Justin was a twin. His twin brother was Donald Joseph McInaney. The twins were the babies of the family, so quite spoiled by all their older siblings.
He served as a nurse in the U.S. Army during World War I.
Circa 1920, he served as Sheriff of Roundup, Montana. I remember him telling me once that the only place colder than Minnesota was Roundup, Montana!
In the early 1920's, he went to work in Spokane, Washington, for Alexander Film Company, founded by brothers J. Don and Don M. Alexander. J. Don decided that his salesmen could sell more film advertising if they had airplanes, so he wrote to plane manufacturers around the country asking for a price on a lot of 50 planes. But the builders, who were happy to get an order for one craft in those days, thought his letter was the work of a crackpot. It went into the wastebasket. This angered Alexander. He decided to build his own planes. He moved his operation to Englewood, Colorado and set up the aircraft company. He sent Justin to Marshall, Missouri (then a center of aviation manufacturing) to buy a plane and learn to fly. Justin's instructor was the great Ben O. Howard, who later became famous as a plane racer and test pilot. Justin soloed after only ten hours of instruction. He bought a Swallow airplane for $2,300 and proceeded to fly back to Denver. That trip involved so many forced landings and other aerial adventures that he ended it almost an overnight veteran. Justin began teaching other men to fly, among them Vern Simmons; O.R. Ted Haueter (past vice president of Continental Airlines); Ray Shrader (past vice president of Braniff Airlines); Red Mosier (past vice president of American Airlines); Jack Frye (past president of TWA); plane designer Al Mooney. As the national sales manager, Justin helped build the firm to the top producer in the United States (eight planes a day, just before the depression). In the early 1930s, the firm built a revolutionary new plane -- the forerunner of modern aircraft, with low wing and retractable gear -- called the "Bullet". Several of them crashed in the testing process because the government insisted that the unspinnable plane be tail-spun. The plane later was certificated, though, and became famous in racing and civil aviation. The depression and losses suffered in the Bullet program forced the aircraft firm to fold in the mid-1930s. Justin continued with Alexander Film Company as a district sales manager in Texas. He worked there until retiring to Boulder, Colorado in 1959. He was one of the original members of the Quiet Birdmen, an international organization of pilots. He carried commercial pilot's license No. 97, signed by Orville Wright. Justin was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame posthumously in 1970.
(The Alexander Film Company was once the world's largest producer of theater film advertising. In today's movie theaters, theater film advertising is what is shown before the trailers which are shown before the featured film. While the Alexander Film Co. only made a whopping $2.50 its first year, the use of advertisements in local movie theaters quickly gained acceptance from theater owners and businesses nationwide. The use of theater advertising grew so rapidly in the early twenties that Alexander Film Co. decided to relocate to a larger studio in Englewood, Colorado in 1923 and then again in 1928 to an even larger lot in Colorado Springs. By the early 1950's Alexander was producing between 2000 to 3000 advertisement films a year and had a library covering over 8200 different subjects.
In its heyday, Alexander Film Company's lot hosted 32 full size motion picture sets, modern film and audio laboratories, a sound recording department, an art department capable of creating cartoon animation, stop motion, backgrounds and other special movie effects, an engineering department and a full-service print shop. To run this massive complex Alexander employed over 600 people locally and the annual payroll exceeded $2.5 million. A client list included a "who's who" of the nation's leading manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, U.S. Rubber, Philco, and Seven-Up. Regional offices were established in Dallas, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The late 1950's saw the remarkable collapse of the Alexander Film Company through the advent of television and the closing of many local theaters throughout the country. What dealt the most crippling blow, however, was the fact that Alexander was a non-union shop which caused them to be "blacklisted" by industry professionals making it impossible for national advertisers to use Alexander produced commercials.
Justin married Vina Ruth Lowe on 24 July 1927 in Manitou Springs, Colorado. They were the parents of two daughters: Mary Margaret McInaney, born 29 April 1928 (died at birth); Ruth Anne McInaney (1929-2022).
Justin was a good looking, 'black' Irishman with wavy black hair, navy blue eyes, and very fair skin. He had a big heart and would give a stranger his last dime. He was well read and I'm not sure there was a word he didn't know or couldn't spell. He was funny; he was kind; he was my grandfather, and he was the world to me... Rest in peace, Poppy! I love you and miss you still.
He served as a nurse in the U.S. Army during World War I.
Circa 1920, he served as Sheriff of Roundup, Montana. I remember him telling me once that the only place colder than Minnesota was Roundup, Montana!
In the early 1920's, he went to work in Spokane, Washington, for Alexander Film Company, founded by brothers J. Don and Don M. Alexander. J. Don decided that his salesmen could sell more film advertising if they had airplanes, so he wrote to plane manufacturers around the country asking for a price on a lot of 50 planes. But the builders, who were happy to get an order for one craft in those days, thought his letter was the work of a crackpot. It went into the wastebasket. This angered Alexander. He decided to build his own planes. He moved his operation to Englewood, Colorado and set up the aircraft company. He sent Justin to Marshall, Missouri (then a center of aviation manufacturing) to buy a plane and learn to fly. Justin's instructor was the great Ben O. Howard, who later became famous as a plane racer and test pilot. Justin soloed after only ten hours of instruction. He bought a Swallow airplane for $2,300 and proceeded to fly back to Denver. That trip involved so many forced landings and other aerial adventures that he ended it almost an overnight veteran. Justin began teaching other men to fly, among them Vern Simmons; O.R. Ted Haueter (past vice president of Continental Airlines); Ray Shrader (past vice president of Braniff Airlines); Red Mosier (past vice president of American Airlines); Jack Frye (past president of TWA); plane designer Al Mooney. As the national sales manager, Justin helped build the firm to the top producer in the United States (eight planes a day, just before the depression). In the early 1930s, the firm built a revolutionary new plane -- the forerunner of modern aircraft, with low wing and retractable gear -- called the "Bullet". Several of them crashed in the testing process because the government insisted that the unspinnable plane be tail-spun. The plane later was certificated, though, and became famous in racing and civil aviation. The depression and losses suffered in the Bullet program forced the aircraft firm to fold in the mid-1930s. Justin continued with Alexander Film Company as a district sales manager in Texas. He worked there until retiring to Boulder, Colorado in 1959. He was one of the original members of the Quiet Birdmen, an international organization of pilots. He carried commercial pilot's license No. 97, signed by Orville Wright. Justin was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame posthumously in 1970.
(The Alexander Film Company was once the world's largest producer of theater film advertising. In today's movie theaters, theater film advertising is what is shown before the trailers which are shown before the featured film. While the Alexander Film Co. only made a whopping $2.50 its first year, the use of advertisements in local movie theaters quickly gained acceptance from theater owners and businesses nationwide. The use of theater advertising grew so rapidly in the early twenties that Alexander Film Co. decided to relocate to a larger studio in Englewood, Colorado in 1923 and then again in 1928 to an even larger lot in Colorado Springs. By the early 1950's Alexander was producing between 2000 to 3000 advertisement films a year and had a library covering over 8200 different subjects.
In its heyday, Alexander Film Company's lot hosted 32 full size motion picture sets, modern film and audio laboratories, a sound recording department, an art department capable of creating cartoon animation, stop motion, backgrounds and other special movie effects, an engineering department and a full-service print shop. To run this massive complex Alexander employed over 600 people locally and the annual payroll exceeded $2.5 million. A client list included a "who's who" of the nation's leading manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, U.S. Rubber, Philco, and Seven-Up. Regional offices were established in Dallas, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The late 1950's saw the remarkable collapse of the Alexander Film Company through the advent of television and the closing of many local theaters throughout the country. What dealt the most crippling blow, however, was the fact that Alexander was a non-union shop which caused them to be "blacklisted" by industry professionals making it impossible for national advertisers to use Alexander produced commercials.
Justin married Vina Ruth Lowe on 24 July 1927 in Manitou Springs, Colorado. They were the parents of two daughters: Mary Margaret McInaney, born 29 April 1928 (died at birth); Ruth Anne McInaney (1929-2022).
Justin was a good looking, 'black' Irishman with wavy black hair, navy blue eyes, and very fair skin. He had a big heart and would give a stranger his last dime. He was well read and I'm not sure there was a word he didn't know or couldn't spell. He was funny; he was kind; he was my grandfather, and he was the world to me... Rest in peace, Poppy! I love you and miss you still.
Justin was a twin. His twin brother was Donald Joseph McInaney. The twins were the babies of the family, so quite spoiled by all their older siblings.
He served as a nurse in the U.S. Army during World War I.
Circa 1920, he served as Sheriff of Roundup, Montana. I remember him telling me once that the only place colder than Minnesota was Roundup, Montana!
In the early 1920's, he went to work in Spokane, Washington, for Alexander Film Company, founded by brothers J. Don and Don M. Alexander. J. Don decided that his salesmen could sell more film advertising if they had airplanes, so he wrote to plane manufacturers around the country asking for a price on a lot of 50 planes. But the builders, who were happy to get an order for one craft in those days, thought his letter was the work of a crackpot. It went into the wastebasket. This angered Alexander. He decided to build his own planes. He moved his operation to Englewood, Colorado and set up the aircraft company. He sent Justin to Marshall, Missouri (then a center of aviation manufacturing) to buy a plane and learn to fly. Justin's instructor was the great Ben O. Howard, who later became famous as a plane racer and test pilot. Justin soloed after only ten hours of instruction. He bought a Swallow airplane for $2,300 and proceeded to fly back to Denver. That trip involved so many forced landings and other aerial adventures that he ended it almost an overnight veteran. Justin began teaching other men to fly, among them Vern Simmons; O.R. Ted Haueter (past vice president of Continental Airlines); Ray Shrader (past vice president of Braniff Airlines); Red Mosier (past vice president of American Airlines); Jack Frye (past president of TWA); plane designer Al Mooney. As the national sales manager, Justin helped build the firm to the top producer in the United States (eight planes a day, just before the depression). In the early 1930s, the firm built a revolutionary new plane -- the forerunner of modern aircraft, with low wing and retractable gear -- called the "Bullet". Several of them crashed in the testing process because the government insisted that the unspinnable plane be tail-spun. The plane later was certificated, though, and became famous in racing and civil aviation. The depression and losses suffered in the Bullet program forced the aircraft firm to fold in the mid-1930s. Justin continued with Alexander Film Company as a district sales manager in Texas. He worked there until retiring to Boulder, Colorado in 1959. He was one of the original members of the Quiet Birdmen, an international organization of pilots. He carried commercial pilot's license No. 97, signed by Orville Wright. Justin was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame posthumously in 1970.
(The Alexander Film Company was once the world's largest producer of theater film advertising. In today's movie theaters, theater film advertising is what is shown before the trailers which are shown before the featured film. While the Alexander Film Co. only made a whopping $2.50 its first year, the use of advertisements in local movie theaters quickly gained acceptance from theater owners and businesses nationwide. The use of theater advertising grew so rapidly in the early twenties that Alexander Film Co. decided to relocate to a larger studio in Englewood, Colorado in 1923 and then again in 1928 to an even larger lot in Colorado Springs. By the early 1950's Alexander was producing between 2000 to 3000 advertisement films a year and had a library covering over 8200 different subjects.
In its heyday, Alexander Film Company's lot hosted 32 full size motion picture sets, modern film and audio laboratories, a sound recording department, an art department capable of creating cartoon animation, stop motion, backgrounds and other special movie effects, an engineering department and a full-service print shop. To run this massive complex Alexander employed over 600 people locally and the annual payroll exceeded $2.5 million. A client list included a "who's who" of the nation's leading manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, U.S. Rubber, Philco, and Seven-Up. Regional offices were established in Dallas, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The late 1950's saw the remarkable collapse of the Alexander Film Company through the advent of television and the closing of many local theaters throughout the country. What dealt the most crippling blow, however, was the fact that Alexander was a non-union shop which caused them to be "blacklisted" by industry professionals making it impossible for national advertisers to use Alexander produced commercials.
Justin married Vina Ruth Lowe on 24 July 1927 in Manitou Springs, Colorado. They were the parents of two daughters: Mary Margaret McInaney, born 29 April 1928 (died at birth); Ruth Anne McInaney (1929-2022).
Justin was a good looking, 'black' Irishman with wavy black hair, navy blue eyes, and very fair skin. He had a big heart and would give a stranger his last dime. He was well read and I'm not sure there was a word he didn't know or couldn't spell. He was funny; he was kind; he was my grandfather, and he was the world to me... Rest in peace, Poppy! I love you and miss you still.
He served as a nurse in the U.S. Army during World War I.
Circa 1920, he served as Sheriff of Roundup, Montana. I remember him telling me once that the only place colder than Minnesota was Roundup, Montana!
In the early 1920's, he went to work in Spokane, Washington, for Alexander Film Company, founded by brothers J. Don and Don M. Alexander. J. Don decided that his salesmen could sell more film advertising if they had airplanes, so he wrote to plane manufacturers around the country asking for a price on a lot of 50 planes. But the builders, who were happy to get an order for one craft in those days, thought his letter was the work of a crackpot. It went into the wastebasket. This angered Alexander. He decided to build his own planes. He moved his operation to Englewood, Colorado and set up the aircraft company. He sent Justin to Marshall, Missouri (then a center of aviation manufacturing) to buy a plane and learn to fly. Justin's instructor was the great Ben O. Howard, who later became famous as a plane racer and test pilot. Justin soloed after only ten hours of instruction. He bought a Swallow airplane for $2,300 and proceeded to fly back to Denver. That trip involved so many forced landings and other aerial adventures that he ended it almost an overnight veteran. Justin began teaching other men to fly, among them Vern Simmons; O.R. Ted Haueter (past vice president of Continental Airlines); Ray Shrader (past vice president of Braniff Airlines); Red Mosier (past vice president of American Airlines); Jack Frye (past president of TWA); plane designer Al Mooney. As the national sales manager, Justin helped build the firm to the top producer in the United States (eight planes a day, just before the depression). In the early 1930s, the firm built a revolutionary new plane -- the forerunner of modern aircraft, with low wing and retractable gear -- called the "Bullet". Several of them crashed in the testing process because the government insisted that the unspinnable plane be tail-spun. The plane later was certificated, though, and became famous in racing and civil aviation. The depression and losses suffered in the Bullet program forced the aircraft firm to fold in the mid-1930s. Justin continued with Alexander Film Company as a district sales manager in Texas. He worked there until retiring to Boulder, Colorado in 1959. He was one of the original members of the Quiet Birdmen, an international organization of pilots. He carried commercial pilot's license No. 97, signed by Orville Wright. Justin was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame posthumously in 1970.
(The Alexander Film Company was once the world's largest producer of theater film advertising. In today's movie theaters, theater film advertising is what is shown before the trailers which are shown before the featured film. While the Alexander Film Co. only made a whopping $2.50 its first year, the use of advertisements in local movie theaters quickly gained acceptance from theater owners and businesses nationwide. The use of theater advertising grew so rapidly in the early twenties that Alexander Film Co. decided to relocate to a larger studio in Englewood, Colorado in 1923 and then again in 1928 to an even larger lot in Colorado Springs. By the early 1950's Alexander was producing between 2000 to 3000 advertisement films a year and had a library covering over 8200 different subjects.
In its heyday, Alexander Film Company's lot hosted 32 full size motion picture sets, modern film and audio laboratories, a sound recording department, an art department capable of creating cartoon animation, stop motion, backgrounds and other special movie effects, an engineering department and a full-service print shop. To run this massive complex Alexander employed over 600 people locally and the annual payroll exceeded $2.5 million. A client list included a "who's who" of the nation's leading manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, U.S. Rubber, Philco, and Seven-Up. Regional offices were established in Dallas, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The late 1950's saw the remarkable collapse of the Alexander Film Company through the advent of television and the closing of many local theaters throughout the country. What dealt the most crippling blow, however, was the fact that Alexander was a non-union shop which caused them to be "blacklisted" by industry professionals making it impossible for national advertisers to use Alexander produced commercials.
Justin married Vina Ruth Lowe on 24 July 1927 in Manitou Springs, Colorado. They were the parents of two daughters: Mary Margaret McInaney, born 29 April 1928 (died at birth); Ruth Anne McInaney (1929-2022).
Justin was a good looking, 'black' Irishman with wavy black hair, navy blue eyes, and very fair skin. He had a big heart and would give a stranger his last dime. He was well read and I'm not sure there was a word he didn't know or couldn't spell. He was funny; he was kind; he was my grandfather, and he was the world to me... Rest in peace, Poppy! I love you and miss you still.
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