John Henry Belter

John Henry Belter was born in Germany in 1804 and became a naturalized American citizen in 1839. He went into business in New York as a cabinetmaker in 1844. In 1856 he was joined by his brother-in-law John H. Springmeyer, and then in 1861 by relatives Frederic and William Springmeyer. Belter is known for his patents on various innovative construction techniques in furniture making, including an early type of wood laminate. He died in 1863.