Parish Maintenance Supply – Company History
| The Parish Broom Factory was founded between 1906 and 1908 by Harmon A. Landgraff and the primary business, at this time, was the manufacture and distribution of “Street Brooms”. When Mr. Landgraff died in 1927, his son Anthony took over the business. It is believed that the effects of WWI, namely shortages of raw materials and rising fiber prices, lead Anthony to sell the business to Lynn H. Miller and Lewis DeGarmo in 1937. The new owners manufactured barn and street brooms, roof brushes, garage brooms, counter brushes and horse hair brooms which were hand sewn and stapled. The finished products were sold chiefly in Central New York but were later sold as far as Chicago, IL. Parish Broom Factory’s first location was on Railroad Street in Parish, NY. | |
 |
|
| Former Parish Broom Factory today on Railroad Street, Parish, NY | |
 |
|
| Original Parish Brush Photographed at Parish Town Historical Society | |
| In 1942 Miller & DeGarmo moved Parish Broom Factory from Parish, NY to 401 North State Street, Syracuse, NY. The company moved to 601 North State Street in 1957 Parish has since had premises on Hiawatha Blvd and has been at the current location, Palmeter Street, since 2008. | |
|
|
|
| State Street Location, Circa 1957 (give or take a year) | |
| Parish Broom Factory continued to manufacture and refill brooms until they sold Parish Broom Factory to John F. Cowmeadow in 1945. Cowmeadow took the company in a new direction and began selling housekeeping and janitorial supplies and the company became Parish Maintenance Supply. Diversifying and changing with the times has kept Parish Maintenance Supply a leader in our field.
John R. Gosson joined the company in 1952 and later became a partner in 1957. In 1969 Cowmeadow and Gosson began a partnership with Clifford Hoover in Orlando, Florida and together they successfully managed many accounts including Walt Disney World. This partnership continued for about 12 years. |
|
 |
|
|
Gosson bought out Cowmeadow in 1980 and continued to lead the company until his death in 1988. After working for the Company for over 10 years, John Gosson’s son Michael then took over leadership of Parish Maintenance Supply and purchased the company later in 1989. Michael Gosson’s vast knowledge and experience of the janitorial supply business are among Parish Maintenance Supply’s major assets. He continues to lead the Company today. |
|
|
|
|
| Current Palmeter Street Location | |
