NEW DISCOVERIES

Late in 2010 I was delighted to receive a communication from Randal J. Loy, Historian to the Dean of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City. For the past five years, Randal has been researching the histories of the major memorial gifts at the Cathedral.

His resulting research forms part of a book he is currently authoring, The Glorious Masterworks of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas City, Missouri. The book includes extensive documentation of the 18 stained glass windows in the Cathedral. The Saint John window, designed by J. Gordon Guthrie (1874-1961), was fabricated by the Duffner & Kimberly Company in 1911, and was shipped at just about the time that the firm was being reorganized into the Kimberly Company. It was installed in the building on July 15, 1911.

As part of his research, Randal delved into the histories of the stained glass firms which have fabricated the windows. Whilst a great deal of information on Oliver Speers Kimberly was available, personal information on Mr. Duffner was quite elusive.

Research for the chapter on the Saint John window is based on the earlier work of three other individuals: Dr. Martin M. May, Mr. Paul Crist, and Ms. Phyllis Partridge. For the most extensive and complete coverage of Duffner & Kimberly lighting, please refer to Mosaic Shades Vol II, by Paul Crist.

Thanks to Martin May who initially included me in the sharing of Randal's chapter on this window.

Thanks also to Randal and his sustained commitment to the research and documentation of the Cathedral's important assets. It is certain to be of great interest to those familiar with the work of the Duffner & Kimberly Company.

LEFT: The Armstrong family, taken before the marriage of Carrie Armstrong to Francis Joseph Duffner.

The legend on the back of this photograph is difficult to read, but apparently taken March 1889. It is at the A.B. Massey house and features many of the Armstrong family.

Extreme left, Dr. Richard Armstrong, his wife at rear of doorway, Carrie Armstrong is third from right, Frank Duffner, far right.