The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-02-19
of Thei Mammoth Wholesale Grocery
northumberland OF the
Life Of MIR. Benedict
Dannemiiler.

WEM\W H9>|
The Wholesale grocery house OF Dame
miller q Sons heads the list OF business
houses In Canton, being by far the larg,
eat business concern excluding q few Of
the large manufacturing establishments
In the city. When II In considered that
the firm OF b. Dannemiller u Sons IL
only about 10 years old the mammoth
size OF their establishment and the I'm
mense business carried on by them II
indeed q subject OF w0nderment, From
n small concern the establishment grew
larger and larger until 10 day II stands
q monument to the skillful business
tact and able management OF the gentle
men at It's head. 80,
Mr.. Benedict Dannemiller, the head Of
the concern, " a hale and hearty gentle
man Of seventy one years, and IL Just aE
able and CAREFUL a business mar to-day
ms no was lfty years ago. His mental
as we'll as physical capacity IL mot In The
slightest impaired, aud he takes Just NJ
keen an interest In the business now al
he ever did. Like most oil other success
full men, no began with nothing and
achieved his fortune by hone0t worn
coupled with strict attention TO all the
details Of his different business enter
prises. A brief outline Of the life and
achievements OF such u man cannot fall
10 elicit the attention and Interest OF
every one.
BIOGRAPHY.
Mr.. Dannemiller was born In Scher'
rheln, Lower Aleace, Germany (at that
time Alsace was a French pOssession)
December 22, 1913, Before no was quite
seventeen years old no emlgrated Ia
America and landed In New York City
Oh November 4th, 1880, Canton was his
objective point, he having au uncle,
Philip Bech0l, father OF Mr.. Lawrence
Bechel. Of this city, who waa running a
blacksmith shop here. Mr. Dannemill Ter
had worked about a year NJ the black
smith trade In the Old country and he
determined to finish his trade In Amer.
ica. At that time The journey from
New York TO Ca0t0n was not 80 easy n
task az II IL now. Railroads In OHIO
were yet q thing Of the future, and the
journey was not a matter OF less than q
day. The route no took 70 reach Canton
would be u unique one for a traveller 10
take In these days. He took a steamer
up the Hudson to Albany, q canal packet
from Albany TO Buffalo, a lake steamer
from Buffalo TO Cleveland, a canal
packet again from Cleveland 10 Massil.
lon and covered the ground between
Massilon and Caution on foot, sending
his baggage by wagon. While waiting
Mt Cleveland for the canal packet Mr,
Dannemlller helped TO load o lake
schooner with grain, receiving for his
labor u Spanish coin equal In value TO
about eighteen cents In American
money.
AT THE BLACRSMITH's FORGE.
Arriving In Canton Mr., Dannemiller
entered the employ OF MIR. Philip Bechel
and worked IN his blacksmith shop for
about four years. he then left and
worked about four months In the black.
smith shop OF Mr.. Jacob Harper, In
Nlmishillen township, Returning TO
Canton he worked O short time for Mr.,
Bechel again, and left him u second
time TO work In a pillow shop, owned by
Messrs, John DJulhauer IL John GraDor,
for whom no made the wrought iron
portions Of the plOws. With this lrm
no remained nine years, when they 70.
tired from the business and Mr, Dame
miller continued IL alone, Two years
later no built u new shop on the rear OF
the property ut thu corner OF Market ana
Third streets, NJ present owned by him,
Here he continued the business until
1913, when he quit the manufacture OF
plows TO engage In the buying and sell
Ing OF grain.
For auhort time Nr, DaDnemiller used
his shop as u warehouse ana afterwards
built u large warehouse where the Can
ton Car COmpany's works are now 10.
Gated. He afterwards moved 10 East
Eighth street, where the warehouse
built by him now stands, nj the inter-
section Of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne
n Chicago and Connection Valley Rail.
roads. Here he remained In the grain
business until 1873.
FOUNDING OF THE HOUSE,.
In 1860 Mr.. Dannemlller bought out
Kimball Brothers, who were conducting
q small Wholesale grocery store In Den
ble's Block, where Crafts grocery now
Ia. Here he associated with himself In
business his two sons, William and Au.
gustus. While conducting the whole
sale grocery business no yet continued
TO buy and sell grain, until the whole
sale grocery business demanded his en-.
tire time aud attention, when he quit
the purchase OF grain and devoted him.
self 10 the building up OF the extensive
trade now possessed by the firm.
In 1872 the growing demands OF the
business necessitated more room. and
the firm removed 10 the "0ld Dannemil-
Ter corner" ut the northeast corner
OF Market and Tuscarawas streets.
With this removal the business faclli
ties OF the concern were greatly iucreas.
cd, and Mr.. D%annemiller took In as part.
nerp his other two sons, Edward and Ju.
Illus. The success that attended the
firm In their old quarters increased -four
fold In their new quarters, and the house
OF y. Dannemiller 10 Sons came rapidly
TO the front as one Of the Leading estab'
liBhments N the city. Zach succeeding
year brought them an increase In trade
and finally the two stories and base
.'oas s"ot "uiiulhk pIOVou 700 SINAI
Tor the large amount OF business the,
were doing. Larger quarters were again Il
necessity and they determined 10 erecI
q structure OF proportions capable OF NC,
c0mm0datlng their rapidly lncreasinv
business. The lot NJ the north east cor
ner Of Market aud Fifth streets WA,
purchased In 1880 aud the large build
ings, now occupied by them, built. tn,
establishment as II stands to-day Is III,
LARGEST WHOLESALE GROCERY HOUSE II
OHIO.
A DEMOCRAT reporter, through tb
courtesy OF Mr.. Augustus Dannemille
OF the Arm made a recent tour OF In
spection through the establishment an
caught Q GLIMPSE OF the busy hive, Will
the work VIVA In full blast. The mai.
building, facing Market and Fifth street
10 100 feet long by thirty feet wild,
three stories high, with basement, 4
shs front, and four stories, with bsse