Luxury, Forged in Story

John Henry Co. is more than a brand—it’s a story forged in the sands of New Mexico, passed down through four generations of one family. Ours is a story of resilience, reinvention, and reverence—for craft, for artists, and for the culture that shaped us.

It began in 1938, when Leroy “Bozo” Atkinson left his family in Texas in search of new beginnings after the Great Depression. He found himself in New Mexico, where he opened a modest trading post and began to immerse himself in the rich traditions and rhythms of life on the reservation. Not long after, his brother—my great-grandfather Jake—and Jake’s wife –my great-grandmother– Maxine, followed him west. They, too, became part of the reservation and its people, among the rare non-Native individuals in the region fluent in the Navajo language. In 1945, they opened Rattlesnake Trading Post. What began humbly grew into a PT Barnum–style roadside attraction—rattlesnakes, burros, and bold signage—designed to entice travelers journeying along the iconic Route 66. 

My great grandparents lived a truly nomadic lifestyle marked by constant movement from one community to the next, living a life closely intertwined with the Navajo way of being. But, wherever the wind took them, they remained rooted in the land and its people. With every relocation, my great-grandfather would open a new trading post, sharing Native American culture in the way he knew best—by offering their handcrafted jewelry to the world. At one point, my great-grandfather even traveled to New York City with Navajo hoop dancers to perform at Madison Square Garden, a testament to his passion for cultural preservation and celebration. 

The second generation was my grandfather, John Henry. Born in Texas but raised in New Mexico, he grew up steeped in the energy of the Rattlesnake Trading Post. Eventually, he and his family landed in a little wide spot in the road called Cañoncito, where my Great Grandpa Jake received a government grant to teach community members how to buff and shine silver. That’s where my grandfather first began working—polishing jewelry as a boy, his hands already part of a legacy in motion. He grew up immersed in the Native communities his father belonged to, developing into an expert silversmith. 

Yet life took him in other directions. He stepped away from the family business, attended college, and even tried his hand at the rodeo circuit—his shot at being a “real cowboy.” (Spoiler: it didn’t quite stick.) Then came the draft. My grandfather served as an electronic cryptographic technician in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. But military life, with its tolls and distances, eventually stirred a longing in him to return—to the rhythm of silver, to the quiet dignity of his roots.

And so he did. With his wife and two boys, he returned to the Southwest and settled in Tucson, Arizona, where his parents had also put down roots. He began repairing jewelry for the Zuni people, slowly rebuilding the life he once knew. When the time came, he decided to step out on his own—not to inherit, but to build. He secured a loan, bought lumber from a local hardware store, and signed a lease on a small storefront. With 2x4s, he built his first display cases by hand. His uncle Bozo—the man who started it all—personally guaranteed his loan and merchandising costs. And from that foundation, he began selling the same Zuni jewelry he once helped shape when he first came back home.

Then came my father, John David—the third generation. Raised between the Navajo Reservation and Tucson, Arizona, he experienced Native art and culture through a child’s eyes, full of wonder. He watched master artisans transform raw materials into living stories, shaping silver and stone with meaning, memory, and myth. As a teenager, he learned from a Hopi artist who taught him the art, symbolism, and illustrative nature of jewelry-making. In time, my father became a silversmith and artist in his own right, his work deeply influenced by the Native American artists who raised him in craft and spirit.

When his turn came to carry the family business forward, he made it his mission to return to its roots. He sought to elevate what had been lost to commercialization—reclaiming story, spirit, and authenticity. He began telling the stories he had lived, and the ones passed down to him, in the way he had been taught: through imagery, illustration, and graphic design. In 2003, he opened a gallery in Tucson—a space to honor Native artistry, showcase handmade jewelry, and give voice to the traditions, hardship, and beauty of the people who had shaped his life and work. A place where my father proudly displays our family’s personal jewelery collection to pay homage to the dedication each generation has had to preserving the culture and art of Native American people. That spirit—the artistry, the honesty, the deep cultural roots—became the soul of our brand.

And now, there’s me. I’m Kaylee Mae—the fourth generation, and the first woman in my family to take the reins. My upbringing was different, but the heart of the business was the same: family. Not just our own, but the broader, deeper concept of family that is so central to Native communities. As a child, I traveled to the reservation with my dad, met cousins and friends who felt like kin, and saw firsthand the meaning of family as shared history and unbreakable bond—across time, space, and generations.

As I take the next step in our legacy, I carry with me the unshakable belief that family is forever. And so is tradition. What remains constant is the brilliance, resilience, and craftsmanship of Native artisans whose work is not just beautiful—it’s sacred.

John Henry stands as a testament to that legacy. It’s not just our story—it’s theirs too. From a Depression-era trading post, to a Route 66 roadside attraction, to a modern gallery steeped in heritage—we now enter a new era.

We're transforming our trading post into a beacon of timeless craftsmanship. Each piece we offer is handcrafted by Native American artisans whose artistry and intention are the lifeblood of our brand. These pieces aren’t just jewelry— they’re living stories. And they are offered with pride to those who understand that true luxury is rooted in heritage, crafted with care, and worn with purpose.

Signed in Silver & Spirit, Kaylee Mae