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Shopping in 1910 at the Geneseo Merchantile
Shopping in 1910 at the Geneseo Merchantile
How do you get the customer in the door? Even 110 years ago it was a challenge. How about a coupon or coin? Bernard Musselwhite, McPherson, found such a coin in his collection which probably belonged to his grandparents, Roy and Almeda (Naven) Musselwhite. The gold-colored coin, the size of a penny, "offers 10 cents in merchandise at W. D. Gage's General Merchandise, Geneseo, Kans.".
Geneseo businesses from 1886 - 1906 listed in the Geneseo Centennial 1987 History booklet includes "William D. Gage's Harness and Shoe Repair business. Gage had one half of the store, the other half was a millinery store run by Ada Gibbons, daughter of "Daddy" Gibbons, a railroad man". His store was on the west side of Main Street, just north of the Heitschmidt and later Alexander Hardware store. Musselwhite suggest that Gage moved to grocieries when horses were replaced with automobiles.
Mrs. Oscar Joslin's Millinery Store, Geneseo.
Mrs. Oscar Joslin's Millinery Store, Geneseo.
Mrs. Joslin was William Gage's mother-in-law and may have shared store space with the Gage General Merchandise.
The 1885 US Census shows William David Gage and his wife, Bertha Edith (Joslin) Gage living in Geneseo. William was born in Holly, Michigan January 31, 1859 and Bertha was born in Lansing, Michigan December 25, 1867 and married in Gurdon, Arkansas in 1885. In the 1900 US Census William is 40 years old and listed as a Harness Maker, with five children, three of whom are in school: Jack R. 12 yrs., Sadie M. 11 yrs., and Eva R. 9 yrs. Fred A. was 3 years old and Joseph S. was one year old. In the US Census William is listed as Retail Merchant and by the 1920 US Census as a Grocery Merchant. William was a member of the 100F Lodge No. 327 in Geneseo. William died on this wife's 56th birthday, December 25, 1923. He is buried in the Geneseo Cemetery, Bertha died February 22, 1945 and was buried in Hutchinson, KS.
Two of William and Bertha's children graduated from Geneseo High School. Their daugther, Bessie was born July 21, 1902 and graduated from GHS in 1922. Bessie (Gage) McAllaster died June 11, 1937 and was buried in Hutchinson, KS. Their son, Arloe, was born August 9, 1909 and graduated in the the GHS Class of 1928. He died March 11, 1985 in Deming, NM.
Eva Ruth Gage married a Hupman and they are buried in the Geneseo Cemetery. Three Hupman women, Bertha-1928, Edna-1930 and Lenora E.-1936, are GHS graduates. They may possibly be sisters to Mr. Hupman. A story for another day.
A single gold-colored coin has taken us on quite a journey.
A single gold-colored coin has taken us on quite a journey.
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