Notable people · Business Founder · Inventor
Erie J. Sauder
Born in Archbold, Sauder began with woodworking in a barn in 1934, invented a knock-down table in 1951 and built Sauder Woodworking into one of the largest ready-to-assemble furniture makers in the United States. He also founded Sauder Village.
At a glance
- Born
- 1904-08-06
- Died
- 1997-06-29
- Known as
- Business Founder, Inventor
- Organizations
- Sauder Woodworking Company, Sauder Manufacturing Company, Archbold Container Company
Life story
Erie Sauder was born in Archbold in 1904 and left school after eighth grade. He worked as a cabinetmaker, including a stint at the Archbold Ladder Company, and started his own business in 1934.
In 1951 he invented a knock-down table that could be shipped flat, an early step toward ready-to-assemble furniture. He added Sauder Manufacturing, which made church furniture, in 1954 and the Archbold Container Company, which made packaging.
By the time he died there were more than 3,200 employees. He retired in 1975, started Sauder Village to show nineteenth-century Ohio life, and died in Archbold in 1997.
Timeline
- 1904-08-06: Born (Archbold, OH) source
- 1927: Marries Leona Short source
- 1934: Founds his woodworking business (Archbold, OH) source
- 1951: Invents a knock-down table (Archbold, OH) source
- 1954: Establishes Sauder Manufacturing (Archbold, OH) source
- 1975: Retires source
- 1976: Marries Orlyss Short source
- 1997-06-29: Dies (Archbold, OH) source
What Erie is known for
- Invented a knock-down table, 1951
- Founded Sauder Woodworking (1934) and Sauder Village
- Sauder Woodworking Company
- Sauder Village
Inventions and firsts
- Sauder knock-down table (1951)
Honors and things named for them
- Sauder Village, Archbold
Family
- first wife: Leona Short
- second wife: Orlyss Short
Places in Ohio to see
- Sauder Village (museum)
Archbold, Fulton County ZIP 43502 (approximate) · Archbold · Fulton County · official page
Ohio places
Where Erie J. Sauder was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Archbold, Fulton County ZIP 43502 · Archbold · Fulton County
- Worked: Archbold, Fulton County ZIP 43502 · Archbold · Fulton County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: Erie J. Sauder dates, career, companies, family
- Wikipedia: Archbold, Ohio ZIP 43502