Kearney Hardware Stores – The Boom Period
1889 Promotional Booklet lists three hardware stores
Addison Scott & Co.
F. L. Harrington & Co
Miller & Bradford
A.
Addison Scott
(Probably had his store from about 1885-1889)
Born in Vermont
1880 – Newly
married, living in Nevada, Iowa, operating a millinery shop with his wife.
1885 – Living in
Kearney
Mid-October, 1889 – became ill – no mention of his business
May have already closed, or closed because of this illness.
Mid-August 1890 – Died,
buried here in Kearney Cemetery
B. Francis (Frank) L. Harrington
1880 (age 14) he and his family were living in
Kearney –
perhaps had just arrived as father had no occupation listed in the census
1885 (age 19) had
attended school, also working as a clerk in his father’s store – father
listed as a merchant in census
1889 (age 22 almost 23) operating the L.
Harrington & Co. hardware store at 2214 Central
In June he was having an addition put on his building -
thirty feet on the rear, two stories high with basemen, including an
elevator
Completed the first part of August, referred to as Hecht’s block
1890 (age 24) Sold his
business to W. E. Jakway of Russell & Jakway.
He planned to engage in some other business in Kearney.
Next heard of on Nov 29,
1892 – when his suicide was reported
Frank had been interested in a young lady who, for a while, returned his
affection.
Then, for an unknown reason, she changed her mind and eventually moved to
Geneva, Nebr.
Frank became very depressed even though friends and his father tried to lift
his spirits.
Then about 3 weeks previously, he told his father he did not have much to
live for
His father tried to get him to move home.
He lived upstairs in the house next door; boarded with (took his meals with)
the couple who lived downstairs.
He refused to move home.
On that fatal day, he came down for breakfast as usual.
Then about an hour later, when the lady downstairs had gone out,
he sat on the edge of the bed and shot himself in the chest.
A sad ending to a young
life
C.
Miller & Bradford
Charles Miller was born in Ohio in 1860.
Came to Nebraska and after setting up
businesses in Beatrice, Newark, & Minden, he decided to move on to Kearney
in 1878.
His
first store was south of the tracks and then he had several locations on
Central Ave.
1888 - June - Miller took Bradford as partner in his hardware store
No first name or initials so couldn’t find any information on him
1889 - August – Expanded
to selling buggies at his hardware store.
November — Moving again. Work had started on the alterations of the hardware
store "for occupancy by the
First National Bank.”
December 2 – Announcement made that Miller & Bradford were dissolving their
partnership and
Miller was taking over the business.
All the stock in the store on the corner of 22 & Cen. (which is where 1st
National Bank was moving in)
was moved to another store further south to 2122 Central
1890 (running the
business)
He had a tinner’s shop over the store
Advertisement: Horses and buggies to trade for
Kearney lots. Inquire of C. H. Miller, at the hardware store.
[Not in 1908 City
Directory, business probably a victim of the Bust] – Family moved on to
Spokane, Washington
But must have considered Kearney home because family is buried here
And Also
July 30. 1890 – Ran Into a Pole
"A
farmer’s team, composed of a mule and a horse started on a run down
Central-ave. today. They narrowly missed striking the wheels of a delivery
wagon, and veering in, the mule ran square into the telephone pole on the
corner. The mule was very much surprised and did no more running."
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