Gallmeyer & Livingston Co. was created in 1923 with the merger of the Valley City Machine Works, the Grand Rapids Grinding Machine Co., and the Union Machine Co. Although best known for their surface grinders, Gallmeyer & Livingston also made some woodworking machinery that was inherited from Union Machine Co.

Gallmeyer & Livingston were acquired in 1999 by Leland-Gifford, Inc., who still provide support for Gallmeyer & Livingston grinders.

Information Sources

• A 1932 Machinery article on Charles Henry Gallmeyer has the following:

  In 1912, he became a partner in the Valley City Machine Works, serving as its president until 1923, when the company was merged with the Grand Rapids Grinding Machine Co. and the Union Machine Co., becoming the Gallmeyer & Livingston ...

• Michigan Through the Centuries by Willis Frederick Dunbar, 1955, has this snippet:

  In 1923, this company, the Grand Rapids Machine Company and the Union Machine Company merged to form the firm of Gallmeyer and Livingston Company, a foundry and machine manufacturing firm. Charles H. Gallmeyer was the first treasurer of ...

A 12" tablesaw has been reported, labeled, "UNION / Kalamazoo Mich." We believe that this machine was made by Union Machine Co.

• Batory lists a 1927 catalog for this company.
• A correspondent reports a cast-iron manhole cover labeled, "Rempis & Gallmeyer Co., Grand Rapids Mich." In addition, Albert Baxter's 1891 History of the City of Grand Rapids mentions Moultin & Rempis, a firm that made grey iron cast articles, including lawn vases, settees, roof crestings, carriage steps and hitching posts." The principals were L. V. Moulton and J. H. Rempis. It is likely that these companies are all connected, but so far we have not been able to prove it.
• The TechSpex web page on this company gives a brief history, including the year of founding and the date of Leland-Gifford's takeover. Thanks to correspondent Dave Cavner for alerting us to this information.
• Based on used-machinery listings, Some machines are labeled only with the "Union" name. We do not know for certain if these machines were made by Union Machine Co., or its successor, Gallmeyer & Livingston.