Details
Title Avil, John D.
Alternate title John D. Avil & Company
Avil & Torry
Date March 28, 1849-November 18, 1918
Description John D. Avil, born on March 28, 1849 in Ireland, founded and managed the Avil Printing Company in West Philadelphia from the early 1860s until his death in 1918. Son of an English father, John, Sr., and Irish mother, Avil emigrated with his family to Iowa by 1856 and the birth of his sister Margaret. By 1860, Avil's family relocated to Philadelphia (Ward 7) and his father was employed as a printer. By 1870, John married Annie (b. 1850) with whom he had a son, Francis (b. 1875) and they resided in West Philadelphia (Ward 27).
A prominent businessman, lithographer and printer, Avil began in the trade at the young age of thirteen by operating a one-room printing press from 4032 Market Street. He quickly expanded his operations to include the adjacent property at 4034 Market Street and in 1868 he purchased land to construct a small building at 3941-3945 Market Street.
Two years later, he added a six-story building on nearby Filbert Street, which eventually expanded to include the entire city block. By 1893, Avil's company extended between 3941-45 Market Street (razed by fire 1904) and 3944-56 Filbert Street. The expansive establishment included thirty-five steam presses capable of lithographic and letter press printing, and an entire lithograph department devoted to "both commercial and artistic work" operated by "men of high ability." His plant employed approximately 350 people, including 25 skilled lithographers. As his operations grew, Avil also served as President of the Lithographers' Association of Philadelphia (16 member firms) in the mid-1890s.
Avil died on November 18, 1918 with his residence listed at 34 Chester Pike in Glenolden, Pa.
Is part of Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Call number Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Bibliographic citation Census 1860, 1870, 1900 and 1910
Philadelphia Inquirer, November 10, 1894 and November 21, 1918
"Prominent Lithographers of the United States," Lithographers' Journal (March 1893): 52-53
Vieira, West Philadelphia Illustrated, Early History of West Philadelphia and its environs, its people, and its historical points (Philadelphia: Avil Print. Co., 1903), 220.