The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-05-01


agency in the country, celebrated yes
terday by a dinner at the Bellevue
Stratford the fortieth anniversary OF
the founding of the firm on April /,
1863
In 1867 Nathan w. Aver, native of
Connecticut and graduate of Brown
University, removed from western
New York to Philadelphia to continue
in a private school the work of teach
ing to which his life had been devot-
ed.
In 1868 his son, +. Wayland Aver,
then a student in the University of
Rochester, New York, followed him to
Philadelphia to seek his fortune in
business. Without friends, acquain-
tances or business experience, he did
not readily find remunerative employ
ment, and, as temporary expedient,
accepted an engagement as solicitor
of advertising for a religious weekly
newspaper.
April 1, 1869 the firm of N. w. Aver
& Son was announced. George o.
Wallace was it's first employee.
In 1873 Mr.. N. w. Aver died and at
the beginning of 1874, Mr.. Wallace
was admitted to an interest In the
business which continued until his
death in 1887.
Henry N. Mckinney entered the
employ of the house in 1875 and be-
came a partner in 1877.
Albert G. Bradford removed from
Albany, N. Y, in 1884 to enter the en-
ploy of the firm and was admitted in
to partnership in 1898.
Jarvis A. Wood engaged with the
house in 1888 and became a partner
in 1898.
April /, 1869, the Ayers, father and
son, started the advertising business
at $50 Arch street, with an investment
of $3.50.
In the fall of the same year they
removed to 719 SAMSON street. In
January 1872, larger quarters were
again necessary and they went to 1873
SAMSON street.
Again outgrowing their accommoda-
lions, they removed in 1876 into the
building then being erected for the
Philadelphia Times, at Chestnut and
Eighth streets. Here they stayed for
70 years, having gradually extended
over four floors of the Times Building
and three floors of an adjoining one.
Early in 1903 the firm removed to
the Mariner and Merchant building.
Third and Chestnut streets, where Il
occupies several floors, and where
additional space has several times
been taken, including quarters in ad-
joining buildings.
Starting without any employees the
Aver & Son family, as they term it.
has constantly grown. In 1876 it
numbered 20; in 1894, 1875; in 1903.
200; and at the dinner celebrating
this birthday there were 1853.
Among these are many who are ex-
pert in some particular essential to
successful advertising; and as a whole
they form an organization that has no
peer in the advertising world
A Philadelphia institution
The Aver & Son Agency is a Phil
adelphia institution
The first general advertising agency
was established in Philadelphia in
1871 by Volney S. Palmer.
His Office was first on Pine street
above Third, but soon at Third and
Chestnut streets. He also opened Of
fees in New York and Boston.
In 1853 his Philadelphia and New
York business was purchased by JOY.
Coe K Co The Boston branch was
disposed Of to S. Il. Niles now de
ceased.
Mr.. JOY handled the New York end
of the JOY, Coe q Co, business and
Mr. Coe the Philadelphia end, under
the style of Coe. WetheEeIl & Co, un-
til October 1877, when this firm sold
out to n. w. Aver & Son, who today,
as the first advertising agency in rank
are doing business in the locality oc-
cupied by their predecessor-the first
advertising agency in history.
Concerning this same site, II is
interesting to note that, with one eX-
ception, every daily newspaper in
Philadelphia today was at some time
published on this ground. At one per
iod seven of them were here at the
same time Here too the Saturday
Evening Post found home between
its administration under Franklin and
later renown under Curtis.
Philadelphia produced the first daily
newspaper in America. What is now
The North American appeared in this
city on December q. 1884. its signif-
cant title, The Daily Advertiser" at
testing the fact that the growing in
terests of the country demanded daily
publication.
Here was the medium that was des
tined to revolutionize the business
getting methods of the country. When
the mails and the rails had supplied
their part, the era of advertising had
arrived
Mr., Palmer was the nrst to perceive
the place and the need for a general
advertising agency
Following him Aver & Son under
took the development of the idea Pal
mer saw that general advertising
should be done; Aver & Son discov-
cred the way it could best be done
Their definition of an advertising
agent is "one who creates, develops,
distributes and cares for advertising
| other than his own
| Their famous open contract plan
/ has revoutionized the method of adj
] HI