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C.N. Vicary's Clothing Store album

Creation: circa 1890-1950
 Collection
Accession: 2015-296

Abstract

Vicary’s Clothing Store was a men’s clothing store located in Canton, Ohio founded by C.N. (Charles Newell) Vicary (1858-1921) in 1905. This album contains brochures, reports, stock certificates and photographs of the clothing store and its employees. There are exterior views of the store front at various locations, interior views of the store showing different fixtures, different departments, including staff members in the store and individual portraits of staff members.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1890-1950

Creator

Extent

1 volume(s)

General Physical Description

1 album : brown leather ; 12 x 14.5 in. (closed). Contains 82 photographic prints : b&w ; various sizes. 10 items : pamphlets. 3 items : typed reports. 20 items : stock certificates.

Historical Note

Vicary’s Clothing Store was a men’s clothing store located in Canton, Ohio founded by C.N. (Charles Newell) Vicary (1858-1921) in 1905. C.N. Vicary was a mercantile and businessman. He was born in Morganville, New York to William Newell Vicary (1810-1899) and Charlotte Caroline (Cooke) Vicary (1818-1899).

Vicary began his career as a clerk, tailor, and cutter. He entered the clothing business in 1878, working in LeRoy, New York. Vicary married Louise Haskins (Bailey) Vicary (1861-1943) in 1881. The couple had four children, Arthur C. Vicary (1882-1963), Grace Vicary Pottorf (1885-1920), Marguerite Bailey Vicary (1889-1959), and Carolyn Charlotte Vicary Krider (1904-2000). In 1891 the family moved to Canton, Ohio when the Union Clothing Co. folded and Vicary was appointed liquidation administrator.

Vicary was involved in several clothing business ventures between 1891 and 1905. Vicary and his business partner purchased the Union Clothing Co. located at 38-40 North Market Street in 1893. He opened the Globe Clothing Company located at 42-44 East Tuscarawas Street in 1895, but the store went bankrupt in 1896.

Vicary’s Clothing Store opened in 1905, located at 228-234 North Market Avenue. Vicary was president. Edgar G. Strassner (1872-1934), was vice president, treasurer, and manager of the clothing department. William “Bill” Daberko (1880-1965) was vice president, secretary and manager of the hat department.

The store was organized into several departments. In addition to the hat and clothing department there was a trouser department, furnishings department, boy’s clothing department and alterations department. There were a fair number of employees which included window dressers, tailors, salesmen, saleswomen, and secretaries.

In 1916, the store was moved to a new location at 314 North Market Avenue. At this location the store was expanded in 1940.

Louise Vicary became president of Vicary’s Clothing Store upon her husband’s death in 1921. In 1957 when the company was dissolved, Arthur C. Vicary (a mechanical engineer and inventor) was listed on the article of dissolution as president; William Daberko, vice president; and Carolyn Vicary Krider's husbanad, Harold Krider (1902-1981) was secretary and treasurer.

Scope and Content

This album contains brochures, reports, stock certificates and photographs of the clothing store and its employees. There are exterior views of the store front at various locations, interior views of the store showing different fixtures, different departments, including staff members in the store and individual portraits of staff members. Several portraits were used in a brochure promoting the store's line of hats. There are three images of staff in front of the Vicary's former store, "Globe Clothing." There is one image of the firms wagon-float for the 1900 Fourth of July parade.

There are pamphlets and mock-ups for printed pieces, including the brochure advertising hats, and a four-page announcement for Vicary's newly enlarged store in 1940. The three typed reports are on the store's operation during the 1950 Christmas season discussing the effect of promotions, certificates, window displays, wrapping, and personnel. The stock certificates, mostly pertain to stock held by Vicary, but also stocks held by Strassner and Deberko.

All photographs are mounted in the album, some photographs were trimmed down to fit on the page by the original assembler who is unknown.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Provenance

This album belonged to Arthur Rulo Fries (1916-2000) of Canton, Ohio. His relationship to Vicary Clothing Store is unknown. Nor is it known if he is the assembler of the album or if he received the album from someone else. His name and address are inscribed on the inside of the front cover.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
C.N. Vicary's Clothing Store album
Author:
Laurie Sather
Date:
2015
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400