Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-11-24
OUR BUSINESS MEN.

Last week we gave sketches of J. A. &
Y. N. Bickle, John Reynolds, DR.. N.
Wayt & Bro, G. Yeager & Son, and P. B.
Hoge. In this issue we have first, another
furniture man and pushing fellow,
S. NJ. WILKES,
who came here from Baltimore in 1871,
opened full stock of Furniture in the
building adjoining the Virginia Hotel,
where his low prices for good articles soon
brought him a good trade, which has stead
lily increased ever since. Mr.. Wilkes soon
concluded to turn his attention to under
taking, and had d fac hearse built at the
wellknown establishment OF Waters u
Son in this place. He introduced the rose
wood coffin and casket, which is remarka>
BILE for its elegant finish, and keeps Oh hand
and sells large number of them. In 1874
Mr.. WIS quarters proved too restricted for
his growing business, and he purchased
for the sum of $4,000 the valuable property
south side Of Main street. owned by the
late T.. K. Menifee, and used then as soap
factory. By the aid of carpenters and
painters, the rather unsightly factory was
soon transformed into an attractive Furni
ture establishment, and filled from base
ment to attic with g variety Of furnlt ure,
mattresses, spring beds, rosewood, walnut
and metallic burial cases, ETC.
In 1872, Wilkes had become al inventor,
and introduced patent spring bed, which
has become quite popular, he having fur
nished with them many hotels and water
ing places, among which are the Orkney
Springs. Shenandoah county, Va, Central
Hotel. Charlottesville, Lewisburg Hotel,
w. Va, the Peyton House, Kanawha Falls,
w. Va, the Cogbill House and McCurdy
House, Covington, and many private
houses. He has also shown a commenda
BILE degree of enterprise in making arrange
ments with Western manufacturers, who
get out his styles and stock knocked down
and closely packed, and on arrival here
they are put together by his workmen ana
finished ready for use. His establishment
IS a credit to himself and to our little city.
The first Dry Goods house we Notice, is
hat Of
Mr.. Young is native of Culpeper, and
me Of our most experienced an trusted
merchants. Having been several years Il
Try goods jobber in Philadelphia, he came
o Staunton in 1865, and associated i'll bust
aess with Mr.. d. A. Kayser, and for four
years the house of Kayser u Young drove
8 brisk trade at the now Nell-knoWn stand
of Davis a. Kayser. At the expiration Of
that time Mr.. Young sold out his interest
in the firm to Mr.. K. aud in the Spring OF
10 opened on the corner of Main and Au-
gusta streets, now occupied by Krebs, as Il
tobacco store, and . year afterwards bought
and occupied the house on Main street,
adjoining the post-office, where he may
now be found. His stock is full and at
tractive, embracing dry goods of every
grade, notions, carpets, NC. A separate
room OH the second floor is appropriated to
carpets and oil cloths, where many pretty
and choice patterns of these articles are
displ aged.
| During the war Mr.. Young's connection
with the Stanton Wooden Mills, formed
an episode in his business career. Being
associated with Mr.. James ". Crawford,
the concern rendered valuable aid to the
struggling Confederacy, by furnishing
large quantities of wooden goods to our
soldiers and citizens, until the destruction
of their works by the enemy, which occur
red in June 81 Mr.. Young's MERCANTILE Ca
reer has extended through period of thir-
vt five years, and his integrity as business
man is only equalled by bis information
and experience as q merchant. He has
able assistants in the persons of Messrs.
Arsta Hoge and Guy Cochran. The for
mer, is an Importation from the rich,
red soil of Albemarle, and has been with
him SIX years, and it is no disparagement
to him to say that the older he gets the
more Of a yoang man he becomes. Mr..
Cochran is an Augusta man, which of it
self ought to be good introduction, but
his politeness and attention also adds to
the attractions at Y oung's.
Oyer the way, under the Masonic Hall,
is the largest wholesale and retail liquor
house in the city, that of
BURKE s. BRADLEY.
Mr.. R. W. Burke was born in Augusta
county. and while a youth went to Rich
mond as a page and afterwards door keep
er in the Senate, and subsequently served
as Sergeant-at arms for the House, making
an efficient officer. He commenced bust
ness in Staunton in Nov. '66 in connection
with Mr.. r. J.. Hope as Hope s. Burke,
and did a retail business only, ON the cor
ner now occupied by Byers & Eakle. After
the death of Mr.. Hope, in May. 80, Mr.,
Burke carried on the business alone until
June list, 1872, when he formed business
connection with Mr. NJ. n. Bradley, ma
tive of Madison county, Va, who came
here from Wilmington, N. g., and had
been acting for him several years in the
capacity OF book keeper. The now well
known firm Of Burke " Bradley then re-
moved to their present location, enlarged
greatly their business, engaging in the
wholesale trade as we'll as the retail. The
prosperity and good management of the
house has been marked. They are we'll
and favorably known in the large cities of
the North and West and keep probably the
largest stock of the kind in the State, car
rying constantly between 700 and 800 bar
rels, both home made and western liquors
of every grade, from the cheapest to the
oldest and finest brands. tho their stock
consists principally of the Augusta article.
The house On Main street is not sufficient
ly large to accommodate their trade
and they have in addition large ware
house in Powell u Blackley's building,