W. M. Hoyt & Co.
Life Span: 1865-1871
Location: 101 S. Water
Architect:
- Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863
Loomis & Whitaker, (Edgar Loomis and James A. Whitaker,) whol. grocers, 101 S. Water
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1866
Hoyt William M. & Co. (William M. Hoyt, Salmon M. Case, William T. Sherer and Christopher Watrous), whol. grocers, 101 S. Water.
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Hoyt William M. & Co. (William M. Hoyt, W. F. Shears and C. Watrous), whol. grocers, 36 S. Water.
History of Chicago, Inter Ocean, 1900
W. M. Hoyt Company.
The present firm of W. M. Hoyt Company, wholesale grocers, like most of the successful business enterprises of Chicago, is the outgrowth of a small beginning. In 1857 Mr. W. M. Hoyt, then a lad of twenty, opened a small fruit business, which developed, by progres sive evolutions, until he was able in 1865 to pur chase the business of James A. Whitaker, at 101 South Water street, where he engaged in the wholesale grocery business. At the time of the fire of 1871 Mr. Hoyt’s place of business was located on River street, foot of Wabash avenue, but notwithstanding the loss of his property there, and of his two stores on North Dearborn street, he leased a new location at 63 South Canal street, even while the fire was still raging across the river.
The following year Mr. Hoyt purchased the site of the old Fort Dearborn, Michigan avenue and River street, opposite Rush street bridge, where he erected the present salesroom and warehouse, so admirably adapted to the requirements of the business. In addition to this the company now owns Nos. 6 and 8 River street, directly opposite, in which they have their coffee and spice mills.
The W. M. Hoyt Company was incorporated under the laws of Illinois in 1882, and the business has been conducted in the corporate name since that time. The officers of the company are: W. M. Hoyt, president; R. J. Bennett, vice -president; Arthur G. Bennett, secretary and treasurer; Albert C. Buttolph and Graeme Stewart, managers, and all of these are directors.
As this business house occupies one of the most interesting historic spots in the Northwest, Mr. Hoyt caused to be prepared and set in the wall of the building a memorial tablet, on which is engraved a sketch of the blockhouse of the fort erected on the site in 1816, after the massacre of 1812. On the occasion of the unveiling this tablet in 1881, Hon. John Wentworth delivered an address, eulogizing the enterprise that had erected a great emporium and conducted in it a great business of several millions annually, on the site of a blockhouse, but recently erected for the utmost defense against the savages.
The business of the W. M. Hoyt Company is conducted without traveling men. They buy as closely as possible and discount all bills; sell on short time and require prompt payment. The stability of this house has never been questioned. It is not seriously affected by a monetary stringency or panic, and its prominence among the great business enterprises of the West is a lasting monument to the pluck, industry and energy of the men who created and continue to manage it, and well exemplifies what was written three thousand years ago:
- Seest thou a man (or men) diligent in business, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men.
- William Hoyt & Company
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869
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