USA > Illinois > Adams County > The history of Adams County Illinois : containing a history of the county - its cities, towns, etc. a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 143
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The company manufacture the celebrated Vandiver, Quincy and Barlow Rotary Corn Planters. The latter planter, the invention of Mr. Jos. C. Barlow, combines entirely new features, such as showing the corn three hills in advance, etc.
Their products amount to between three and four thousand planters annually and one hundred men find employment at their extensive works, while their planters find sale in all parts of the United States and foreign countries.
This concern is a credit to the city of Quincy, and its officers and members represent the leading business men of the city.
ORGANS.
The Whitney & Holmes Organ Co., established in 1868, and incor- porated March, 1870, emploves 40 men and turns out $150,000 worth of organs annually. Has $50,000 capital invested in business with a large wholesale trade, extending to every State in the Union. The business of the company is under the management of August H. Whitney, the founder of the business of organ manufacturing in Quincy.
THE GEM CITY PAPER MILL,
R. F. Newcomb proprietor, is one of the important manufacturing institutions of Quincy. Mr. Newcomb has been running the mill since March, 1872, and its business has steadily increased. Straw wrapping and board papers are the exclusive products, of which an average of ten tons per day are made, employing 50 hands.
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
FURNITURE AND CHAIRS.
The manufacture of furniture and chairs has become one of the leading branches of industry in Quincy. Several firms are engaged in the business and give employment to a large number of men and boys. The trade reaches over $300,000.
F. W. Jansen & Co. have one of the largest furniture manufactories in the country. It is located on the corner of Washington and Front streets, and is one of the most important factories ot the city. The factory gives employment to 125 persons, and turns out some of the finest work sold in the west. In the last few years the finer and better grades of fur- niture have been manufactured here, and Jansen & Co. have made a suc- cess in that line. The furniture of the new court-house all came from their mannfactory, and is acknowledged by all to be a credit to the firm. Jansen & Co. have recently opened two branch houses, one at Dallas and the other at Sherman, Texas.
H. A. Vandenboom & Co., manufacturers of chairs and bedsteads, on the corner of Tenth and Vermont streets, have recently opened a branch house at Dallas, Texas, which is supplying that section of country. They employ sixty men constantly in the manufactory, and turn out a large amount of work. The chairs and bedsteads made by this firm are equal, if not superior, to any in the market.
W. C. Powers & Co., No. 602 Maine street are doing a splendid business both at wholesale and retail. This firm also does considerable in the manufacturing of fine goods and have a force of experienced hands con- stantly employed.
F. Duker is one of the old manufacturers of furniture, having been in business for many years. He employs six persons. He carries a good stock of furniture of all kinds.
PLANING MILLS.
Quincy has six of the best and most complete planing mills to be found in the West. They are all filled with new and improved machinery, and turn out a large amount of work annually. They make a specialty of building material such as doors, sash, blinds, refrigerators, tobacco boxes, etc.
Mulliner & Beebe are located on South Fourth street, between Jersey and York, and are doing a large business. They furnish employment to 20 men and boys, and turn out large quantities of building material, tobacco boxes, together with their unequaled refrigerators, for which they have a high reputation.
Hauworth, Orr & Hodgdon, well-known contractors and builders, and proprietors of the Fourth Street Planing Mill. Manufacture doors, sash, blinds, etc., and annually turn out large quantities of material of all kinds. They furnish employment to a large number of men and boys.
Menke, Grimm & Co. are an old and long-established firm, having been engaged in the business for many years. Their mill is located on Hampshire street, between Eighth and Ninth. They employ 30 hands. They manufacture the celebrated Eagle Refrigerators, together with candy boxes, packing cases and building material.
Pfanschmidt & Co., lumber yard and planing mill on the corner of Fifth and Ohio Streets, employ 25 men, and have one of the best mills in the city. They do a large business in tobacco boxes, sash, doors, blinds, and packing cases.
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CONCLUSION.
Larkworthy & Burge's shops and mill are located on Vermont, between Fourth and Fifth. They do a general planing mill business, and in addition are one of the largest contracting firms in the city, furnishing employment to a large number of men. They are the contractors who erected the new Adams County Court-house. They also erected the new Tremont House building on Hampshire street. The firm have taken a prominent place among Quincy contractors, and are increasing their trade annually.
Peter H. Meyer, another well-known builder, has a planing mill and shops located on Ninth street, between Ohio and Payson avenue. He is a large contractor, and erected a large number of fine residences and stores in Quincy during the past few years, among them the new Presbyterian church. He makes all his own sash, doors, etc., used in his buildings. He employs a large force of men, and has gained a reputation for doing good work.
TRUNKS AND SATCHELS.
Quincy now has two of the largest and most important trunk and satchel manufactories in the West. They employ a number of hands and do business amounting to $35,000 annually.
BRICK.
Brickmaking is a branch of industry extensively engaged in by a num- ber of enterprising business firms who do a large business, running from 400,000 to 6,000,000 a year each.
TINWARE.
Several firms are engaged in the manufacture of tinware, who do an extensive business. The business gives employment to a large number of workmen. In work, the Quincy manufacturers compete successfully with the houses of other cities. Among the most prominent firms are J. Sey- mour Castle, 432 Maine street, who does a large business in tinware and stoves. He is one of the most extensive manufacturers of tinware in the West.
L. D. White, Hampshire street, has also an extensive business, one feature of which is a wholesale trade in tinners' supplies.
Schupp & Co., J. J. Grant, George Fischer, and others are also doing considerable in the trade.
SADDLES AND HARNESS.
The manufacture of saddles and harness is carried on in this city on a large scale. The firms engaged in it do an extensive and profitable busi- ness, supplying a large territory surrounding Quincy.
John B. Kreitz employs twelve men, and turns out during the year a large quantity of fine harness and saddles. A feature of his business was the manufacture of heavy truck harness, in which he had a large trade. His work recommends itself. Other features of his establishment are the fine English saddles, and what is known as the patent Guthrie saddle.
John L. Koch manufactures saddles, harness, collars, whips, etc., and is the agent of the celebrated Jacksonville drovers' whip. His work is first-class, and he makes it a point to satisfy his patrons.
A. B. Wilhelm has one of the finest establishments in the city, and turns out a large quantity of work. He makes a specialty of fine work.
Thomas E. Durant does a large business in manufacturing harness and 61
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
saddles and supplies, and has a large patronage from Quincy and the sur- rounding country.
W. H. Konantz, Maine, between Fourth and Fifth, gives employment to five men and devotes himself principally to fine carriage and buggy harness. His business includes horse clothing and whips. He did a large amount of fine work last year.
CRACKERS AND CONFECTIONERY.
In the manufacture of crackers and confectionery a number of firms are engaged, all of whom are doing a large business. They give employ- ment to a large number of hands and, with the product of their establish- ments, supply a large region of country. The candies and confectionery from these houses are as pure and palatable as any made.
Clark & Morgan are taking the lead in this line of business. At present they employ thirty persons, with three traveling salesmen. During the year they consume 2,200 barrels of flour and 1,700 bar- rels of sugar, and manufacture 440,000 pounds of their superior crackers, and 400,000 pounds of candy and confectionery. The goods manufactured by this firm have wide reputations for their purity and fine flavor.
John Wessels, manufacturer of crackers and confectionery by steam. He now employs twenty men and boys, and has three traveling salesmen. They now travel all over the States of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.
Brown Bros. & Co. are one of the largest manufacturers by steani of candy, crackers, etc., in the West. They have been engaged in the business for the past thirty years, and have a large trade.
FLAVORING EXTRACTS.
F. H. Mason & Co., manufacturers of the celebrated Moss Rose baking powder, Royal dry hop yeast, flavoring extracts, liquid bluing, and inks, are among the firms of which the city may justly feel proud. For many years Quincy was compelled to go abroad for everything of this kind, but now, we are happy to say, that this is no longer the case, as we have one of the largest manufactories of this kind right here at home. This firm was established in 1874, yet they have succeeded in building up an immense trade, and their goods may be found nearly all over twelve different States.
James E. Woodruff, another enterprising citizen, has recently opened a chemical laboratory at No. 303 Maine street, and is now manufacturing Good Luck baking powder, dry hop yeast, flavoring extracts, and liquid bluing, in large quantities. This house was established in 1876, and has succeeded in building up a large and rapidly increasing trade.
BUCKET FACTORY.
A new enterprise, the manufacture of wooden buckets and tobacco drums, was started by John Potter, on Lower Front street, the 1st of May, 1876. Fifteen persons are employed in the business. Mr. Potter has fitted up three large dry-houses for drying humber, and has furnished the factory with the best of machinery. The establishment is an important acquisition to the manufactures of the city.
BOILERS.
The only factory engaged exclusively in the manufacture of boilers is that of J. H. Michelman, on the corner of Spring and Olive. He employs an average of ten men. His factory enjoys an excellent reputation in and
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CONCLUSION.
around Quincy, and his boilers rank with the best made. J. Williams & Co., on Front street, do a large business in boiler work, in connection with their foundry and machine shop.
MARBLE.
There are three marble-works establishments in the city:
Noakes & Bockenfeld's establishment is at the corner of Third and Main streets. Six men are employed in the business the greater portion of the time.
Wyman Perry, located at 300 Maine street, makes a good showing. He has been kept busy, and has furnished employment to three persons.
C. G. Volk, at 322 Maine, considering the general depression in busi- ness, did a good business for the year. The employes number four. There were 300 monuments and stones delivered to order. Mr. Volk designed and erected the soldiers' monument elsewhere spoken of in this work.
There are other minor branches of manufacturing in the city and in the county which it is impossible to mention in the compass of our work. The most we have aimed to do is to make a brief summary of the leading manufacturing interests of this now wealthy and populous county, teeming with industrial activity.
THE WHOLESALE TRADE OF QUINCY.
DRY GOODS.
First in importance, perhaps, of the jobbing line in the city, is the dry goods trade, in which line the city has houses that can boast of business that is surpassed by but few houses outside of the East. New York may have her Stewarts and Claflins, Chicago her Field & Leiter's and Farwells, but Quincy has several houses that stand as high in the es- timation of the public. These firms are composed of men whose busi- ness tact and energy bids fair to soon place them high in the list of of leading inerchants in the western country. We have firms whose sales verge on to two million dollars annually. But few Chicago or St. Louis houses can say as much. First upon the list we have the great house of
Isaac Lesem & Bro., known all over the Southwest and West as one of the leading dry goods houses in the country. The firm occupy the magnifi- cent building on the corner of Third and Hampshire streets. This house was established in Quincy in 1856 on a small scale, and began wholesaling in 1858. A few years ago they erected the magnificent building they now occupy, 44x125 feet, five stories high, but even this was found too small to accommodate their large and rapidly increasing trade. . They have leased the second and third floors of the building adjoining, and have fitted them up in the saine style as the main building. Their business is nearly $2,- 000,000 a year. They give employment to thirty men, including eight traveling salesmen. They have a resident New York buyer, who keeps them well supplied with everything the market affords.
Julius Kespohl & Co., another of the leading dry goods and notion houses, is located on the northwest corner of Third and Hampshire streets in one of the largest, handsomest and most commodious business buildings in the western country. It is 40x92 feet, and four stories. It was built expressly for a dry goods house, and has all the modern conveniences for the transaction of business. During the past year a change has been made
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
by adding a retail department. The house was established in 1864; opened the wholesale business in 1873. They carry a full and complete line of goods of all kinds, which have been purchased from first hands. They em- ploy forty men, including traveling salesmen, who make frequent trips through the States of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.
WHOLESALE NOTIONS.
Jacob Meyer & Brother have the only exclusive wholesale notion house in the city. It was established in 1867. They keep from six to eight trav- eling salesmen on the road, and have the largest notion trade outside of Chicago and St. Louis in the West.
GROCERIES.
No branch of business in Quincy has flourished more successfully or increased with greater rapidity than the grocery trade. But a few years have elapsed since the wholesale grocery establishments were confined to two or three, whose annual sales did not aggregate more than a quarter of a million; but now we boast of five wholesale houses and over one hundred retail houses, whose annual sales will foot up several millions. Among the leading wholesale houses may be mentioned the old reliable firm of
Meyer & Kespohl, established in 1869, occupying the elegant three-story building on Third street between Hampshire and Vermont. The firm have nine employes, including two traveling salesmen, who have large trades ex- tending over the States of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. The firm carry a stock second to none in the West. They buy direct from first hands, and hold out superior inducements to buyers.
W. S. Warfield, another of the old houses, is located on Third street, just south of Hampshire. This is one of the oldest and most solid firms in the West, having been established for many years. He furnishes em- ployment to fifteen men, three of whom are constantly engaged in travel- ing in the States of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. In addition to a full line of staple and fancy groceries he carries a large stock of tobacco.
S. E. Seger, well known in this vicinity as the pioneer grocer of Quincy, having been engaged in the business as far back as goes the mind of the oldest inhabitant, is still enjoying a splendid trade. He employs seven men, including three traveling salesmen, who all have large trades through Illinois and Missouri. His stock of groceries and liquors is second to none. His store is one of the largest and most commodious in the West.
Austin & Manson are still doing a splendid business at 317 Hampshire street, where they have been located for many years. They employ five men but do no traveling. The greater portion of their trade lies within one hundred miles of Quincy, while their home trade is envied them by many of the larger houses. Their store room is large and commodious, and is well filled with an extensive and carefully selected stock of goods.
The Oriental Tea Company was established in the Dutcher Block, on Hampshire street, the latter part of November, 1876, and has succeeded in building up a splendid trade. The firm does business, both wholesale and retail, upon a strictly cash basis. They buy for cash, and sell the same way. By so doing they are enabled to offer superior inducements to purchasers. The firm is a branch of a Chicago house.
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CONCLUS.ON. 1
CLOTHING.
Quincy has now some of the most extensive clothing houses of any city in the western country, and has merchants who have been engaged in the business for many years. They carry immense stocks with which to sup- ply their already large and rapidly increasing trade.
J. D. Levy & Co. still head the list, and are among the very largest dealers in clothing in the western country. They are still occupying the large four-story building, corner of Hampshire street and Market Square. They employ ten men and five or six traveling salesmen. Their trade lies in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. The firm are not only large dealers, but are extensive manufacturers, having one of the largest factories in the East. They import all fine goods direct, and have an office at Leipzig, Germany.
Joseph Stern & Sons, have one of the oldest and best clothing houses in the city. They began business here many years ago, and soon gained a large trade, which they have been adding to ever since. The firm have a large jobbing trade in Illinois and Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Their traveling salesmen are rapidly extending their trade.
Joseph Meyer is among the heaviest jobbers of clothing in the city. His jobbing trade is largely distributed over the States of Illinois and Missouri.
HATS AND CAPS.
In the hat and cap trade we have both dealers and manufacturers, who carry large and well-assorted stocks, that will compare with the first houses in the West. The merchants in this branch of business are both enterprising and energetic, and keep stocks fully equal to those carried by many of the eastern houses.
Wood Bros., the only exclusive jobbing house in the city, occupy the large storerooms in the wholesale block, Nos. 30 and 32 North Third street. The house was established in 1862. They rank among the very first of our jobbing houses, and carry as full a line of hats, caps, and gloves as can be found anywhere. They employ eight men, including five trav- eling salesmen. Their trade lies mostly in lowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illi- nois, and Nebraska.
Peter & Schnarr, wholesale dealers in hats, caps, straw goods, furs, gloves and mittens, 34 and 36 Third street. This house was established in 1868, and, through fair and honorable dealing, have worked their way up from a small retail store to one of the leading houses, in their line, in the West. Since Jan. 1, their sales have been largely in excess of any previous season. Their goods are to be seen with the best merchants in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.
BOOTS AND SHOES.
Quincy can boast of some of the largest and most complete boot and shoe houses of any city in the West, outside of Chicago. They are all of the very first order, carry large amounts of goods, and are directed by men having business experience.
Kingsbury, Blasland & Co., manufacturers and jobbers of boots and shoes, 30 and 32 Third street. Few cities in the West, Chicago and St. Louis excepted, can point to such an establishment as the wholesale boot and shoe house of Kingsbury, Blasland & Co., a firm consisting of A. B. Kingsbury, S. A. Blasland, and C. S. Wyckoff. The house was established
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
in 1840, by E. K. Stone. In 1855, A. B. Kingsbury became connected with the house, the firm being E. K. Stone & Co. In 1866, L. E. Kings- bury succeeded Mr. Stone, and the firm was changed to Kingsbury Bros., which continued until after the death of L. E. Kingsbury, in 1873, when the present firm was formed. They sell largely in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and are doing a large and prosperous business. Sales run from $400,000 to $500,000 per annum.
Upham, Gordon & Co., wholesale and retail dealers of boots and shoes, are located at 411 Hampshire street. This is the oldest boot and shoe house in the city, having been established by C. Brown Jr. & Co., in 1852. Mr. Gordon became a partner in the firm in 1871. They employ two traveling salesmen in the interest of the wholesale department. Sales, $150,000 a year.
BOOKS AND STATIONERY.
Dayton & Arthur, 426 and 428 Maine street, have the oldest, and the only wholesale book and stationery house in Quincy. It was established in 1837, by W. D. Skillman, and after having passed through several hands as a retail store, it was purchased in 1850 by J. R. Dayton, the senior part- ner of the present firm. It continued constantly to increase its business until 1868, when I. H. Arthur was admitted as a member of the firm, since which time the business has steadily increased. An extensive jobbing trade from Illinois and adjoining States, has made this house prominent among the business interests of the city.
DRUGS.
Sommer, Lynds & Co., wholesale druggists, Third street, north of Hampshire, is one of the heaviest drug houses in Illinois. Mr. Sommer started in the business in 1857. The firm located at their point in 1875. Their business requires five floors of a building 40 by 100 feet. Their trade extends as far as Western Kansas, and runs $300,000 a year.
Rogers & Montgomery, opposite, the park, on Hampshire street, started in the business in 1854. Their trade has grown each year. The jobbing department was established in 1861. They have a fine store, and trade in both departments is heavy.
HARDWARE AND IRON.
So constant has been the growth of the West, and so unceasing is the demand for material, tools, implements, etc., that it has required no little effort on the part of hardware and iron merchants to keep pace with the march of trade. The Quincy jobbers and dealers, however, have been found equal to the emergency, and their supplies have at all times been equal to the demand. Not only do they carry the requisite quality, but their stocks have been so satisfactory to interior merchants that trade in this line has marked a steady increase.
Coxe & Coxe, wholesale and retail dealers in shelf hardware, nails, axes, and cutlery. They have not only succeeded in holding their own, but have extended the trade until their traveling salesmen can now be found selling all through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. At present they give employment to eleven men, three of whom are constantly engaged in traveling over the States above named. This is one of the oldest houses in Quincy, having first been established by L. & C. H. Bull, in 1833, and has been a hardware honse ever since. They carry an assortment of goods second to none in the western country. Their four-story building with
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CONCLUSION.
warehouse attached, contains a full and complete stock of all goods usually found in a first-class house of this kind.
G. J. Cottrell is among the leading jobbers in the city. He employs nine men, two of whom are constantly upon the road and selling large quan- tities of goods in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. He carries a full line of shelf hardware and tinners' stock.
Lemley Bros. is another of the solid houses of Quincy. Their place of business is 217, 219 and 221 Maine street. They make a specialty of iron, steel, wagon and carriage wood material, and are the only house in the city dealing exclusively in this class of goods. Their store is a model of con- venience, having been built expressly for the purpose. There is a driveway entirely through the building, so that goods are handled but once instead of two or three times. They have everything necessary for the rapid trans- action of business. They employ eleven men, including two traveling salesmen.
H. & J. H. Tenk, wholesale and retail dealers in hardware, are still doing business at 512 Maine street. They carry a full line of shelf hard- ware, cement, belting, etc. They have a good jobbing trade in Missouri and Illinois.
PORK PACKING.
The first pork packer in Quincy was Capt. Pease, who in 1835 packed 3,000 hogs. From that time the business has grown until it has become one of the great hog markets of the West; and the business of packing and curing pork employs some of its most energetic men and a large amount of capital. About 75,000 hogs are packed in a season, distributed among five large concerns and some small ones. One firm alone, Smith & Farlow, kills 25,000 hogs a year.
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