The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II, Part 180

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co
Number of Pages: 1345


USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II > Part 180


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Messrs. Wechsler & Abraham have great faith in the future of Brooklyn, and in this confidence are ever ready to invest capital in improvements, and additional departments to their already immense stock. Their patrons are from the best of our county, and it is one of the sights of the city-an inspection of their bewildering assortment of a fine and well-selected stock.


Mr. Wechsler is of German descent, and came to America in 1850, and, previous to starting in his present location was a merchant on Myrtle avenue.


Mr. Abraham is a native of New York; after receiving a good business education, he entered a mercantile house in New York city. On reaching his majority he started in Brook- lyn, and although his first venture was made with gold


quoted at 208, and the market declining, it proved suc- cessful.


Messrs. Wechsler & Abraham are justly ranked among the few successful merchants of the country. Honorable and fair in all their dealings with the public, their past is a guarantee of increased prosperity in the future.


C. M. WEST, 251 Fulton street .- In 1856, G. P. Dickinson entered the dry goods trade at 351 Fulton, opposite Pierrepont street. In a year he associated C. M. West, under the name of Dickinson & West, which business relation lasted twenty- one years. Mr. West succeeded to the business, and removed to 251 Fulton. The house has a trade in dry goods strictly, and now has a stock of about $90,000, employing 25 men.


FREDERICK LOESER & CO .- This house was founded in 1860, by Mr. Loeser and Mr. Moritz Dinkelspiel, who began business in a small way, at No. 277 Fulton street, opening there a stock of worsteds, embroideries and trimmings. In 1863, Mr. J. W. Jones entered the firm, and a branch store was opened at No. 737 Broadway, New York. Three years after, Mr. Loeser sold his interest in the latter, and purchased the shares of his partners in Brooklyn, then introducing a general line of dry goods. In 1870, the store was removed to its present location, and Mr. Louis Liebmann was admitted to partnership; the firm was further increased by the addition of Messrs. Her- mann Liebmann and Gustav Loeser in 1872 and 1875 respec- tively. The house now ranks among the foremost in the city; its business has grown to vast proportions in response to the constant efforts of the firm to meet the wants of the public. A very heavy stock of goods is carried, while the annual sales exceed a million dollars, giving employment to 700 per- sons. Mr. Loeser's portrait and biography will be found on page 1104.


J. O'BRIEN .- In 1863, J. O'Brien, W. A. Papen, and Julius Meyer, established themselves in the dry goods business at 151 Atlantic avenue, under the firm name of J. O Brien & Co. In 1879, the junior partners retired, and J. O'Brien suc- ceeded. He now occupies five continuous stores which are filled with an extensive line of goods, including everything that people wear, besides carpets and upholstering goods. Mr. O'Brien has $300,000 capital employed, and his yearly sales foot up to nearly three-quarters of a million, while his employees number 150.


JAMES THORBURN .- Mr. Thorburn commenced in St. Louis in 1863, in the dry goods trade. Ten years later he removed to Brooklyn, and became one of the firm of Porter & Thor- burn, on Fulton street. In 1880, he established himself alone at 419 Fulton street. His stock contains only dry goods, with silks and dress goods a specialty. Thirty men are em- ployed, and the annual sales reach $225,000.


S. B. JONES, 309 Fulton street, established 1864, now em- ploys from 75 to 100 persons, and manufactures to the amount of $50,000 annually, with annual sales of $350,000.


S. WECHSLER & BRO .- Samuel and Herman Wechsler en- tered the mercantile business together in 1868, with a moder- ate capital. After occupying several different locations on Fulton street, they are now at 293. Their stock consists of dry goods, manufactured dresses, cloaks, underwear, etc., which are made up for the firm, under its immediate direc- tion. The capital employed in business is $200,000, and some 75 persons are retained in the house, besides the services of 200 sewing women outside,


1364


HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.


Among the other prominent firms in the dry goods line are:


H. Batterman 641 Broadway.


R. G. Collins


200 De Kalb ave.


Jeremiah Walsh 471 Manhattan ave.


H. G. Walters 161 Atlantic ave.


Established 1872.


T. A. & F. L. Newman 305 Fulton st.


James Haslehurst.


689 St. Mark's Place.


A. M. Jackson,


New Lots.


A. C. Keister Atlantic ave., E. N. Y.


Edward Milner 208 Rodney st.


W. S. Purdy 56 6th st.


D. E. Williams 267 Canal st.


J. F. White. 127 Smith st.


J. P. Friedman . New Lots.


On October 17, 1864, he was united by marriage to Miss E. Matilda, youngest daughter of Dr. Robert Waters, of New Utrecht, L. I. There were born to this marriage six children -three of whom are now living-the eldest a son, and two daughters; J. E., the son; daughters, Jessie M. and Mabel M.


In 1866, he became a resident of Brooklyn, and engaged in the floral business adjoining Greenwood Cemetery, his pres- ent place of business. It is, perhaps, needless to add that Mr. Weir has been eminently successful as a florist. The thou- sands upon thousands of people who annually visit that beauti- ful " city of the dead," Greenwood, and who pass Mr. Weir's charming conservatory, redolent with the perfumes of the rarest exotics and native flowers, find this one of the chief attractions of the Cemetery, which never fails to elicit the warmest admiration. From this conservatory, also, comes a large number of the exquisite wreaths and beautifully wrought designs which are used on funeral occasions, and which embellish many of the tombs in the great Cemetery near by. In the arrangement of the plants in Mr. Weir's conserva- tory one can not fail to observe the artistic skill in which


JAMES WEIR


J. WEIR


FLOR


OFFICE


JAMES WEIR'S CONSERVATORIES AND GREEN-HOUSES.


FLORISTS.


JAMES WEIR, JR., proprietor of one of the most extensive and beautiful conservatories or green-houses that adorn the grounds adjacent to Greenwood Cemetery, was born in England, October 17, 1843. His parents were James and Ann Weir, who came to this country in the year 1844, when the subject of this sketch was scarcely one year old, locating at Bay Ridge, L. I. His father and younger brothers are florists and nurserymen, possessing a practical, thorough and tasteful knowledge of that business. Young Weir attended the public schools of Brooklyn, and when old enough, he en- tered the Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute of that city, where he acquired a good and useful education.


He inherited from his father a natural love of the delight- ful occupation in which he is now engaged. His taste seemed to assimilate him with the work of cultivating flowers; accordingly, after leaving school he engaged witlı his father and brothers in their business, where he continued until the year 1861, when he began business for himself.


each plant is so placed in relation to another as to produce the most exquisite harmony of color and form, enhanced by the fine arrangement of the grand center, composed of rock work. Connected with his conservatory is a large florist's establishment, luxuriant with tastefully arranged beds of blooming plants and flowering shrubs.


In politics Mr. Weir has always been a democrat, and has generally taken an active interest in the success of his party. As a citizen, he is held in high esteem for the possession of those qualities of head and heart which naturally give men an elevated position in the community in which they live. In recognition of these qualities, he was elected a member of the Board of Aldermen of Brooklyn, two successive terms, 1880-1881 and 1882-1883. In 1883, he was honored with the position of Chairman of the Board, which renders him, in absence of the Mayor, Acting Mayor of the city.


Mr. Weir's religious sentiments attach him to the Episco- pal church, the church of his father, under whose teach- ings he came from his childhood, his youth, to his manhood, and to which he is strongly attached.


GENERAL TRADE AND MERCHANDISE.


1365


OFFICE


R. SHANNON.


RICHARD SHANNON'S GREENHOUSES.


RICHARD SHANNON, Florist .- We present, ahove, a view of the beautiful greenhouses of Mr. Shannon, on Fort Hamilton avenue, Flatbush, opposite the eastern entrance to Greenwood cemetery.


Mr. Shannon is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1837. He came to Boston in 1856, with a good knowledge of flori- culture, and, after spending six months as assistant gardener on the estate of the late Col. Thomas Handasyd Perkins, he became gardener for the Hon. Charles Francis Adams, at Quincy. He remained in Mr. Adams' employ till that gentleman sailed for England as Minister to the Court of St. James, in the spring of 1861. Thence he removed to New- port, R. I., where he was engaged in the same pursuit for about three years, when he came to New York, and in 1863-'4 made Brooklyn his home, at first dealing in flowers and plants at Fulton and Washington streets, but in 1865 removed to Greene avenue, near Franklin, where he erected a small greenhouse, leasing at the same time, with the privilege of purchase, ten city lots adjacent. The 7th and the north part of the 9th Wards (which four or five years later was divided into the 21st and 23d Wards) had just begun to grow at this time, and they have continued to grow ever since. New houses were constantly going up and requiring the laying out of gardens and grounds, and the people who inhabited these houses were enterprising and cultured families, to whom a good florist was as necessary as a good grocer. Mr. Shannon prospered; the single greenhouse multiplied to six, and his services and those of his men were in constant demand. In 1878 he determined to extend his business by erecting greenhouses opposite the eastern entrance to Green- wood, then recently opened. He secured a full acre of ground and has erected one building after another till now he has more than 10,000 square feet under glass, and has one of the most complete floral establishments in the vicinity of Greenwood. He has already many patrons among the lot owners, and it is a marked characteristic of the man that those who employ him once are very sure to continue to be his patrons. His collections of flowers, shrubs, and tropical


plants, hoth at Greenwood and at his Greene avenue houses, are very large and of great variety, and while not neglecting other plants and flowers he has given special attention to per- fecting his collection of fine roses and the best tropical plants.


The grounds of the well-known florist, JAMES DEAN, are situated at Third ave. and Sixty-sixth st., and comprise nearly three acres. In front is Mr. Dean's handsome resi- dence, and at the rear his eight large greenhouses, each 150 feet long, with boiler-house and all necessary appendages,


JAMES DEAN'S GREENHOUSES.


-


HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY


1366


including a wind-mill and tower for raising water. At the side are numberless cold-frames, handsome flower-beds and smooth lawn. The green-houses are well stocked with plants and flowers of all kinds, but Mr. Dean's specialty is roses, of which he has innumerable varieties, and on which he has taken many first premiums at New York Exhibitions. His roses are so well known that he has a large trade in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. He now employs eight men and two wagons in his business, which he commenced in 1865 on a small scale. Mr. Dean served in the war of the Rebellion in the 72d N. Y. Regt., under General Hooker, and was mustered out of the service with small means; but, by his industry and application to business he has built up and maintains a large and profitable trade.


Philip Zeh & Son 5th ave. cor., 23d st.


E. Kasold.


Henry, cor. 4th place.


Peter Mallon 473 Fulton st.


Thomas Poynter 668 Fulton st.


Florist. Est., 1864, in Brooklyn.


E. L. Rhoades


374 Gates ave.


Mrs. Carl Schmidt 233 Clinton st.


R. Shannon .343 Greene ave.


L. Schmitz. . Flatbush.


A. Walton. .505 Fulton st.


Frederick Weir. Bay Ridge.


J. Condon 734 5th ave. and 218 25th st.


John Stubbs


.585 Fulton st.


August Jahn 108 Broadway.


Florist. Est. 1872, at present location.


GROCERS, AND DEALERS IN TEAS, COFFEES AND SPICES.


There seems to be now no means of ascertaining who was the first man who embarked in the grocery trade in Brooklyn. It was the early custom for Brook- lynites to lay in their family supplies "across the water," as New York was familiarly referred to. In 1809, John C. Middleton kept a grocery at the junction of New and Old Ferry sts., and it is presum- able that he was thus engaged for some time afterward. Isaac Weeks and Teunis Johnson were prominent Brooklyn grocers in 1812, and Jacob Garrison and J. & S. Schenck in 1817. In the last mentioned year, John G. Pray opened a grocery at the corner of Main and Middagh streets, and another was established by Abraham D. Ostrander near the Navy Yard. Wil- liam R. Dean was added to the list of those engaged in this trade in 1820, and was still keeping a grocery, at the corner of Fulton and Sands streets, in 1828. A grocery was opened by Messrs. Hicks & Remsen in 1824, and another the following year by Messrs. Jones & Elbert. In 1827, the latter firm was succeeded by Henry Elbert. About this time the firm of Conklin & Tuthill was well known and it gave place to that of Raynor & Conklin in 1829. In connection with his old " stage house," near Fulton Ferry, early in the pre- sent century, John Bedell had a grocery. On the cor-


ner of Fulton street and a narrow lane, now called Eliza- beth street, a site which was cleared by a fire in 1814, a temporary structure was erected, which was occupied as a grocery until about 1832, when it gave place to the brick building, since known as Carll's stables. In the lower part of Fulton street, next door to Downing's " stage and livery stable," was the liquor and grocery store of Old Mr. Evert Barkeloo, which was also the office of the trustees of the town of Brooklyn, of which body Mr. Barkeloo was clerk during a portion of the first quarter of the present century. Upon the pur- chase of the old Rapelye house by Mr. Abraham Remsen, the latter tore it down and used a portion of the stone in the erection upon the same site of a brick and stone dwelling and store where he dealt in gro- ceries and other domestic merchandise. The site of that early store is now occupied by the splendid build- ing of the Long Island Safe Deposit Company. On the corner of Fulton and Hicks sts. was once the grocery of D. Pell, a low, one-story-and-a-half building. Passing np Fulton street, beyond the old Hicks mansion, another old-time grocery was approached. Here Mrs. Thomas kept " green groceries, candy and yeast," and was suc- ceeded in the same business by Mrs. Flowers. On the easterly corner of Fulton street and Poplar place (then known as "Buckbee's Alley), was the grocery and general store of Mr. Buckbee. Seventy years, or longer, ago, Adam Lippincott, and later, Jenkins & Lippincott kept a grocery on Fulton street, between Prospect and Sands streets.


A well-remembered grocery was that of Peter Cow- enhoven, located on Fulton street, near the corner of Cranberry, and kept in a building which had formerly been occupied as a paint-shop by old Matthew Hall. Two doors above Sands street, on the easterly side of Fulton, was the residence and grocery store of High Sheriff John Dean, father of Colonel Joseph Dean. Dean was a prominent politician in his time and was appointed sheriff in March, 1813. "Dean's Corners," as the locality was generally called, was a great rendez- vous for business and political gossip. A few doors further up the street was the grocery of Isaac Moser. An early landmark in that part of the town was Van Winkle's tavern and grocery on the north-east corner of Main and Water streets, and Peter Snyder kept a gro- cery on the south-east corner of the same streets. In 1815 there was a two-story frame grocery at the north- west corner of Front and Main streets, in which ex- Mayor Edward Copeland is said to have commenced business, and on the north-east corner of the same streets there was another grocery. A grocery was opened in Williamsburgh by John Skillman in 1818. The groceries of the early days differed materially from those of the present. Indeed, it is doubtful if many of the earlier ones were really groceries, pure and simple, the demands of the trade of that period necessitating the keeping of a more or less extensive and varied stock


1367


GENERAL TRADE AND MERCHANDISE.


of general merchandise, and the stores were more like the groceries in small towns of the present day than the large groceries to be seen every where in Brooklyn, involving the investment of large capital and the carry- ing of stocks of goods which in some cases aggregate several-fold the combined stock of the groceries above alluded to. Among the many engaged in the grocery trade in the city at this time, either as wholesale or retail dealers and on a larger or smaller scale, may be mentioned the following-named individuals and firms : Frederick Allers . 345 Court st.


J. H. Ashchoff 33 Smith st.


Julius Bauer


Fulton ave.


Wm. Busch


New Lots, L. I.


B. Bischoff


388 Court st.


J. M. Clapp


346 Atlantic ave.


Wm. Smith Carlisle ..


493 Fulton st.


Teas, Coffees and General Groceries; est., 1861, by him- self; capital employed about $30,000; number of em- ployees, 7; amount paid annually for salaries, $3,300; amount of sales per annum, about $190,000.


Campbell & Cleighton. .. 549 Fulton st.


Robt Carson


912 Fulton & 381 5th ave.


Clapp Bros.


.979 Fulton st.


Alex Carson


756 Myrtle ave.


Geo. Cunniff


16 Clinton st.


E. Carmundy


466 Bergen st.


Henry Carson


1205 Fulton St.


C. Dengel. . New Lots.


W. A. Forte


Gravesend.


William Gray


150 St. James PI.


Herman Gunter.


317 Court st.


Groceries; est. 1881; capital employed, about $4,000; amount paid annually for salaries, $1,000; amount of yearly sales, $25.000.


Simon Gunder 7 Douglass st.


John Gercken


Bath.


August Graw


Flatlands.


Abijah Haviland.


118 Bridge st.


Gilbert Hicks


Flatbush.


W. H. Harrison


585 Washington ave.


Robert W. Hawkins


1291 Fulton st.


M. Hanly 615 Myrtle ave.


William Irvine & Co .. .583 Grand & 515 Court st.


Groceries; came to America in 1869; worked as a clerk for two years, then formed a partnership with Wil- liam Johnston & Co., establishing themselves on the cor. of Court and 9th sts. In 1876, the firm dissolved and Mr. Irvine carried on the business alone until 1880, when his brother was admitted as partner, under the firm name of Wm. Irvine & Co., and a branch store opened on cor. of Grand & Humboldt sts. A branch store was also opened at 82 Fulton st., in 1883. Capital employed, $20,000.


Alex Irvine 515 Court st.


Oliver & James Johnston .. 553 Fulton st.


William Johnston .. . 691 Fulton st.


Groceries; established in New York; removing to Brooklyn in 1868; has 8 employees, paying them an- nually $4,000; amount of yearly sales, $125,000,


Geo. Lockitt & Sons 184 and 559 Fulton st., 607 De Kalb, 187 Myrtle, and 89 Atlantic avenne.


The senior member established his first store in 1852 at 187 Myrtle ave., afterwards another at 91 Atlantic ave., and a third at 549 Fulton street, and placed the three under the management of his sons Clement, Alfred and Theophilus respectively, while he attended to the finan- cial duties.


In 1868, he opened the store corner Fulton and Orange; and admitted his sons to partnership in 1870, un- der the present firm name. In 1872, the store on DeKalb ave. was opened ; in 1876, the large store at 559 Fulton st. was occupied. The three sons are members of the New York Produce Exchange. The business of the firm amounts to about $500,000 annually. George Lockitt died in 1883.


Daniel Lamberson 287 Conrt st.


F. Middendorf.


New Lots.


Henry C. Mangels


52 Union st.


Robert McKane


Gravesend.


W. C. Reamer


.368 Court st.


Stephen Stevenson . 110 Atlantic ave.


Groceries, Wines, Liquors, etc .; established in 1861, by H. Scranton, W. H. Otis, and S. B. Harriman, under the firm name of Scranton & Co .; capital employed, $40,000; number of employees, 10; amount paid an- nually for salaries, $6,000; amount of annual sales, $150,000.


Richard Slater Fort Hamilton.


George Self.


Bay Ridge.


E. H. Sayre.


29 Peck Slip, N. Y.


Lewis A. White


622 Myrtle ave.


D. J. Dann .500 5th ave.


J. J. Hillis.


544 5th & 648 Myrtle ave.


Wm. H. Sanford.


. 211 DeKalb ave.


James Fletcher


254 Withers.


Charles A. Thayer


206 Flatbush ave. and 451


Bergen street.


Dealer in groceries, fruits, meats, and other goods; es- tablished his business in 1883, and has a large store one hundred and nine feet long, extending from street to street.


The following mentioned houses may be regarded as in one important branch of the grocery trade, as they are dealers in teas, coffees and spices: John Baldwin & Sons. 292 and 372 Grand st.


John McGahie.


210 Myrtle ave. and 321


Columbia st.


H. Wischmann & Co.


. 78 Fulton st.


William Waring.


74 Fulton st.


PRODUCE, FLOUR AND FEED DEALERS AND WHOLESALE GROCERS.


It must be seen that the history of the business of handling produce in Kings county must be to a consid- erable degree coincident with that of the grocery trade. It had its beginning with the beginning of civilization in Brooklyn and vicinity, and assumed tan- gible shape long since, when Brooklyn was but a mere village, The old Brooklyn markets are elsewhere


1368


HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.


referred to. As elsewhere, produce was early handled at the general stores, and every merchant as well as every grocer of the earlier period of the commercial history of the city was in some sense a produce dealer. A few facts of interest in this connection, concerning several dealers in produce, flour, feed and kindred merchandise at this time, are given below. George W. Mumby, wholesale dealer in flour and grain, 140 Liv- ingston street, began business in 1846 at 59 Fulton st.,


J


N


BROTHERS:


WHOLESALE GROCERS


JOHNSTON BROTHERS


553:FLOUR EMPORIUM:555


N FERRY


JOHNSTON BROTHERS, 553 and 555 Fulton Street.


as a retail dealer in flour, removing to his present location in 1876 and increasing his trade till it is now very extensive. He is a member of the New York Produce Exchange, and enjoys the distinction of having been the first man to tap the Brooklyn city water works, May 24th, 1858. Jacob E. Colyer, 46-50 Flatbush ave., dealer in flour, feed, hay, etc., was born in Jerusalem, L. I., in 1839, and established his business in Brooklyn in 1859. Henry Glasser, 86 De Bevoise st., Brooklyn, E. D., produce commission dealer, is well known both as a business man and prominent citizen, and also a military man, having served as colonel and


GROCERS


JOHNSTON BROTHERS


FLOUR


STAPLE & FANCY GROCERIES BESTILTEAS ANDICOFTECS


JOHNSTON BROTHERS, Myrtle Avenue, cor. Cumberland Street.


chief of artillerists of the 2d Division, N. G., S. N. Y., under Gen. Dakin, in 1876, and as a member of the Brook- lyn Board of Education, 1878-'81. His business was es- tablished in 1861 at the foot of North Second street, and subsequently removed to its present locality. William K. Voorhees, member of the New York Produce Ex- change and of the Manhattan Hay and Produce Ex- change, and dealer in flour and feed, 79 La Fayette ave., was born in Flatlands, L. I., and established his


business in Brooklyn, at 103 Flatbush ave., in 1865. John H. Fort is a member of the firm of Marsh, White & Co., long prominently identified with the grain and milling interests of Brooklyn. This firm began busi- ness in New York in 1868, and were succeeded by two of their oldest and most trusted clerks, John H. Fort and George T. Bowler, who are members of the firm as present organized and which retains the old style of Marsh, White & Co., its business being located at the foot of North Fifth st., Brooklyn, E. D., to which


COURT ST


JOH


TON


BROTHERS


WHOLESALE


KRETAIL


JOHNSTON BROTHERS


GROCERS


ER


WECHOICETS


SOUTHERN JVE STERM FLOUR


DIRECION EMILL'S


"THELOWET MARKET


PRICES.


GROCF


JOHNSTON BROTHERS, Court Street, cor. Baltic Street.


place it was removed in 1875. Henry O. Collard, grain dealer, 116 President st., is a native of Brooklyn, and has been a member of the Board of Supervisors from the 6th Ward.


The firm of Johnston Brothers was formed on May 1, 1882, consisting of James and Oliver Johnston, each of whom had been in the business for about ten years; previous to that date had started and operated stores at different times and places throughout Brooklyn. Their present principal store at 553 and 555 Fulton street, is the largest of its kind in the city, having a frontage of 50 feet on Fulton street, 50 feet on De Kalb avenue, and 100 feet depth. They have also a branch


WHOLESALER


TIAL


JOHNSTON BROTHERS


GROCERS


JOHNSTON BROTHERS, Fulton Street, cor. Clermont Avenue.


store, corner Myrtle avenue and Cumberland street, 30x80; one on Fulton street, corner Clermont avenue, 40x90 feet; and one at Gravesend, L. I. In these stores they give em- ployment to about 30 men, and keep 16 horses and 10 wagons. The members of the firm were born in the county of Fer- managh, in the north of Ireland; came to this country when about 16 years old. They commenced as clerks in their present business, and by perseverance and close attention, they were enabled in a few years to start in a small way for themselves, which they kept steadily increasing until they united and formed the present firm, and to-day they are the leading




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