Charles Ludwig Troutwine's connection as one of the officials of George F. Troutwine & Sons, Incorporated, entitles him to a leading place in the leather manufacturing industry of Gloversville, Fulton county. He is a native of this city, which has been his lifelong home, his birth having occurred in that part of Gloversville formerly known as Kingsboro. His father is George Frederick Troutwine, a retired manufacturer of this city, who was born in Schiltach, Baden, Germany, September 14, 1859, the son of a soldier who was killed in the Franco-Prussian war. Mr. Troutwine's mother, who bore the maiden name of Barbara Maria Hummel, was also a German by birth, for in Metzingen, Württemberg, she was born on January 26, 1860. Her father was an overseer on the government railroads in the kingdom of Württemburg.
Charles Ludwig Troutwine attended the Gloversville high school and the Fairfield Military Academy in the attainment of his early education and graduated from the latter in 1899. The following year he spent in Rochester, taking a commercial course in the Rochester Business Institute in preparation for his life work in the manufacturing business. The firm of George F. Troutwine & Sons was established by Mr. Troutwine's father in 1888 and has been in continuous operation ever since. George F. Troutwine was unusually well prepared to enter upon the shoe leather industry, for he had a thorough education and training along this line in Germany, France and Belgium before he came to America, in addition to inheriting from several generations of leather manufacturers an aptitude for this line of work. The enterprise founded by the elder Mr. Troutwine in 1888 was continued under his active direction until 1917, when he retired, following the death of his wife. Meanwhile his son, Charles Ludwig of this review, had been in the business ever since he completed his education in 1900 and had risen to a position of trust and responsibility in the firm, which was incorporated in 1909, under the laws of the state of New York, as the George F. Troutwine & Sons Company. When his father passed on the burden of the direction of the company, Charles L. Troutwine was ready to assume these increased duties, and by his able management of the affairs of the concern has been demonstrating in the past seven or eight years the value of the long training he received in subordinate positions in his father's business. The company specializes in the production of shoe leather and turns out a quality of goods that has made its name a synonym for good leather wherever shoe leathers are sold. In addition to his connection with the family leather business, Mr. Troutwine is interested in the knitting industry as an investor in the Comfort Knitting Company, Incorporated.
The marriage of Mr. Troutwine and Miss Bess Wood Stewart of Gloversville took place in this city, on the 18th of October, 1917. Mrs. Troutwine was born here August 24, 1888, and is the daughter of Charles William and Rita Stewart. The family is connected with the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Troutwine holds membership. He is a republican in his political views and loyally supports the cause of this party, although he has not been an aspirant for public honors himself. In fraternal circles this busy manufacturer has been especially prominent as a Mason and he is now serving as a trustee of Gloversville Lodge No. 429, F. & A. M. His other affiliations with this order are with Johnstown Chapter, R. A. M.; Johnstown Council, R. & S. M.; Holy Cross Commandery No. 51, Knights Templar; Albany Sovereign Consistory and Cyprus Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of the Eccentric Club of Gloversville, in which he has many friends, a large proportion of whom have known him since early boyhood and have long since come to value him highly for his winning personality and excellent traits of character. Always interested in those things that promote civic virtue and progress, Mr. Troutwine has given substantial proof of his public-spiritedness on more than one occasion and can always be counted upon to lend his influence to the support of those things he believes will make Gloversville a better place in which to live or do business.