USA > Indiana > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Indiana, from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches > Part 32
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Oren Huntington, from Mass., came to Richmond in Sept., 1831, and went the next year to Anderson, where he was for 6 years successfully engaged in the mercantile business. He returned in 1838; engaged the next year as clerk for Samuel Fleming, a son of Judge Peter Fleming; and in 1840, in company with Nathan Wilson, bought Fleming's stock in trade, which, a year or two afterward, they sold to Cook and Siddall. In or about the year 1844, he resumed trade, and in 1845, sold his goods to Joseph P. Strattan for a farm a few miles north of Richmond. After a few years of farming, he exchanged his farm with Benj. Fulghum for his brick house, corner of Main and Franklin streets, which had been fitted up for a public house. He soon remodeled the house, and es- tablished a first-class hotel, known as the Huntington House, of which he is still the owner.
Benjamin Strattan, from -, came when a youth, and served several years as a clerk for J. P. Strattan & Co., and afterward for Strattan & Reid, then in Morrisson's building, corner of Main and Pearl streets. In or about the year -, he bought the goods of his brother, Joseph P., then sole pro- prietor, and subsequently the building of Morrisson. Ile continued in business, alone and in partnership, many years,
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and retired to a country seat and farm 3 miles east of the city, where he was for several years farmer and horticultur- ist. In 186-, he sold his farm, returned to the city, and is again in the mercantile business.
Joseph W. Gilbert, from Pa., came to Richmond in 1835, and commenced the mercantile business on Main street, be- tween Marion and Pearl, and discontinued the business in or about 1852. In 1855, he built the brick block on what is known as Gilbert's corner. During a part of the time he was in trade, he also kept a public house. Ile was also for twenty-eight years a mail-contractor and large stage pro- prietor, having lines running to Dayton, Indianapolis, Wa- bash, and other places. He resides in the city, and is 72 years of age.
Division of Business-Drug Stores, Bookstores, Hardware Stores.
The natural result of the increase of population and trade in Richmond and the surrounding country, was the division of business. The time was at hand when silks and iron, laces and fish, pins and crow-bars, pork and molasses, tea and tar, were not all to be had at every store. As early as 1825, Warner & Morrisson [Dr. Warner and Robert Morrisson] ad- vertised "Drugs and Medicines, Oils, Paints, Dye-stuffs, Patent Medicines, &c., &c." But the era in trade alluded to can not, perhaps, be properly said to have commenced so early. The first store confined to a separate branch of trade, and comprising a considerable stock of goods, was a Drug Store, established by Irvin Reid, in 1833; embracing, besides drugs and medicines, those articles usually accompanying, as paints, oil, dye-stuffs, &c., and an assortment of Books and Stationery. After a few years he dropped the book business, and continued the drug business until 1852. He then sold out, bought the farm of Edmund Evans, his father-in-law, near the city, to which he removed. In 1859, having sold his farm in parcels to German immigrants, he returned to the city, and engaged in the Hardware trade, which is still con- tinued under the firm of Irvin Reid & Son.
In 1836 or 1837, Jesse Stanley established a Bookstore, which he continued but a short time. After Stanley, Will-
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iam R. Smith and Swain kept a bookstore. Benjamin Dug- dale, whether before or after Stanley, has not been ascertamed, established a bookstore, which was continued by him for many years until his death, and by his sons for some years after.
The first independent Grocery Store, says Dr. Plummer, was commenced in 1838, by Haines & Farquhar. ; In 1846, Benton & Fletcher established a Hardware Store. They dissolved partnership and divided the stock, Benton continuing at the stand of the firm, now Citizens' Bank corner, and Fletcher removing to the west side of Main street, between Pearl and Marion.
Innkeepers.
It is related of Jeremiah Cox, that he had at first regarded with disfavor the scheme of building up a town ; and he is said to have remarked, that he " would rather see a buck's tail than a tavern sign." If he spoke in reference to the effects of this " institution" upon the morals and prosperity of some com- munities, the remark was not an unwise one. His sincerity was evident from the fact, that he did not make his addition to the town plat until two years after the date of Smith's survey, or two years after Philip Harter had a sign swinging near a log building on lot 6, South Pearl street. Another early tav- ern was kept at the north-east corner of Main and Pearl, sign of a "green tree," by Jonathan Bayles, and another, of later date, on Front street, near the south-west corner of Main, by Ephraim Lacey. Harter soon afterward kept a tavern at the corner of North Pearl and Main, where the Citizens' Bank now stands, then called Harter's corner. Another tavern was kept on Gilbert's corner, north-west corner of Main and Marion, first, it is believed, by Abraham Jeffries, afterward by several different persons.
Richard Cheeseman was an early settler, lived on South Front street, kept a tavern several years, and removed to Center township, where he died. William, a nephew, re- mained in Richmond, and married a Miss Moffitt. Both, it is believed, are living. John Baldwin, an original Carolinian, early kept a tavern and store at the Citizens' Bank corner. He went west, and became a trader with the Indians. Their sav-
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
age nature having at one time been excited by liquor which he had sold them, they scalped, or partially scalped, him alive ; but he survived the operation. He returned to the county, and died six miles north of Richmond, in 1869. Next to Baldwin, Wm. II. Vanghan occupied the stand for several years, and the tavern was discontinued. Vanghan had previously kept for a time the Lacey stand on Front street. Patrick Justice early kept a tavern on North Front street, near Main, for sev- eral years. He afterward kept a public house which he built in 1827, near the extreme limits of the town, now the south- east corner of Main and Fifth streets. He removed from the county ; and the house, after having been used as a tavern a few years longer, was turned to mechanical uses.
Benj. Paige, a New Englander, father of Ralph Paige, now a merchant in Main street, kept a tavern previously to 1830, at the corner originally owned by John C. Kibbey, an early inn- keeper, and known as Meck's corner, north-east corner of Main and Marion. Abraham Jeffries had a tavern on Gilbert's cor- ner; kept it some years, and was succeeded by Joseph An- drews, a brother-in-law, who died soon after.
Mechanics.
BLACKSMITHS .- John Hunt is said to have been the first blacksmith in Richmond. He built a shop on Sonth Front street, east side, in 1816. Lewis Burk ent in one day the logs for the building, including the ribs and weight poles, on Smith's land about two squares east, for 75 cents, the job being considered about three days' work. John MeLane was proba- bly the next blacksmith (some think the first) in the town. He and his son John, and Isaac Jackson, were the principal smiths until after 1820. He was a member of the first board of trustees of the town, elected in 1818. Lewis Burk, about the year 1817, commenced the business 23 miles south of town, and afterward worked as journeyman and in his own shop about twelve years. He was heard to say, while in business in Main street, that he had ironed a wagon for Wm. Mitchell, an carly settler near New Paris, O., for which he received 1,800 pounds of dressed pork, at $1 per hundred, and sold it to Sam- uel W. Smith at the same price.
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CITY OF RICHMOND.
Archibald Wasson, an early settler near Ohio line, removed to town, in 1829, and carried on the blacksmithing business for many years: Jehiel, a son of his, came in 1831, and worked at the same business several years, on Main street, east side of the town. John H. Thomas came from Delaware with a young family, and has worked at blacksmithing ever since. George McCullongh, about the same time from the same place, carried on the business many years, on Franklin street, near Main ; af- terward became a partner in the firm of Horney & Co., in the manufacture of plows, near the railroad depot. He was for sev- eral years foreman in the iron department. In 1865, he re- ceived a severe injury, which for a long time disqualified him for labor. He is still connected with the firm above men- tioned.
David Maulsby, from Maryland, about 1830, purchased on Pearl and Spring streets. He carried on his trade successfully for a number of years, and retired, leaving the business in the hands of his only son, John L. Maulsby. He died soon after, suddenly, of apoplexy.
Mordecai Parry, a brother of William, was for many years a blacksmith in Richmond. By industry and frugality while at his trade, and by the subsequent economical management of his affairs, he has been successful in his acquisitions.
CARPENTERS .- The first carpenter in Richmond is supposed to have been Stephen Thomas, who was followed, within a few years, by Peter Johnson, Joshua and Benjamin Albertson, Evan Chapin, and Mark Reeves, father of Mark E. and James E. Reeves. Thomas Stafford, who lived on Middle Fork, built several houses in the town. Charles Cartwright came in early, and was an extensive house builder. Hle married a Miss Till, whose mother was an early settler. They removed to the West. John Hughes, from Pennsylvania, a carpenter, worked at his trade in Richmond many years, and built a house on Marion street, north of Main, where he died in 1869. David Vore, also from Pa., came soon after Hughes; married, and settled on Main street, where he early built a brick house. He was a carpenter, and worked at his trade until his death, in 1866.
CABINET-MAKERS .- Nathan Morgan, from N. J., was an carly
27
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
cabinet-maker, and for many years the principal undertaker in the town and vicinity. He conveyed, in his plain Dearborn wagon, the remains of rich and poor to their burial places. He owned a stone house on Pearl street, which is yet standing, and said to be the only stone building in Richmond. David Hook, an early cabinet-maker, carried on business a number of years. He was an esteemed citizen, and died many years ago. Some of his descendants reside in Richmond. Jonas Gaar had a cabinet-shop at the south end of Front street. He is now senior partner of the firm of Gaar, Scott & Co., of the Gaar Machine Works.
Abraham Phillips, from Pa., in 1838, established a shop in South Pearl street; afterward removed to west side of Main street, a few doors east from the corner of Marion, where he soon after [1840] erected the building still owned by him, and occupied by James Elder as a bookstore. In 1856, he and James M. Starr built the hall nearly opposite. Having leased his interest in the hall to Starr, it was called "Starr Hall," until January, 1865, when Phillips bought Starr's interest ; since which it has been known as " Phillips' Hall."
TAILORS .- Among the early mechanics in Richmond was Henry Burnham, a tailor, near the junction of Pearl and Front streets. Robert Dilhorn, a tailor, early from the East to Cincinnati, whence he was " wagoned up" by the assist- ance of the Friends. He settled on Middle Fork, and soon after removed to Richmond. He pursued his business until his decease many years ago. Henry Dunham, from Ohio, came about the year 1822 or 1823, and carried on the tailor- ing business a number of years, and died. John Lowe came early ; worked a long time as a journeyman tailor, and mar- ried a daughter of Levi Johnson. His wife died six or eight years ago. He resides in Richmond.
Isaac E. Jones came from Ohio in 1824. He carried on the tailoring business several years. He afterward, in com- pany with Warner M. Leeds, his brother-in-law, built a saw- mill and other machinery near where Nixon's paper mill is. He was also the founder, though on a comparatively small scale, of the Spring Foundry, now the " Gaar Machine Works."
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CITY OF RICHIMOND.
John II. Hutton also was one of the early tailors; but has since been in several different kinds of business, as will be seen hereafter.
Harmon B. Payne came from Ohio when a youth, and worked at tailoring. After he had arrived at manhood he married Amy Pryor, and continued to work at his trade for several years. He is now a practicing lawyer in Richmond. Abraham Earnest, early from Ohio, was a tailor, and followed his trade successfully for many years. He married a dangh- ter of Daniel Ward, an carly settler on the headwat rs of Middle Fork. He has also been, at different times, in the grocery trade, and the hat and cap trade, and is at present a broker. Samuel E. Iredell, a tailor, came when a young man, and married a Miss Suffrain ; was successful in business many . years, and engaged in farming in the vicinity of Richmond, and died in 1865, leaving a wife and a number of grown children.
SILVERSMITHIS, WATCH-MAKERS, ETC .-- John M. Laws came- from Philadelphia, and engaged as a journeyman watch- maker-name of his employer not remembered. After he- had worked a while at his trade, he married Joanna, a daugh- ter of Joseph P. Plummer, and soon after engaged in mer- chandising, which he continued many years. Ten or twelve years ago, he connected with his business the wool trade, which he continued with his son, Joseph P., near the depot, under the firm of Laws & Son, until his death, in 1868. The son died a few weeks before.
James Ferguson, from New Paris, Ohio, was for many years a watch-maker and silversmith in town; married a daughter of Jeremy Mansur, and removed to Indianapolis, where he has been successful in business. He is extensively engaged in the pork trade.
Charles A. Dickinson, son of Solomon Dickinson, from Philadelphia in 1821, after having served his apprenticeship with John M. Laws, above noticed, carried on the watch and jewelry business until 1867. It is continued by his son, Henry C. Dickinson. Robert B., brother of Charles A., is in the same business.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
CHAIR-MAKERS .- Elijah H. Githens, a native of N. J., came to Richmond from Ohio, in 1833, and carried on the chair- making business until 1847. After an absence of about a year, he returned to Richmond, and was eight or nine years in the grocery trade ; then in the dry goods business in Iowa four years ; returned to Richmond, and resumed the grocery business, having also a dry goods store in New Paris, Ohio, and another at Mendota, Illinois, nine years. He con imies the grocery business at his store building, south side of Main street, between Marion and Franklin. He built a frame dwelling in 1833 on Fifth street, where now stands the elegant residence of J. Milton Gaar. He built his store in 1840.
Griffith D. Githens, a brother of Elijah, also a chair- maker, came with or soon after his brother; married a daugh- ter of John Page, and continued his business until 1869, . when he removed to Indianapolis.
Elisha Fulton was an early chair-maker in Richmond. Removed to another county, and died October 23, 1866.
HATTERS .- Eli Brown, from N. C., in 1815, was the first, and for several years the only hatter in Richmond. The reader probably remembers that the vicinity of "Beard's Hat Shop" was one of the places in Carolina from which Whitewater was originally peopled. Although the hats the settlers brought from that famed shop had been made with a view to long service, which indeed they had performed, the time had come when not a few of them needed substitutes. And as Friend Brown had learned his trade from Beard him- self, his advent must have been highly gratifying to the settlers. Nor is it probable that he had occasion to regret . his opportune settlement among them. In 1828, he com- meneed the mercantile business, which he continued several years. About the year 1863, he removed to a farm, 23 miles north-west from Richmond, where he died in 1867, aged about 75 years.
Not long after Brown, about 1820, came Caleb Shearon, from Maryland, who commenced the same business. He sue- ceeded in accumulating a handsome estate to be divided among his children. He died about the year 1850.
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CITY OF RICHIMOND.
John Suffrins, as has been already stated, was an early merchant, and afterward went into the hat-making business. Ile is still a dealer in hats and caps on Main street, between Pearl and Marion, and is probably the oldest business man in the city. He came in 1818.
SADDLERS AND HARNESS-MAKERS .- Achilles Williams, from N. C., came to Richmond in the autumn of 1818, and estab- lished himself in business as a saddler and harness-maker, the first of that trade in the town. He continued the busi- ness many years, and engaged in other pursuits. [Sk.] Na- thaniel Lewis, between the years 1820 and 1830, occupied as a saddle shop, a long one-story frame building on the south- west corner of Main and Marion streets-now Ralph Paige's corner.
John Brady, a y ung man, from Ohio, a saddler by trade, married a Miss Wright, and for some time carried on busi- ness in town, and held the office of justice of the peace. Hle removed to Marion, Indiana, and is still living. Wmn. L. Brady, his brother, came when a youth, about the year 1826, and served an apprenticeship with his brother John ; and has sinee carried on, successfully, the saddle, harness, and trunk trade to the present time. He married Susan, daughter of David Hoover, and pure ased a residence on North Pearl street, where he has since resided-about forty years.
TANNERS .- The first tannery in Richmond was established in 1818, by John Smith, to give employment to Joseph Wil- mot, an Englishman, who had early emigrated to Cincinnati, and was in search of a location. Robert Morrisson established another the same year.
John Finley, whose name appears somewhat conspicuous in this history, undertook the management of Smith's tannery several years after it was established; but after " running " it a single season, he abandoned it. Daniel P. Wiggins, from Long Island, N. Y., came to Richmond in 1823. Being a tanner. Morrisson employed him to take charge of his tan- nery, and, a few years after, admitted him as a partner. Walter Legg and John Wilcoxen worked in the yard. Wig- gins and his sons afterward purchased the tannery built by Smith, and the Morrisson tannery was discontinued. The
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
former is still in possession of the Wiggins family, and has been much enlarged and improved. Its present proprietors are Stephen R., Charles O., and John D. Wiggins. They also carry on extensively the manufacture of saddles, harness, and horse-collars.
In July, 1857, Job Curme and his son Arthur A., com- meneed a trade in leather and findings, at old No. 11 South Pearl street. The next year they commenced the tanning business near the Bush mill, with one vat. In 1860, Job Curme sold his interest to Isaac D. Dunn; and the store was removed to 47 Main street, and the tannery to its present location, on Washington and Cliff streets. In 1865, Andrew J. Coffman and Dewitt C. Me Whinney became partners-firm name, Curme, Dunn & Co., and their store was soon after re- moved to its present location, 297 Main street, with John J. Harrington as partner. This concern is extensively engaged in the manufacture of leather and horse-collars. It gives em- ployment to about 25 men, nearly half of them at making collars, of which 1,500 dozen are made in a year; and there are 100 vats in the tannery.
SHOEMAKERS .- Among the carly shoemakers in Richmond was Patrick Justice, elsewhere mentioned as a tavern-keeper. Jonathan Moore, quite a young man, from his father's home, 23 miles south-east of town, as early as 1829, set up a shoe- shop on the north-east corner of Main and Fifth streets, where the Tremont House now stands, then at the extreme border of the town. His wife died a few months after mar- riage, and in a few years he married a second. He has con- tinued in business without interruption for more than forty years.
Owen Edgerton, early from Carolina, worked many years at shoemaking. In 1866, he retired, and transferred his busi- ness to his faithful journeyman, a colored man, and is still living at the age of about four-score years. Joseph Ogborn, also an early shoemaker in Richmond, retired after many years, and died in 1869.
WAGON-MAKERS .- One of the early mechanics of Richmond, and probably the first wagon-maker, was Adam Boyd, who came about the year of the incorporation of the town, 1818.
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CITY OF RICHMOND.
He was also a justice of the peace. He lived near where Pearl Street Methodist Church now stands.
At a later date came Anthony Fulghum, from N. C., who had his shop at the north-west corner of Main and Marion streets, since known as Gilbert's corner. He lived but a few years after he came ; and the business was continued by his son Benjamin a number of years. This corner being desired for a tavern stand, Fulghum bought a lot on the south-east corner of Main and Franklin streets, now the Huntington House corner, where he built a frame shop and dwelling, and carried on business extensively, especially in the making of carriages, many being made for the Friends in a peculiar style, not easily described on paper. Noted as these good people are for their adherence to carly customs, their " old style" carriages have-whether from necessity or other causes we know not-been superseded by those of modern construc- tion and in common use. Fulghum removed long ago to Jackson township, near Cambridge City, where he now resides.
Samuel Lippincott commenced carriage-making in 1840, corner of Main and Franklin streets; building now owned by Vaughan Brothers. He removed to Marion street, west side, near Main, and thence to Indianapolis, where he now resides.
POTTERS .- Potters were among the carly mechanics of Richmond. A pottery was built on South Front street, and is said to have been occupied by Eleazar Hiatt, Isaac Bee- son, Geo. Bell, a mulatto, and John Scott. The last died of cholera in 1833. Samuel and Edward Foulke, young men, settled carly in Richmond, and carried on successfully the potter's trade, and closed their business. Samuel re-estab- lished himself in the business at Indianapolis, and Edward returned to Ohio. Samuel returned to Richmond, and re- tired from business. There has been no pottery in Rich- mond for many years.
MISCELLANEOUS .- Solomon Dickinson, a tinsmith, from Philadelphia, in 1821, settled on Front street, near Ezra Bos- well's, where he resided until his death. His shop was on Main street, between Marion and Pearl. He was also a dealer in stores. After his death the business was continued by
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Edmund Dickinson, a son, at present a gunsmith, near the north-west corner of Main and Front streets. Solomon, another son, is in the grocery trade. Two other sons were Charles A. and Robert B.
Andrew Reid, a brother of Daniel Reid, was the first gun- smith. His shop was near Boswell's, a daughter of whom he married. He removed from the county many years ago.
Charles Newman, from Pa., early set up a turning shop on Franklin street, north of Main, where he still continues the business, having in the meantime improved his establish- ment.
Matthew Rattray, a native of Scotland, and a weaver, came in 1822, and had a shop on South Front street. He married a Miss Cheeseman ; lived on Front street, and retired long since. They are still living on North Franklin street.
Lewis Baxter, an early settler, a brick-layer and stone- mason, married a Miss Miller, whose parents lived a few miles north-west of town. He is yet living on his old home- stead on Front street.
Samuel Senix, from Delaware about 1830, with a wife and small family, soon purchased in the suburbs of the town, on Main street ; has been an industrious mechanic, and is still living in Richmond.
BREWER .- The first brewery in Richmond was commenced by Ezra Boswell, about the time the town was incorporated. Ilis shop, from which he supplied the citizens of the town and country with beer and cakes, was on Front street, north of Main. It was much frequented by the citizens and by the country people who came to town on business-beer being then deemed a wholesome beverage. Boswell was a respect- able man, and a member of the first board of trustees of the town, elected after its incorporation.
Christian Buhl, direct from Germany, came to Richmond as early as 1830, established a brewery on Main street, west side of the town, near the National bridge. It was exten- sively patronized, not only by the citizens, but by travelers and emigrants passing near it. At nearly every raising one or more kegs or buckets of Buhl's beer were drunk. The stream of small coin constantly flowing into his money
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