Louis-Adolphe Geiser
Louis-Adolphe Geiser (about 1838-1890) was a watchmaker from Langenthal who built the first watch factory in Tavannes.
Early Life
Geiser was born about 1838 in Langenthal. His father, Johann-Jakob Geiser (1804-1867) was a farmer and weaver; his mother was Elisabeth dite Lisette, born about 1803. Geiser was a middle child in a large family with a dozen surviving children. It is likely that most of his family remained at home in the German-speaking Oberaargau region of Canton Berne while young Louis-Adolphe set off to find his own fortune. His older brother Gustave Geiser became a maker of watch springs in Sonvilier in 1857.
In 1862, Jules Farron and L.-Adolphe Geiser took over l'hôtel de la Couronne, an inn in Tavannes. Auguste-Henri-Jules Farron (1837-1892) was the youngest son of Daniel-Henri Farron 1802-1870, a teacher known as "Le Russe", having lived and worked in Moscow. His children were born there.
Louis-Adolphe Geiser married Jules' sister Adèle-Amie Farron (1840-1900) and fathered six surviving children: Jules (1863-1940), Marie-Adèle (1871-1942), Louis-Auguste (1874-1949), Frieda-Alice (1878-1901), Emile-Arthur (1880-1936), and Edouard-Alfred (1882-1951).
Watchmaking in Tavannes
In March of 1869, L.-A. Geiser took out an advertisement seeking a few watchmaking employees to work year-round in his Tavannes workshop. He wanted two finishers of rough ebauches and one reassembly worker, plus a few apprentices. This is the earliest mention of watchmaking by Geiser. The earliest mention in Indicateur Davoine is the 1868-1869 edition, which lists Ls-Adolphe Geiser along with Fréd. Glück, Auguste Mécheleur, Constant Prêtre, and Albertine Voirol under "Repasseurs et Remonteurs,” corroborating that date. In January 1870 Geiser advertised again, seeking 12-15 repasseurs and remonteurs, suggesting that the business was growing rapidly. Geiser himself is listed as “innkeeper” in Le Jura when running for office in 1870, but as “watchmaker” the following year.
The 1871 edition of Indicateur Davoine shows L.-A. Geiser as a "f. d'horl." in Tavannes along with Jean Aebi. The two are again listed as the only watchmakers in the town in 1873, though Aebi's listing is expanded with "et remontoirs au pend", suggesting that his was the more modern operation. Aebi is no longer listed in 1875, with L.-A. Geiser as the only "fabr. d'horl."
In July 1874 Geiser advertised to hire 30 to 40 repasseurs and 4 to 6 remonteurs to fill his “newly-constructed workshop” in Tavannes. In March 1876 Geiser offered his home “in the middle of Tavannes” for sale, specifying that he would remove or demolish “a small factory” located at the center of the property.
Geiser himself was deeply involved with the town, running for mayor and becoming the first president of the consumers' council. He was made a member of the bourgeoisie in 1874 "gratuitement" in recompense for his services to the citizens and the down. He remained active in many such activities throughout his time there. In 1880 it was announced that a group of partners was in talks with Geiser to provide land, free of charge, to build a building with 12 units and about 40 bedrooms to house single workers.
In 1880, Geiser built the first watch factory in Tavannes. It was located at the foot of the hill, near the new railroad line on the western side of town. The famous Tavannes Watch Co, funded by the bourgeoisie of the town, was built on the opposite side of town a decade later. The Geiser factory was acquired by Tavannes Watch Co following Geiser's bankruptcy and became "factory number 3" for the company. The building remains standing to this day, decorated with the name "Tavannes Watch Co".
On October 12, 1882, L.-A. Geiser registered an early trademark (number 819) as a fabricant of "fonds de boîtes de montres et mouvements de montres." The mark featured a mountain goat on a peak and the words, "Marque de Fabrique" though not his own name.
Geiser won a first prize diploma and gold medal at the Universal Expo of Melbourne in 1882. Geiser was recognized at the 1882 Swiss National Exposition in Zürich "for the advantageous manufacture of cheap pendant winding watches." He won a bronze medal at the 1885 Universal Exposition in Antwerp for "montres diverses." Geiser came under fire in 1887 from dial makers as he sought to bring this trade in-house at his factory. By 1886, a Mr. Häberli was mentioned as the chief of the factory.
On December 20, 1883, Geiser's son Jules, an accountant by training, was given management authority of the company. Following the withdrawal of Robert Bailat and Joseph Erard from the management of the Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont and the death of Jean Baptiste Berbier, Geiser was appointed a manager of the company on May 31, 1886 along with Charles Félix Bonnaccio of Saint-Imier. They decided to dissolve the company on December 2, 1887.
Geiser's factory was suffering and in August 1888, when a "new disaster" was announced: Geiser suspended payments, with a liability of 400,000 francs against assets of 200,000 francs. It was said that this was related to the failure of the Chodat bank, along with losses suffered selling watches in Italy.
Geiser was unexpectedly able to re-start production in October, bringing most workers back into the factory. In a letter to Le Jura newspaper, Geiser noted that the village "relied primarily on watchmaking" and had reduced the price of food to support his workers during this interruption. But the operation would never return to greatness and was sold off following Geiser's death two years later.
Death
Louis-Adolphe Geiser died on January 18, 1890 of influenza. He was 52 years old. His estate was auctioned off by his heirs in March, including many watches and equipment. The listing shows both a home and factory in the heights and another (more valuable) factory at "Le Pécaut".
Geiser's sudden death likely precipitated the vote of the bourgeoisie of Tavannes in February of 1890 to build a new factory and solicit for a watchmaker to begin manufacturing there. They selected Henri Sandoz of Le Locle, who was backed by Schwob Frères and Schwob & Co of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The Tavannes Watch Co was a tremendous success, rising to be the fourth-largest producer of watches in Switzerland by 1905 with over 1,000 workers daily. Tavannes Watch Co purchased the former Geiser factory by 1907, christening it Factory Number 3. It bears the name "Tavannes Watch Co" to this day.
Geiser's wife, Adèle-Amie Geiser née Farron died on December 1, 1900 at the age of 60.
It appears that three of Louis-Adolphe Geiser's sons took over the business of his brother, Gustave Geiser, maker of watch springs in Sonvilier. The eldest son, Jules Geiser, ultimately became a businessman in Geneva, and his name and circumstances match those of a Jules Geiser who ran Gustave Geiser's company from 1890 until his brothers took over in 1909. These sons, Louis-Auguste (known as Louis Geiser) and Emile Arthur (known as A. Geiser-Jeanneret), worked in the watchmaking industry making watch springs in Sonvilier. They married Jeanne Huguenin (1878-1952) and Antoinette Jeanneret (1886-1970), respectively, and formed Geiser Frères to take over the business of Gustave Geiser. They split the business into separate firms around 1922.
The youngest son, Edouard-Alfred Geiser, was a watchmaker, private chauffeur, and postal worker in Bienne. Their daughter Marie-Adèle Geiser married Paul Brand (1862-1934), mayor of Tavannes. Their youngest child, Frida-Alice Geiser, died at 23 years of age in 1901.
Family
- Louis-Adolphe Geiser married Adèle-Amie Farron (1840-1900)
- Jules Geiser (1863-1940) - Businessman in Geneva
- Marie-Adèle Geiser (1871-1942) married Paul Brand (1862-1934), mayor of Tavannes
- Louis-Auguste "Louis" Geiser (1874-1949) married Jeanne Huguenin (1878-1952) - formed Geiser Frères
- Frieda-Alice Geiser (1878-1901)
- Emile-Arthur "Arthur" Geiser (1880-1936) married Antoinette Jeanneret (1886-1970) - formed Geiser Frères
- Edouard-Alfred Geiser (1882-1951) - watchmaker, private chauffeur, and postal worker in Bienne
- Gustave Geiser (1829-1881)