The only listing in this book named "Philadelphia" is the Philadelphia
Tapestries Mill. As for hosiery: Allegheny Hosiery Mills AND Thomas Buck
Hosiery Co. I am only 1/4 of the way typing the book and have 250
businesses listed. I will probably run across more hosiery mills/dealers.
This book was printed by The National Wholesale Dry Goods Association. It
does not list every fashion related business but does include other
manufacturers of scissors, hooks-and-eyes, etc.. With this book I don't
know what type of business except if mentioned in the business title. This
project will take years to find out what kind of businesses these are.
Sometimes it might call for trips to the cities to research records.
Earlier this month in South Carolina I was doing research for genealogy and
the SC/NC textile mills. I pulled probate records on my g-grandfather
Usher. When the clerk handed me the records, they were about 3" thick. The
other records pulled were about 1/3" thick. Some of the his papers were
fragile and I handed them to the clerk to copy. G. Usher was murdered in
1902 and I thought maybe they were so thick because of details of the
murder. The clerk was giggling while photocopying these records. I came
out and she had some other clerks and attorneys looking at the records.
Generally there is a list of household property to be sold to settle the
deceased debts. In G-Usher's list was large amounts of muslin, 100+ prs. of
shoes, etc. I asked to look at some of his records and discovered that he
owned a dry goods store. The 100+ shoes was listed as part of his store's
merchandise inventory. On my last day in the trip, I went back to the Admin
bldg. to see if I could find out the name his store via tax records, etc.
The person I needed to talk with had left early. His assistant told me to
check with building and zoning. I to the office and asked if they had
records for a 1902 dry goods store. Okay, the whole office was laughing
then. They asked what is a dry goods store. I explained. Then they told
me to go back archives and ask for the person that I had missed. All is not
lost... I stayed an extra day to meet with this man in archives. Now I have
them feeling guilty...the asst. said she would have him pull the records and
copy them for free.
My mother's grandfather also owned a dry goods store around the same time
frame in central Alabama. She lives in that area. I am going to ask if she
can find an inventory list in his probate records. I have been researching
dry goods stores for the past two years or so. I was thrilled to find an
inventory of a dry goods stores.
Penny Ladnier,
Owner, The Costume Gallery Websites
www.costumegallery.com
www.costumelibrary.com
www.costumeclassroom.com
www.costumeencyclopedia.com
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