Researching Cagleco / Ralph Edwards Sportswear

In January 1946, Ralph L. Edwards (1918-1992) and Homer Yount (1914-1986) began operations of the "Cape Girardeau Leather Mfg. Co" in the basement of the Evans drug store in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Starting with 3 machines and 2 employees plus the partners and their wives, by June 1950 they had 37 machines and 41 workers. When customers complained that the original name was too long, the abbreviated name "Cagleco" was used.

Ralph married his wife Phyllis (1931-2009) in 1953 and had two children Michael David (1955) and Judy (1958).

In 1955 Cagleco began using "Ralph Edwards" as a trademark and changed the company name subsequently.

Homer Yount was co-owner/founder, vice president and general manager until his retirement in 1971.

Ralph later became chairman of the board and his son Mike president.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mike-edwards/9/576/b13

Good information ... Thankyou.

Some interesting numbers seen during this research:

Cagleco Sportswear in February 1955 received a $216,348 government contract to make 13,200 leather flight jackets.

Ralph Edwards Sportswear in June 1964 received $264,859 to make 11,990 jackets.

I always assumed that Cagleco was pronounced cag-lee-co, but now that I know the origin of the name, perhaps it should be pronounced kay-glee-co?

"In 1955 Cagleco began using "Ralph Edwards" as a trademark and changed the company name subsequently"

Interesting stuff - my 'kay-glee-co' is apparentley a '57 by the contract number so clearly they didn't stop using that name 2 years on! Were they making jackets using both names? A bit odd if they were but no doubt they would have had their reasons - tax maybe? Whatever, they made damn fine jackets

cheers
Wayne

johnwayne said:

"In 1955 Cagleco began using "Ralph Edwards" as a trademark and changed the company name subsequently"

Interesting stuff - my 'kay-glee-co' is apparentley a '57 by the contract number so clearly they didn't stop using that name 2 years on! Were they making jackets using both names? A bit odd if they were but no doubt they would have had their reasons - tax maybe? Whatever, they made damn fine jackets

Click to expand...

changed the company name subsequently ... so after 1955, and the last Cagleco contracts were 1957 fiscal year which commenced July 1956.

It all ties in ...

Here is the trademark database entry. Note that it is filed/registered in 1956 but says they first used the mark in 1955.

Word Mark RALPH EDWARDS
Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 025. US 039. G & S: JACKETS FOR MEN, WOMEN, BOYS, AND GIRLS. FIRST USE: 19550501. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19550501
Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS
Design Search Code 26.05.02 - Plain single line triangles; Triangles, plain single line
26.05.13 - Triangles, exactly two triangles; Two triangles
26.05.16 - Triangles touching or intersecting
Serial Number 72002948
Filing Date February 20, 1956
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0638812
Registration Date December 18, 1956
Owner (REGISTRANT) CAGLECO SPORTSWEAR PARTNERSHIP 115 THEMIS CAPE GIRARDEAU MISSOURI

(LAST LISTED OWNER) RALPH EDWARDS SPORTSWEAR, INC. UNKNOWN CAPE GIRARDEAU MO
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 19761218
Other Data RALPH EDWARDS IS THE NAME OF THE MEMBER OF THE APPLICANT PARTNERSHIP WHO SIGNED THE APPLICATION PAPERS.
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD