Bio: Simons Family (Store Anniversary - 1948)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Simons, Shaw, Clark, Carter

----Source: Humbird Enterprise (Humbird, Clark Co., Wis.)  02/07/1948

Simons Family (Store Anniversary - 1948)

A mercantile business conducted by the members of one family for a long term of years always marks a historical epoch.  This year Wisconsin is celebrating 100 years of statehood, and the state was not far past its youthful days when the Simons Hardware was founded, Feb. 8, 1878, by the late F.J. Simons.  He opened the doors when the country was in the ’73 depression years.  It has safely weathered several depression times, and is ready for the next, which all are hoping will not come.

Fred Simons, a young tinsmith from North Prairie, in Waukesha County, came up into the pineries plying his trade.  He struck the new lumber town of Humbird (Clark Co., Wis.) soon after the West Wisconsin railroad was built through.  The hardware man, R.D. Shaw, wanted some wash boilers made, and the young tinsmith did the job.  The news traveled - slower than it does today—and the Merrill Store at Merrillan got his help.  There was no factory that made tinware in those days; that came with a later generation.  But he made up a stock of kettles and pans for a store in that sawmill town.  The Masure store in Arcadia also got his services.  That store is yet doing business at the old stand.  After a short period of these temporary jobs, Mr. Simons returned to Humbird.  Feb. 8, 1878 he became proprietor of the Wells Store.  It was located in the store building now owned and occupied by Henry ..(a couple of lines are unreadable here)..into the Grange building, and Henry Clark occupied part of the space.

After E.D. Carter close his lumbering and mercantile interests here his mercantile property was idle.  Mr. Simons purchased the property, including the residence, which was located on the lots close to the store.  This was in the ‘80’s.  The residence was moved to its present location, remodeled, and is the present home of Miss Edith Simons.

Upon Mr. Simon’s death, the business passed to his son, Arthur F. Simons, who is carrying on the traditions established by his father.  Among cherished mementoes in the store are some articles of tinware made by his father in the early days, a tintype of his father working at his trade and a number of old time photographs of the store.