Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-04-01
HAS BUSINESS FOR SO YEARS IN
HACERSToWN
Milton kohler, Oldest Jeweler /,
Hagerstown, Celebrates the
Event


(From the Hagerstown Mail, Mar 2s)
Starting his jewelry store back i'm
1875, when Hagerstown was a mere
village in comparison with its present
day population, Milton Kohler today
is starting a two weeks celebration
of his having conducted his business
SUCCESSFULLY for span of half GEN.
fury. His present location is just
east of his first business place OPEN
ed when he came to town. In 1880
he bought the jewelry store of +. G..
Posey, who established the business
IN l84S on the site now occupied by
Rauth's store.
Mr.. kohler came from Pomeroy,
Ohio, where he started business in
1875. Mrs. Kohler did not come here
until 1880 and it was until 1882 that
they built their home on North Po-
tomac street, then considered ''in the
country" and in which they still re-
side. He has occupied his present
business site since 1889 when he
purchased the plot occupied by the
lice and Hammond hardware store.
During his so years of business life
here he has been robbed only once.
The thief was soon captured and the
stolen goods returned.
One of the interesting thinsgs dis
played in the store during the ami
versary week, which begins today and
continues until April II, is an old pic
ture of Mr.. Kohler's first jewelrv
store. Standing in front, under the
spectacles, watch and gold pen sign.
are Mr.. Kohler and his clerks. many
OF whom are now conducting jewelry
stores of their own. They are Ernest
Brining, who is with Needy's; Row
Schlndle, now in a Maiden Lane Jew
elry store in New York; Miss Minnie
Mantz, now with Dulin and Martin.
sllyerware and china dealers. of
Washington; George Rudy, a brother
of H. r Rudy, who has a iewelrv
store at Newburyport, Mass, and C.
Cushen. now in business in Washing
ton State.
Styles in jewelry have changed like
styles in everything else. When Mr..
kohler first went into business here
sllverware was heavy and very fancy:
now the patterns are getting palmer
and more like the old Colonial pat
terms. They used to sell silver casters
for the middle of the table, those
queer looking arrangements for hold
ing salt and pepper and mustard.
The watches used to be heavy and
thick, even for women; now they are
thin and dainty and are worn on
wrists and finger rings.
Mr.. kohler can remember when a
diamond sale was almost unheard of
and when jewelry stores first started
carrying cut glassware.
More FIasks Than Ever.
Then they sold cut glass decanters1
and wine sets. Occasionally some
woman, who had travelled in Europe
and wished to be especially fashion
able, would buy an enameled vanity
box for her handbag. But nova
days the girls come in for cigarette
holders, silver cigarette cases, and
silver pocket TASKS. OF course the
vanity case is no longer a luxury or
ultra fashionable. And more whiskev
TASKS have been sold recently. since
prohibition, than ever beforet Which
shows that Volstead may have nut
liquor out of commission, but he GER
tainly helped to increase the trade of
makers Of cocktail shakers and other
containers for the forbidden bever-
age.
AAA' ANOIitig WIN IL native OF !
Hanover, Pa, was one of the original
organizers of the Peoples National
Bank, now the Nicodemus Bank, and
is one of the oldest living directors of
the bank which was first located at
the site of the Washington Restau-
rant.
As Mr.. Kohler's three sons became
of age. and were associated with him
in the business, the name was chang
ed to Milton Kohler and Sons.
In celebration of his anniversary.
Mr.. kohler is having reduced prices
on his stock in appreciation of the
half century of public support VIII h
has given his store the distinction of
a half century in business in one
Dlace.
ER-CAMPBELL.
Mr.. Merle Alger and Miss Rebecca