Tuttle, Hibbard & Co.

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Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., Hibbard & Spencer, Clark, Whitehouse & Co.
Location: NE corner State and Lake
Michigan ave., between Lake and Randolph
Life Span: 1855-1871
Architect:

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60

Tuttle, Hibbard & Co.

Buel, Hill, Granger & Co.

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863
Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., 62 Lake

Halpin’s Chicago City Directory for 1864
Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., (Nelson Tuttle, Wm. G. Hibbard, George M. Gray, and Frederick Tuttle,) hardware and tinplate, 62 Lake

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1866
Hibbard & Spencer (William G. Hibbard and F. F. Spencer), importers and whol. dealers in hardware, 62 Lake

John C. W. Bailey’s Chicago City Directory for 1867
Clark, Whitehouse & Co., (Amos M. Clark, Junot J. Whitehouse, Josiah C. Mooar, Silas S. Whitehouse,) mnfrs and jobbers men’s furnishing goods 62 Lake

Edwards’ City of Chicago Directory for 1870-71
Seeberger & Breakey (F. A. Seeberger and B. A. Bteakey), hardware and tinners’ stock, whol. 62 Lake
Mooar J. C. men’s furnishing goods, whol. 62 Lake, r. 197 Warren

PRE-FIRE HIBBARD HARDWARE HISTORY
1855 Firm of Tuttle, Hibbard & Co. founded on March 22. Store at 45 Water street.
1857 Fire destroys stock. Business resumed at 32 Lake street.
1860 Move to larger quarters at 62 Lake street.
1865 Firm name changed to Hibbard & Spencer.
1867 Business in larger quarters at 92-94 Michigan avenue.
1871 Stock burned in the Big Fire; business carried on temporarily in Mr. Hibbard’s dwelling house.

Chicago Tribune, April 24, 1855

CO-PARTNERSHIP.
The undersigned have this day formed a co-partnership under the firm and style of Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., for the transaction of the Wholesale Hardware business, at No. 45 South Water street. Nelson Tuttle, Wm. G Hibbard, George M. Gray, Frederick Tuttle.—Chicago, March 22, 1855

Weekly Chicago Tribune, March 5, 1857

TREMENDOUS CONFLAGRATION.—FIVE DWELLING HOUSE, BREWERY, CANDLE FACTORY, BARNS, &c. IN RUINS.-Loss, $350,000.-One the most disastrous conflagrations which has visited our city, broke out Monday morning in the eastern end of the five story brick block at corner of South Water and State streets. The fire originated as nearly as we could learn in Hale’s chair factory. The alarm was sounded as soon as possible, but owing to the unfavorable hour of the morning and the difficulty of procuring water, the flames spread rapidly and gained for the time of mastery.

The building in which it originated was occupied by Dix, Sinclair & Harris, wholesale grocers, who have lost their whole stock. They estimate their loss at $25,000, insured for $15,000. The third story was occupied by James H. Hubbard Co., dealers in gloves and furnishing This firm had just taken possession of the having purchased last week, of the former pant. Their loss is $12,000, insured $9,500. All their papers, books, &c., were lost. The chair factory, where the fire broke out, belonged Messrs. Hale & Co., and the whole stock was consumed. Their loss must be nearly $5,000, no insurance.

The fire by this time became almost uncontrollable and rapidly found its way into the adjoining store of Messrs. Tuttle & Hibbard, wholesale dealers in hardware. Their whole stock was consumed, Their stock must be near as we can ascertain worth about $150,000, insured nearly $122,000. During the burning of this store, the fire became so intense as to heat the heavy iron window shutters almost to a white heat, snapping them like flax. The beat and falling walls rendered the exertions of the firemen on Water street of no avail.

The store of Messrs. Jewett & Root, the next the block, was also totally consumed. They all their stock, which consisted of stoves. Their loss is $50,000, insured for $25,000. Messrs. Jewett & Root are dealers in Buffalo, and the branch of their business in this city was carried on by Spencer, their agent. The above value of stock according to their invoice on the 1st of January.

The fire in this direction was finally subdued by the untiring exertions of the firemen, but not the adjoining store of Messrs. Norton & Co., wholesale grocers, was thoroughly drenched water. Messrs. Turrill Haven removed the of their stock, and their damage is very slight. This block of buildings was owned by John Atwater, Esq., of Cincinnati; and Mr. Beers, of Chicago.

The ware-house opposite of A. T. Spencer & Co. was in imminent danger, but by a constant stream of water upon it for nearly two hours, was preserved.

The next building adjoining on the easterly side, was a dwelling house owned by Mrs. Carney. The walls of Messrs. Dix & Co.’s store fell upon it, crushing it to the ground and burying in the ruing a boy-a son of Mr. Joseph Ryan. It was nearly an hour before he was released, but almost by a miracle, he escaped unhurt with the exception one of his arms being injured. The inmates of the house had barely time to escape with their lives—reaching the curb-stone of the sidewalk just as the walls fell. Mrs. Carney’s loss will reach $5,000. Nothing was saved, not even clothing. Daniel McIlroy, Esq., who boarded at the house, loses about $1,500. He was untiring in his exertions, and it was to his instrumentality that many of the inmates of the house are obligated for their safety.

The next building was a brick store, occupied by James O’Neil and Ostheim & Co., liquor dealers. Mr.’O Neil loses all his stock, valued at about $80,000. No insurance. Mr. Ostheim’s loss was trifling, some large packages of cigars being damaged somewhat by water.

The fire from this point spread to the brewery of Mr. O’Neil, in the rear on the alley leading from Wabash avenue to State street. The brewery was a stone building, owned by Mrs. Carney; a large quantity of ale and beer, 1,000 bushels of malt and considerable barley were consumed. A barn adjoining, owned by Mr. Doyle, was next consumed. Loss about $500. The most of the stock was removed. Johnson’s candle factory was also burned. We have not been able to learn the loss.

On the south side of the alley, the American House took fire, but was speedily quenched. Loss by fire and water $800 to $1000. A small building occupied by Mr. Sloan as a medicine manufactory was slightly damaged. The new iron fronts on Lake street were subjected to a very intense heat for over three hours. The store occupied by Hunt & Wiggins, in this block, was damaged somewhat by fire and water.

The origin of this terrible fire is unknown.

The above losses are correct as far as we could ascertain in the excitement which prevailed. It was a disastrous blow to the business of Water street, but from the known energy of the sufferers it will be but temporary.

Chicago Tribune, May 27, 1857

Removal.—Buel, Hill & Granger
Dealers in Boots and Shoes, have removed to the new and spacious fire story iron front store, No. 62 Lake street, corner of State.

TO RENT-Three or four desirable Offices. Also, one floor, 22 by 140 feet. Enquire of Buel, Hill & Granger, 62 Lake street, cor. of State.

Weekly Chicago Tribune, March 15, 1860

MESSRS. TUTTLE, HIBBARD & Co.—This old established house in the Wholesale Hardware line have just removed from the corner of Lake street and Wabash Avenue to the corner of State and Lake streets, No. 62 Lake street, where they occupy one of the finest stores in the Northwest, in the five story iron front block, and are better located than ever before for the extensive trade they have won during years of successful business relations with the trade seeking Chicago as a commercial centre.

This firm is one of the numbers of our leading houses which has kept steadily on tbrough the crisis, always carrying a heavy stock and retaining their position and prominence. In their new stand they are admirably accommodated, as all pronounce who have looked in upon their present quarters. They are in the field for the Spring trade with one of the largest and most extensive stocks in their line ever offered in this market.

Chicago Tribune, February 28, 1865

HARDWARE AND METALS.
Messrs. Hibbard & Spencer, No. 63 Lake Street.
The well known firm of Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., so long identified with our Western trade in hardware and metals, has dissolved partnership. The Messrs. Tuttle retire from the business, the house has changed hands; the firm will be in future “Hibbard & Spencer,” being composed of Mr. W. G. Hibbard, the second member of the late firm, and Mr. F. F. Spencer, who for ten years past has conducted the establishment of Messrs. Jewett & Root of this city.

The change merits more than a pasting notice. The firm which has now dropped into the domain of the past was one of the few pioneers of that wholesale system of business which has now attained such colossal proportions in our midst. When, ten years ago, the house opened its stores of wrought mineral wealth to the public, Chicago had just begun to grow; and though a center to which a portion of the West looked for its supplies, it filled the demand with a very small bill. But there were those who saw that that demand was destined to a rapid increase The members of the firm of Tuttle, Hibbard A Co. were among these, and determined to do their share of the building up of the now magnificent fabric of our Chicago trade. How well they have succeeded, the constantly-increasing circle of their business connections, and the annually-multiplied extant of their sales, will attest, while the safe basis on which their operations arc conducted is shown in the fact that when others were forced to contract their circle of action, or ceased altogether, this firm always exhibited a steady increase, a healthy vitality.

The new firm succeeds to the business in the hope. and with the confident expectation, of being enabled to achieve a still higher position for the house than it has yet attained. The members bring with them a long and varied experience—one extending over periods of great fluctuation in values, and change in requirement. They commence with a much larger circle of business acquaintance than was possessed by the old firm; they have a capital ample to meet all the probable—we had almost said, “all the possible”—demands to be made on it for employment; and they will renovate and enlarge greatly their stock and means pf supply. And joined to all these they commence with that invaluable stock in trade, the confidence of all who know them, a confidence to be acquired only by years of constant honor in the fulfillment of all engagements, a clear business record, without one spot or stain.

We do not therefore need to ask for the new firm a cordial reception at the hands of the community—that is already accorded. It needs to say nothing more than that the change is made, and that while the retiring members are falling back on their bard earned competency, Messrs. Hibbard & Spencer are pressing forward to fill the breach thus made. The business will be continued at the old stand. No. 63 Lake street, on the corner of State. Their stock of general hardware, cutlery and metals will be, as heretofore, unexceptionable in quality, and will be still larger in variety and fullness. They make their bow to their numerous friends this morning.

Chicago Illustrated, June, 1866

On the north side of the street is the row of ten iron-front buildings. The buildings extend from Lake street 180 feet to an alley 30 feet wide. These were the first iron-front buildings erected in Chicago, and they were commenced in 1857-8. These buildings are owned by various persons, and are occupied by wholesale establishments. East of the iron buildings are three stores with marble fronts. East of Wabash Avenue, extending to Michigan Avenue, is a marble block occupied by wholesale establishments. At the corner of Michigan Avenue, is the Adams House, a large five-story hotel, which extends to Depot place, upon the east side of which is the great depot of the Illinois Central, Michigan Central, and other railroads. The south side of the street is improved by buildings of the same class, and occupied also by wholesale houses.

At the south-east corner of State and Lake streets is the City Hotel, a celebrated hotel in Chicago in former days. It is the only one of the comparatively small buildings of former times that has not been replaced by the stately and costly edifices which adorn the other parts of the street.

Chicago Tribune, April 24, 1865

GENTS FURNISHING GOODs.—Messrs. Clark, Whitehouse & Co., have recently made some important extensions in their warerooms, No. 62 Lake street. which are now refitted and furnished with a large and well selected assortment of gent-furnishing goods, embracing every variety of under wear of the newest styles. This stock is one of the most complete to be found in the city, or indeed west of New York, and is well worthy the attention of country merchants. who will find an excellent variety of linen, woolen and jean goods, at prices which cannot be beaten. Messrs. Clark, Whitehouse & Co., are gentlemen of well-known business ability and energy, and the business being under their immediate superintendence, customers may be assured of every attention. Merchants from the country will do well to give them a call before completing their spring purchases. Orders may be addressed to Clark, Whitehouse & Co., No. 62 Lake, corner State street, Chicago.

Chicago Tribune, September 27, 1867

WHOLESALE HARDWARE TRADE.—We call special attention to the card of Seeberger & Breakey. wholesale dealers in hardware, No. 62 Lake street, in this city. This firm, although only in the fourth year of its existence, has, by close application to business and uniform integrity in its dealings with the trade of the Northwest, attained a recognized position in the in the very front rank of the trade in this city.
Their facilities to purchasing goods, and their large and varied stock, render this one of the mort desirable of houses to transact business with. The firm is composed of energetic and upright business men, who, as such, richly merit the encouragement with which they are meeting.

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