Historical encyclopedia of Illinois . ing at-tention of tiie early settlers of Schuyler County,yet in the decade beginning witli 1830, we findthat many small mercantile industries flourishedin Rusbville, and it will be interesting to reviewthe history of the most important ones. A. La Croix established a hat factory on whatis now known as the B. C. Gilliam property, inthe early thirties, and for many years, main-tained a flourishing business. William Sneiders chair factory, establishedabout the same time, was located near where Roachs residence now stands. There wasa good demand for house
Historical encyclopedia of Illinois . ing at-tention of tiie early settlers of Schuyler County,yet in the decade beginning witli 1830, we findthat many small mercantile industries flourishedin Rusbville, and it will be interesting to reviewthe history of the most important ones. A. La Croix established a hat factory on whatis now known as the B. C. Gilliam property, inthe early thirties, and for many years, main-tained a flourishing business. William Sneiders chair factory, establishedabout the same time, was located near where Roachs residence now stands. There wasa good demand for household furnishings at thattime, as the pioneers were prospering, and theyhad brought little if any furniture with themto the settlement. The Sneider chairs were of thesplit-bottom, hickory kind, but were substan-tially made, and there are a few of them to befound in Rusbville today, and. perchance, be-decked with white enamel and a velvet cushion,and occupying a place of honor in the frontparlor There were cabinet-makers in those early. ^tr/j^v , O . /j^^T-JLtf HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY, 659 days who also turned out furniture that now,after a lapse of seventy-five years, is broughtout from the garrets and refurnished anew. Ofthese cabinet-makers. E. H. O. Seeley is themost widely known. He established his businessin 1S31, on the site of the present brick storebuilding owned by his heirs, and it is interesting,in this connection, to state that he paid for thetwo corner lots on the public square by makinga dresser and a set of pigeon-hole postoftiee boxesfor Hart Fellows. Dr. James Blackburn established the first tan-nery in the county at Rushville. in 1830, nearwhere G. H. Seripps residence now stands, andoperated it until 1836, when he sold the prop-erty to George Baker and removed to Brooklynto engage in the practice of his profession. The tannery business appears to have been aprofitable one in the early days of the county,and there were eight or ten establishments inRushville
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