HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THIS DAY APPLIES TO!!!! Always, J.L. Dry Goods. N. E. HOGUE, son of Isaac HOGUE, the senior member of the firm of which he is the successor is 25 yrs old and began business for himself here in Nov. 1885. The rooms he occupies are in the Masonic building on the corner. His front room is twenty-five by thirty feet. Back of this are two rooms, one eighteen by eighteen used for clothing and one eighteen by fifteen used as a ware-room. To the right as you enter is the dry goods and notions. The other side is occupied by queensware, glassware and groceries, the surplus of these goods, above what are on the shelves being stored in the room to the rear of that side - in the room to the right rear as you enter, will be found the stock of clothing which is well selected and full. Mr. HOGUE also handles hardware, plows, etc. He has started in with vim, and intends to stay right here. He proposes to kkep what is wanted by the people and to sell at prices that will be fair to both the buyer and seller. Success awaits him no doubt for he is attentive to business and courteous to all. Being among the people with whom he has grown to manhood, he has an extensive acquaintance which brings him trade. F. ULLMAN & Son Mr. ULLMAN, the senior member of the firm, came from Germany to the United States in 1836. He was in Harriettsville for some years, coming to Stafford in 1868. Was in business with his brother here till last September, when the brother retired and Mr. ULLMAN took his son E. J. as a partner. The rooms occupied by this firm are in the old STEEL property and are commocious and neat. The front room is 20 x 36 feet and has a counter on each side and across the rear end. Here is found the dry goods, notions and a part of the stock of groceries. A well furnished show carse occupies the counter on the right as you enter. Back of this room is a small private room and a ware room 25 x 18 feet, given over to such goods as are usually found in these rooms. The upstairs is used for clothing, hats, and caps and other bulky goods. During the years ULLMAN has been here he has bought and packed an average of about 200 hogsheads of tobacco annually. The trade derived from this one source is no inconsiderable item in any business. Experience has made a good merchant of Mr. ULLMAN. He is a careful buyer and his long acquaintance with the wants of the people make it easy for him to meet them and have no dead stock on his hands. Prosperity attends him and though he is gowing old he is active and cheerful and believes in the ultimate greatness of Stafford. George W. ROBINSON. Son of Hugh ROBINSON, a wealthy farmer who lives a short distance north west of town was born here 34 years ago. Raised on the farm he began mercantile prusuits in 1872. To the room built by J. W. BARNETT he added twenty feet in length making it 22 x 50 feet and back of this is still another addition 20 feet in length. This is divided into two equal rooms the one on the right being used for clothing and the one on the left is the wareroom. A cellar is under the building. The shelves, show-cases, and a good part of the counter on one side of the front room are filled with a stock of dry goods, notions, groceries, hardward, etc., besides a large table between the counters toward the rear of the room is heaped with blankets and such other bulky goods. The clothing room is well filled with a handsome stock of seasonable clothing. The cellar, ware-room, and a part of the shelf room are taken up with a stock of groceries and hardware. He makes a special drive on farm machinery and this year has sold more Champion machines than any other man in the district. A considerable portion of his trade comes through the purchase of tobacco; he handles annually about 200 hogsheads of the weed. He also looks after a coal mine that puts out about 25,000 bushels each year. Fourteen years of experience has not been lost on George, though it has not made him old. He is full of life and vigor and always absorbed in business. He is a close buyer and keeps his stock full, thereby attracting custom. It is too late to say he will succeed, for he has already succeeded. Merchant Tailor. C. P. BURGBACHER, formerly of Woodsfied, is a young man who learned his trade of tailor with his father at Matamoras, Ohio. Worked at St. Marys, West Virginia, in 1880 and 1881. He came here at the request of HOGUE and TANNER in 1882, expecting to remain but a short time. But business grew on him till he could find no chance to get away and now the desire to leave is gone. He is therefore permanently established in a small shop next to ULLMAN's Hotel, where he furnishes goods and makes suits to order. He guarantees fits, and is always busy. Tobacco and Wood Dealer. Thomas B. DAY commenced life 59 years ago at Washington, Guernsey county, Ohio. He came to Monroe county forty-five years ago and lived near Lebanon where he has dealt in leaf tobacco for thirty years. His annual pruchase average 250,000 or 300,000 pounds. His packing place has generally been Lebanon. During these thirty years he has accumulated a fortune. Of late years he has also been dealing in wood, buying 25,000 pounds per annum. Seven years ago he removed to Stafford and occupies as a residence the large brick house at the north end of the village. Millinery. Miss Carrie BELL, the Milliner, a daughter of the late Dr. BELL, who came here in 1867, dying in 1885. In 1886 Miss BELL turned the front room of the homestead in Carmichel's addition into a millinery store. She keeps a handsome stock and has already a good trade. Her excellent taste in matters of this sort is of value to those who want fashionable hats nicely trimmed. Mrs. Mattie BOWEN. She was raised almost in sight of Stafford and is a member of the well-known HAWKINS family. She began the millinery business some time ago and by here approved good taste in such matters, has built up a good trade in ladies' hats, bonnets, and trimmings. Her business has so increased that she will build a new shop before the spring trade opens and increase her facilities for supplying her growing trade. At present her shop and residence is on Main street, just west of the corner, south side. Jewelers. J. A. BELL, son of the late Dr. BELL, deceased, repairs watches, clocks, and jewelry at his father's former residence, and furnishes watches, clocks or jewelry on order. Chas. GATCHELL of Graysville learned the trade of jeweler with Kisar of Woodsfield. He came here April, 1886, and opened a confectionary establishment where he also sells watches, clocks, etc., and repairs watches and clocks. His room is just east of Eaton's Hotel. Saddlers & Harness. W. A. BARNETT, son of J. W. BARNETT, so long a successful merchant of Stafford was born here in 1853. He learned his trade of harness maker with Hugh BROWN, beginning in 1877. He runs the shop from the start and has become thorough master of his trade. he keeps on hands saddles, whips, etc., and always has the material from which to make anything ordered in his line. His shop on north cross street, is altogether too small for his business so that he intends to enlarge it in the spring. An honest job of work is done here for an honest price. The Shoemakers. James S. EATON came here with his father Shepherd EATON, about 1857. Here he has grown up. Here he learned his trade of shoemakerm and here he works in his shop by the Eaton Hotel till late at night, to try to keep up with business. he is an expert in his trade. T. M. SWARTWOOD. T.M. is 48 yrs of age and his head is silvered over with the frosts of many winters. He is a skilled shoemaker and learned his trade in Antioch, O. Came to Stafford in 1858. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I 25th Ohio Infantry, and it came near being the last of him. He was wounded at McDowell, Va., and carried on a stretcher for fifty miles. Coming home in June 1862 he was carried in the same way from Spencer station to Stafford. But he survived it all - a monument of gray headed pluck - he is. In 1872 he occupied as his own the house formerly owned by Hugh BROWN and does business in his old shop. He works himself and employs two hands sothe shop turns out a great amount of first class work. The whole force is kept busy, and to a man who has been here as long as he has this is sufficient compliment. He will enlarge his business in the spring. Albert TOPLE. Albert has lived here 26 yrs and he has never lived any place else. He learned his trade here and worked from 1879-1885 with Tom SWARTWOOD. Began business for himself June last. His shop is at the north end of the village opposite the big brick residence. Here he works steadily and has all he can do and does all his work in good style. He keeps on hand the necessary stock to fill orders with neatness and dispatch. The Blacksmith. Peter ULLMAN, a native of France, came to the United State in 1836. Began work at his trade in Harriettsville in 1845, coming to Stafford in 1860. Peter has a large, well furnished shop, there being two forges and tools for two workmen. Though he is growing old it is generally admitted these old fellows are reliable, and so Peter is kept busy. The Cabinet Maker. Charles YOCKEY came from Germany when he was three years old, which wa 54 years ago. he came to Stafford in 1850 and it is safe to bet that there is furniture in the neighborhood, standing squarely on its pins, that he made about that time. He has been in his present residence and shop since 1866, and still works at his trade, and what he does is neat and strong. The Undertaker. J. W. EATON has been a resident of the town since 1857, and of course is well established. He is a tobacco packer by trade and works at it regularly. He, however, began the undertaking business in 1882, and uses a room in the rear of Dr. BELL's drug store, for storage purposes. He has here perhaps a much larger stock of coffins and caskets than can be found in any of the neighboring towns. To meet the circumstances of all classes it is necessary to keep a great variety of styles and sizes as well as prices. This requires a considerable outlay of capital, but he can always be depended upon to have what is wanted, be it plain or expensive. Drug. G. W. MASON and son began the drug business in 1879 in a room on Main street, long occupied by the elder doctor and near his residence. Their room is not large, but in it will be found a complete stock of pure drugs, patent medicines, stogies, fine cigars, and jewelry. here the postoffice is kept. Both proprietors being physicians, they know the value of pure drugs, and prescriptions are sure to be filled without mistake or substitution. Dr. J. C. BELL Dr. BELL has a neat drug store opposite the Eaton Hotel, where pure drugs are dispensed on prescription. These two stores make a very creditable showing for their branch of business, and are in competent hands, which is an important item. The Hotels. Peter ULLMAN in 1862 in addition to his blacksmithing business opened the ULLMAN HOUSE, northeast corner of the cross streets. He has here a good building with twelve rooms well furnished and kept in prime order by Mrs. ULLMAN. ULLMAN's is a good place to stop. Eaton House. Shepherd EATON did a hotel business here from about 1857 till the time of his death which occured in 1876. His widow, Mrs. Sarah EATON, has continued the business from that time till now in the red brick building next to ULLMAN's store. I stopped with them in 1858 and again in 1886, and the place still maintains its standards of excellence. The Doctors. Dr. G. W. MASON is the oldest inhabitant of Stafford, or rather the man who has been here the longest. Born in Woodsfield, Ohio, Dec. 1826, he attended Woodsfield Academy in boyhood finishing his education at New Athens, Harrison county, O., read medicine with M. W. WARFIELD of Fairview, Ohio, from October 4th, 1844, to October 4th, 1847. Attending Sterling Medical College 1847-1848. Graduated at the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati. Came to Stafford April 1st, 1849. He has practised medicine here ever since that time accumulating a comfortable fortune and enjoying all these years the respect of his fellow-citizens. He was appointed postmaster Sept. 1885. Office at drug store on Main street. Dr. J. C. BELL Dr. BELL is the son of the late Dr. BELL of this place. He read medicine with his father, afterwards graduating at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1883. He commenced practice here the same year and is gradually working his way forward. Office in his drug store opposite Eaton House. Dr. Jas. L. MASON Jas. L. is the son G. W. MASON, born in Stafford Nov 20th, 1854. He was educated in the Stafford schools, finishing at Dennison College; studied medicine with his father and graduated at Ohio College of Medicine, Cincinnati, in 1877. Practiced for some time at Middleburg, Noble county, when he came here entered into partnership with his father in the drug business, and also in the practice of medicine. Office at drug store. Dr. A. L. CURTIS Dr. CURTIS, physician, was born in Noble county thirty-nine years ago. He is a son of Liberty CURTIS, for many years a prominent citizen and wealthy farmer of that county. After finishing his education he studied medicine with Dr. G. W. MASON in 1869-1870. Graduated at the Medical College of Ohio in 1872. Practiced at Carlisle, Noble county, from 1874-1880, when he came here, and lives in the house built by his father in the grove south of town. He is a sucessful physician, but his health not being good, he amuses himself buying and selling fine horses, and boasts he has now some of the best horses in the county. The Ministers. The M. E. Church is served by two ministers, and the charge includes seven churches. Rev. H. H. WESTWOOD is the senior preacher. He is a graduate of a classical institution. He joined the Baltimore conference in 1872, which fives him fourteen years experience, and is spoken of as a man of great ability. Resides in Carlisle. Rev. Robert DAVIDSON, the junior M. E. Preacher, was born in England. Began work in a pottery at ten years of age. Attended night school and improved his time in study. Came to this country in 1877, and resided for a time at Trenton, N.J., coming later to Wheeling, where he first entered the ministry four years ago. He has made himself what he is by dint of pluck and hard work. He is highly spoken of as a preacher. There you have my showing of Stafford, with all its imperfections for what it is worth. Stafford, Ohio December 26, 1886 A. R. P. The Monroe Gazette, Woodsfield, Ohio Friday, January 7, 1887 Volume XIV, No 25 Sincerely, J.L. http://www.y2kfoods.homepad.com