This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Vm.2ADI/132.1 Message Board Post: Hi Phyllis, Sorry don't have your obit but are these people related to you? James I. McCullough built the present brick building in 1892 and sold the second story to the Masonic Lodge No. 129 A.F. & A.M. A basement room entered by stairways on the southeast corner of the building was occupied by various barbers, Weightman and Elliott, A. Smith and Wm. and T. Shafer and the publishing of the "Democrat", a weekly newspaper. The first floor was occupied by Hostetler Bros. and Casper as a general merchandise and grocery store. Later it was "Hosteller Brothers" John and Jacob Hosteller. In 1900 they purchased the two little frame buildings north of them, the north one was Art Alexander's restaurant and candy shop which was succeeded by Curly Weaver and the south one as a barber shop of Weightman and later of Joe Elliott. Hostetlers replaced these with a one story brick building as an addition to their store and included shoes, women's wearing apparel and men's clothing. This was then known as "The big double store on the corner". Edmund (Epp) Carstensen joined the firm and was in charge of this department. It was then "Hostetler Brothers and Carstensen," Mr. Carstensen left the firm in 1914 and went to Grand Junction, Colorado, with his wife, who was formerly Lenoir Patterson, the daughter of J. T. Patterson, Probate Judge and former resident of Belleville, and his two children Marjorie (now Mrs. James. Karnes) and Joe, both of Los Angeles, California. Abe Hardy, Will Patterson, Roy Nixon, Grace Chambers, Emma McCullough, Nora Collins, Mrs. Electa Wray, Rosie Rost Myrtle Anderson now Mrs. Wm. Wilbert, were long- time clerks. Emma McCullough and Wm. Goodwin cashiers here. Source: History of Republic County 1868-1964 By Republic County Historical Society Compiled By Anona Shaw Blackburn (Mrs. Edgar) Courtland, Kansas Myrtle Strom Cardwell (Mrs. Homer) Republic, Kansas Copyright 1964 Published By The Belleville Telescope, Belleville, Kansas