James Warren York (more commonly known as J. W. York) was a musician, businessman, business owner and musical instrument innovator.
York was born November 24, 1839, in Exeter, New Hampshire, and died February 9, 1927, in Los Angeles, California.
York, a cornet player in Grand Rapids, Michigan, theaters, started an instrument repair company in the latter part of the 19th century.
Two partnerships, "Smith and York" in 1883 and "York and Holton" in 1885, were reformed into the "J.W.York and Company" instrument manufacturing company in 1884.
In 1917, York retired from the musical instrument manufacturing business and moved to California.