Thursday, November 4, 2010

H.D. Thompson & Co.

From Illustrated Malone:  Commercial, Financial, Manufacturing Special Souvenir Number.  (1909) Stevens & Turner Co., Malone, NY.  Page 22:


"The wholesale and retail hardware business of H.D. Thompson & Co., is one of the most important mercantile industries of Malone.  This business was established about 1840, by Mr. H.H. Thompson, father of the present President of the company.  In 1880 Mr. Thompson, Sr., was succeeded by his two sons, Mr. H.D. Thompson and Mr. R.R. Thompson, and in 1904 a company was formed and incorporated according to the New York state statutes, with a capital stock of $65,000.  The officers of the present firm are, Mr. H.D. Thompson, President and Treasurer, Mr. N.M. Marshall, Vice-President, and Mr. A.H. Proctor, Secretary.  They occupy a splendid five-story brick block at 91 East Main St., besides seven storehouses located near the Rutland depot.  In all the business covers, with its stores and warehouses, over an acre of floor space, which provides excellent accommodation for the immense stock carried, which includes everything in the way of hardware for the supply of the wolesale and retail trade.  The show rooms are stocked with full lines of light and heavy, shelf and builders' hardware, saddlery and saddlery hardware, carriage supplies, guns and ammunition, and in fact everything for the stocking of a retail hardware store, many of the establishments of this nature in this district getting their supplies here.  A large staff of assistants is employed, and two travelling salesmen, Mr. L.F. Hutchison and Mr. Earl E. Maher, are kept on the road, and cover Franklin, St. Lawrence, and Clinton Counties.  Though the interests of the business are mainly devoted to the wholesale trade, they have, as well, a wide retail connection all over Malone and the surrounding district, and equal satisfaction is assured the retail customer as to the merchant giving an extensive order.  The members of this firm are prominent men in commercial circles of Malone, and are well known all over Northern New York as most reliable men to deal with."

From the collection of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society (1969-1089):

Interior of H.D. Thompson Hardware Store  (click to enlarge)

Detail of H.D. Thompson Hardware photo

Detail of H.D. Thompson Hardware photo

H.D. Thompson & Co. operated through the mid-20th century.  This scale was recently donated to the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society:






Newspaper ads from March 8, 1916 Malone Farmer

Excerpts from obituary of H.D. Thompson, son of the business' founder, from August 1, 1917 Malone Farmer:






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