Part 3 (1/2)

Upon the occasion of celebrating the laying of the cornerstone of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Baltimore, July 4, 1828 (a great event in the annals of the city), the exhibition of trades was a most prominent feature of the immense procession, and none made a finer display than the hatters. George Rogers commanded that division, a description of which is thus given in the Baltimore _Gazette and Daily Advertiser_ of July 5, 1828: ”The hatters' car was drawn by four horses, showing the men at work in the several stages of hat-making.

The group attracted much attention; they carried a banner with a white ground, and on the s.h.i.+eld was a beaver resting on a scroll bearing the motto: 'With the industry of the beaver we support our rights,'

crossed with implements of the trade, the whole supported by the motto: 'We cover all.'”

Bazil Sollers commenced business in 1799 at No. 68 Market street, a location on the north side of the street, four doors east of what is now Holliday street. In 1803 he removed to No. 22 Market street, also on the north side, four doors west of Harrison street; this latter place was previously occupied by Brant & Hobby as a hat store in 1801, and by Stansbury & Hobby in 1802. Mr. Sollers continued in business on Market street until the year 1831, when he removed to North Gay, No.

15, on the northwest corner of Front street. His factory was on East, now Fayette street, three doors east of Lemon street. Mr. Sollers continued in the manufacturing business until about the year 1840.

James Gould & Co. started hat-manufacturing at No. 3 Water street in the year 1802. Water street at that time was numbered from Calvert to South street, subsequently from South to Calvert, and lately renumbered as formerly. No. 3, the second building from Calvert, is now occupied by J. E. Warner & Co., commission merchants. In 1807 Joseph c.o.x succeeded to the business of James Gould & Co., and kept a retail store on the corner of South and Water streets. Mr. c.o.x had the reputation of making a superior cla.s.s of hats, excelled by no manufacturer in the country, selling at both wholesale and retail.

Requiring more extensive accommodations, he located his factory on the corner of Little Water and Calvert streets, where now stands the large warehouse of Keen & Hagerty, tinware manufacturers. In 1829, disposing of his hat business to Boston & Elder, he a.s.sociated with himself his son James, the firm becoming ”James c.o.x & Son, dealers in hatters' furs and wools,” at No. 1 South Liberty street. In latter years, the members of this firm having acquired a competency, retired from business.

Joseph Pearson was established as a hat manufacturer in 1809, having his shop on Green, now Exeter street, Old Town. He changed his business in the year 1824 to that of dealer in furs, for which Baltimore in early days was a good market, the _catch_ of the trappers of the Alleghanies and of the pioneers of the new West finding their way to Baltimore, and the otter and muskrat of lower Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina also coming in large quant.i.ties to this market. The fur business of Baltimore was then of sufficient importance for Jacob Astor to make Mr. Pearson his representative agent. In latter years the firm became Joseph Pearson & Son, dealers in hatters' furs and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, at 260 Baltimore street. All the members of this firm being dead, Edward Connolly, who was in their employ, succeeded to the business, afterwards changing it to a general hat-jobbing business, which is still conducted by Edward Connolly & Son at 207 W. Baltimore street.

John Amos was a well known and respected hatter of Old Town, who commenced business as early as the year 1809 at No. 39 Bridge street, on the north side of the present North Gay street, between High and Exeter. His ”back shop,” or factory, was on Hillen street. He continued business during the period of thirty years at the same place, and died in 1847 at the age of 67.

PATRIARCHS OF THE TRADE.

No. 7.

Gleaning more closely in the historic field of the early part of the century, others are found whose enterprise contributed largely to this important industry of Baltimore, and whose successful prosecution of the hat business maintained the credit and position won by their predecessors.

In the year 1814 Runyon Harris erected a large hat factory on Fish, now Saratoga street. This building was about one hundred and twenty-five feet in length and two and a half stories high.

The business of this establishment was carried on under the style of ”The Baltimore Hat Manufacturing Co.” While evidence cannot be given, it may be inferred that Mr. Harris must, before this date, have been engaged elsewhere in the city in the manufacture of hats, as others entering into business about this time are known to have been apprenticed to Mr. Harris.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ye old Hat Factory of Runyon Harris Balto. Erected in 1814]

In 1817 Aaron Clap & Co. commenced the retail hat business at 146 Market street, on the north side, five doors east of St. Paul street, and probably identical with the present 104 East Baltimore street, recently occupied by John Murphy & Co., Publishers.

Messrs. Clap & Co. having secured a good location by purchasing the factory of Runyon Harris, engaged extensively in the manufacturing business, which was continued by their several successors down to the year 1864, when results of the civil war (so disastrous to Maryland's manufacturing industries) caused its temporary abandonment, but the enterprise established by Messrs. Aaron Clap & Co. has, by an unbroken series of firms, continued to the present time, being now represented by Brigham, Hopkins & Co.

In 1817 Henry Lamson kept a first-cla.s.s retail hat store at No. 5 South Calvert street, the locality now the southwest corner of Carroll Hall building. In 1822 the firm of Aaron Clap & Co. and Henry Lamson consolidated, making the firm Lamson & Clap, and continuing the retail business at No. 5 South Calvert street, in connection with manufactory. Mr. Lamson in 1827 went to the West Indies in search of health, and died on the island of St. Thomas. He was a gentleman of much social refinement, and was held in high esteem as a citizen.

In the year 1827 the firm of Lamson & Clap was dissolved by the death of Mr. Lamson, and Mr. Wm. P. Cole was admitted, the firm becoming Clap, Cole & Co. After the death of Mr. Clap, which occurred in 1834, his widow's interest was retained and the firm was changed to Cole, Clap & Co.; following this, Mrs. Clap retired and Mr. Hugh J. Morrison became a member of the firm, which was made Cole & Morrison. In 1842 Thaddeus and William G. Craft became interested, the firm becoming Cole, Craft & Co., still continuing business at No. 5 South Calvert street (the same place established by Lamson & Clap). About the year 1850 the firm removed to No. 218 West Baltimore street, now 10 East Baltimore street and occupied by Likes, Berw.a.n.ger & Co., clothiers. In 1853 Mr. Cole a.s.sociated with him his son, William R., the firm being Wm. P. Cole & Son. In 1857 the firm moved to No. 274 West Baltimore street, present number 46, where they remained until the year 1867, removing then to occupy the building which they had erected at No. 30 Sharp street, now 24 Hopkins Place.

In 1861 Mr. Wm. T. Brigham was admitted to the firm, it then becoming Wm. R. Cole & Co. In 1870 the firm name was again changed to Cole, Brigham & Co., which was dissolved in 1877 by the withdrawal of Mr.

Brigham, in which year Mr. Brigham a.s.sociated with Robert D. Hopkins as the firm of Brigham & Hopkins, locating at No. 128 West Fayette street (present number 211), which firm of Brigham & Hopkins continued until 1887, when it was changed to Brigham, Hopkins & Co. by the admission of Isaac H. Francis.

In 1884 Brigham & Hopkins erected the large and handsome building at the corner of German and Paca streets, which the present firm continue to occupy as a factory and salesroom.

In 1810 Andrew Ruff is found at No. 72 Camden street, likely to have been his place of residence. Whether he was then engaged in business is not known, but in 1817 he had a factory on Davis street between Lexington and Saratoga streets, the site now occupied by the stables of the Adams Express Company. About the year 1822 he established a retail store at 158 Baltimore street. In 1842 the firm was Andrew Ruff & Co., at 194 Baltimore street. At one time Mr. Ruff was foreman in the manufacturing establishment of Clap & Cole.

Henry Jenkins, in 1822, was a hat manufacturer at 28 Green street, Old Town, and from 1824 to 1830 Messrs. H. & W. S. Jenkins kept a hat store on the northeast corner of Baltimore and Calvert streets, where afterwards was erected the banking-house of Josiah Lee & Co., now occupied by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a ticket office.

Joseph Branson was a hatter in the year 1827 at 182 Market street. He was a son of William Branson, who was engaged in the same business from 1796 to 1817. Joseph Branson ranked as the fas.h.i.+onable hatter of that time. He was a man of considerable military distinction in the State. He raised and commanded the famous Marion Rifles, a superb military organization of the city, to which was accorded the honor of receiving General Lafayette upon his visit to Baltimore in 1824.

Mr. Branson is said to have been the first to introduce a thorough system of military tactics in Baltimore. He served several terms in the City Council, and was an active, enterprising citizen. In the year 1831 he went out of business and took the position of inspector in the custom house.