ground for a new factory, erected a three-story plant, together with dry kilns, warehouses and other structures.

In 1904 he acquired a large tract of timberland on the Flambeau River in northeastern Wisconsin, built a large mill in the town that is now known as Lugerville. Subsidiary plants and organizations were added from time to time, both at North St. Paul and elsewhere, and considered as a whole the Luger Furniture Company grew to be one of the largest and most distinctive enterprises of the kind in the West, and is now the oldest manufacturer of bedroom furniture in America. One plant known as the St. Paul Table Company was established in the Capital City. In 1920 the Luger Cabinet Company was organized in Minneapolis. In 1928 the Cabinet Company and the St. Paul Table Company were merged with the parent company. About 1898 the main business office and sales rooms were opened in Minneapolis, and from that city the company has since directed the extended operations of the corporation in handling and distributing their products all over the nation.

John Luger Sr. died on October 8, 1907. Of his twelve children, seven grew to mature years, and all of the sons became identified in one capacity or another with the Luger furniture interests, Frank J. Luger as secretary and treasurer, John N. Luger, Jr. as vice president and manager of the St. Paul Table Company, L. A. Luger as president, J. A. Luger as vice president, and E. E. Luger as sales manager. The five Luger brothers all raised families of two to ten children. All of these grandchildren have been connected with the firm, many of them still being active.

Frank Luger, circa 1890

Frank J. Luger, secretary and treasurer of the firm, was born November 11, 1857, and until his retirement in 1925 was the manager of the firm. He entered the business when seventeen years of age. He married Louisa Schwirtz at Wabasha on June 11, 1884. Seven children were the result of this union: R. J. Luger, Minneapolis manufacturing broker; Walter S. Luger, secretary of the Detroit Wholesale Furniture Company, Detroit, Michigan; Gertrude, wife of Hugh Hennessy, St. Paul; Alfred Luger, traveling salesman for Luger Furniture Company; Irving J. Luger, assistant secretary of the Luger Furniture Company; Alvina L., Minneapolis; Clare, wife of John Gillen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

John N. Luger, circa 1890

John N. Luger, Jr. was born March 22, 1860, and entered the business when sixteen years old. Upon the organization of the St. Paul Table Company in 1892 he became its general manager. He continues to have a responsible part in the direction of the family business and industry, and for several terms was mayor of North St. Paul and a member of the school board. He was married to Wilhelmina Paul on July 2, 1883, at Wabasha. They reared a family of ten children, nearly all of whom at some time or other have had some active part in the Luger Furniture Company: Albert L., who is now treasurer and manager of the company in Minneapolis; Emil, who is the factory manager; Cecelia, wife of Adolph Bender, deceased, of North St. Paul; John III, manager of the St. Paul Table Company; Olivia, wife of Paul Conlin; Arthur; Angeline, wife of Herbert Sharar; Roland at North St. Paul; Elmer at St. Paul; Vincent, a traveling salesman for the company.

Louis A. Luger, circa 1890

L. A. Luger, president of the firm, was born March 10, 1862, at Wabasha, Minnesota. He became associated with the firm while in his teens, first as a designer and then as superintendent of the Luger factory. He was married November 10, 1895, to Gertrude Mary Lahr, St. Paul, Minnesota. They had five children: Renold J. Luger of Scranton, North Dakota, where he operates a large farm; Eldon Lewis Luger, a director of the firm, of St. Paul; Larry J. Luger, traveling salesman for the firm; Evelyn Frances, wife of John O'Hare, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Ruberta Agnes, St. Paul.

Joseph A. Luger, circa 1890

J. A. Luger was born September 30, 1867, at Wabasha. He entered the business when eighteen years old as a traveling salesman and in 1892 became secretary of the St. Paul Table Company and from that time until his retirement in 1925 was Sales Manager of the Luger Companies. He m arried Catherine Puetz at St. Cloud on July 8, 1889. Two sons were born of this union; C. Albert, born July 16, 1900, died October 7, 1927; Karl E., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Edward A. Luger, circa 1890

E. E. Luger, born September 30, 1874, has been connected with the firm since his eighteenth birthday and is still active. He married Bertha C. Busch on May 2, 1905, at Red Wing, Minnesota. They have two children: Kenneth E., salesman for the firm; and Geraldine R., Minneapolis.