Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-16
Thomas Fitzpatrick: An Appreciation
Of His ActiUe Life and Many Virtues
"A just man and time.

| "A just man and time"
Some years ago in a distant city. saw
plain granite monument with name
, and age inscribed, thereon, together with
date Of death. At the bottom OF the shaft
cut in plain letters were the words. "A
Just Man and true" At once there came
/ before me the kindly face of the dearest
/ friend have ever known. and thought
! how fitting that inscription. for the tomb
I stone of Thomas Fitzpatrick.
Born in Scotland on August %. 1S41, he
] received his education in Campbelltown,
! IN the home and under the direction of
the master. whose name was Campbell.
lie leaned the dry goods bust sess in
Glasgow with one of the Did and prom
! inent firms OF those years Fraser, Nc
Laren Il Co, A. T. Stewart & Co, per-
hsps the first great American dry goods
house. to whose head was applied the
name of Merchant Prince" sent re
preventative to Scotland yearly. to engage
( trained assistants for their institution,
F, at that time in business in New York
\ City. In 1850 or 1851. Thomas Fitzpatrick
was one OF a group who left Glasgow to
I take employment with the House of Stew
oANs AAt ulu not remain IN new 10TH Nllg
! long, but found a more lucrative and
prominent position with Hogg. Brown &
! Taylor OF Boston. Mass. uring the war
this was one of the most aggressive dry
goods firms of the country John Taylor
the active member OF the the company,
was famed for his keen judgement, wide
knowledge and daring as a buyer. 1t was
the custom OF this house to select the best
Z n thar ofI a., n
/ location and then give them a liberal
credit, thus making feeders for their own
business, and helping worthy young men
to establish themselves. Many of the
Scotch houses all over this country
notably in the east, sprung from this Old
and at one time famous concern.
John Taylor's brother William. and
Thomas fitzpatrick formed partnership
and opened two stores. one at Nashua and
the other at Manchester, n. II. In the early
seventies they found business growing
and prosperous, and with a desire to gain
a wider field for their activities, MIR. Kill
patrick went on a tour of investigation
The result Of his trip was the founding OF
the business of Taylor, Fitzpatrick & Co.
just above the public square in the old
| Cushing building. These two men made
remarkable combination-Mr. Taylor
the shrewd buyer, and Mr.. Fitzpatrick, the
/ genial. honorable ideal merchant who
made hosts of friends. Against the judg-
ment of the prophets they established
what was without doubt the most popu-
| lar and reliable dry goods store in the
! city of Cleveland. o. They too, helped
young men to establish business of their
own, and many are the prosperous mer-
chants who owe their start in life to that
firm.
/ In 1885 Mr.. Fitzpatrick and the writer left
| Cleveland to open a retail house in Chi
! cago. This was the store known as
James II. Walker & Co. on Adams street
and Wabash avenue, now for many years
out of business. Mr.. Fitzpatrick sold his
J interest in January 1887 and in April of
/ that year formed the corporation known
| as the Kilpatrick-Koch Dry Goods COM
pany, which bought and succeeded to the
wholesale dry goods business of Tootle.
Maui & Co. OF this city. Mr.. Fitzpatrick
| had a great fondness for the retail bust
ness and when the N. b. Falconer stock
was offered for sale in the fall of 1895
Mr.. Fitzpatrick bought 1t and the firm of
Thomas fitzpatrick & Co. continued the
business in the same location, succeeding
also to the business OF the Fitzpatrick