Milford chronicle., 1928-10-26
GRAND LODGE LAYS
STORE CORNERSTONE
ON WALNUT STREET
Pierce Hardware COmpany's New
Home Scene OF Interesting Ser
vices Last Friday.
BUSINESS HAS INCREASED
Modern Building Will Be Oc-
cupied In Time For The Christ
mas Business.

Officers of the Grand Iodee of
Delaware Masons participated in a
very interesting ceremony last Fri
Gay afternoon when they laid the
cornerstone for the new Pierce
building, now being erected by the
Pierce Hardware Company on South
Walnut street. The exercises were
witnessed by a crowd of Milford
business men who came to pay their
respects to the progressive manage
ment of the Pierce Hardware Com
pany. Before sealing the box in the
cornerstone the following articles
were placed in the box. A COPY of
the Milford Chronicle dated Septem-
Der Z, 1928, which carried story
about the new building which was
just being started. A copy of the
Grand Lodge Proceeding for 1926:
List of Officers for the Pierce Hard
ware Company; List of Officers of
the Grand Lodge Of Delaware; a
brief history of the Pierce Hard
ware Company, including a list of
employees; a $500 bill of Farmers
& Merchants Bank dated 1861:
watch set at time of work; advertis-
ing matter from the L. D. Caulk
Company and Masonic Emblem.
Wallace Woodford, Mayor of Do
yer, spoke at the cornerstone laying.
Mrs. Georgia Pierce, mother of the
business, also attended the exercises
at the cornerstone laying.
In the evening the Pierce Hard
ware Company entertained the
members of the Grand Lodge and
other guests at a banquet at the
windsor Hotel. Those who attended
this affair were L. N. Hearn, DR.. w.
L. Grier, Herman D. Johnson, Fred
Pepper, George T. Macklin, George
Swain, of Milford, Weldon Waples.
Past Grand Master of Delaware, of
Milton.
The members of the Grand Lodge
present were: j. B. Hearn, L. L.
Burke, John F. Robinson, D. R. Kee-
fer, J. A. Leach, c. H. Knox, Paul
w. A. Trotter, w. D. Smith,
Harry Galbraith, all of Wilmington;
Harry V. Holloway, J. w. Woodford,
II Dover; H. w. T. Purnell of
georgetown and Charles D. Beebe,
1ewes.
Addresses were made at the ban
luet by D. R. Keefer, of Whining
on; J. B. Hearn, of Wilmington.
Ind DR.. w. L. Grier, of Milford.
The Pierce Hardware business was
ounded in 1885 by the late James
?. Pierce and John P. Carmean, and
vas first conducted in a small build
ng Is "a feet in size. In 1887 more
pace was added and a line of stoves
vas added to the business. In 1890
he building recently demolished to
lake room for the new structure,
7as rented from J. T. Belts, at
hose death it was bought by Pierce
: Carmean. Other lines had been
dded to the business in the mean
me. The first concrete sidewalk in
hlford was laid in front of that
uilding by Mr. Carmean. In 1913
lr. Carmean died while superinten-
ing a plumbing job in the Armory
Lall in Milford. In 1914 the Pierce
HARDWARE was incorporated with
ames P. Pierce, president; Jas. P.
ierce, Jr., vice-president and treas
rer, and Harry J. Pierce, secretary.
he interest of Mrs. Carmean was
at that time. At the
cath of James P. Pierce, Sr., in 1917
larry J. Pierce was elected presi-
ent and NJ. Haswell Pierce became
The new building is of steel, con-
rete and brick construction. It is
lie first complete steel frame build
lg to be erected in Milford The
uilders are the Johnson-Pepper
obstruction Company. 1t will be
Dened in time for the Christmas
Oliday business.