We find in the special number of the East Washingtonian so valuable a resume of the history of business houses of Pomeroy, including reference to Pataha, that we add it to the excerpts which we have the privilege to use.
This is by a man peculiarly qualified to write, J. J. McGrath, written in the year 1914:
"The leading general merchandise stores here twenty-seven years ago were Brady and Rush, B. Cohn & Co. and Ben Hirsch & Co. The leading grocery was Dirk Zemel; hardware, H. Darby & Sons; jewelry, McCabe & Whitcomb; shoe store, J. H. Hagy; furniture, Vassar & Sacknitz; bakery, George Eller; harness, C. Ed Moore and W. W. Swank; drug stores, Central Drug Store and I. C. Sanford & Co.
"There were a few smaller stores, among them being Doctor Storey's second-hand store and dental parlor.
"Soon after this Ben Hirsch closed out and S. Kasper opened a store.
"On September 1, 1887, I entered the employment of E. L. Hemingway, at Ilia, who conducted a general merchandise store, and grain warehouse. Mr. Hemingway established these houses some years before the railroad was built to Pomeroy, and did a large business, people from miles around coming to Ilia to trade. Many came fifteen and eighteen miles to purchase their supplies at the Hemingway store. There are but few people living in the county that were customers of the Hemingway store in 1889.
"Two years later I became connected with the store of B. Cohn & Co., of Pomeroy. In 1892 we incorporated the Pomeroy Mercantile Company, and purchased the merchandise from B. Cohn & Co. The first stockholders were B. Cohn, C. H. Seeley, M. F. Gose, G. L. Campbell, P. O. Seeley, M. A. Dunham, J. A. Strain, D. B. Williams and J. J. McGrath.
"Many pioneers will remember some of the stockholders with pleasure. Some have been very successful in the financial world. In 1912 the Mercantile Company purchased the stock, fixtures and real estate from the Pomeroy Mercantile Company. The stockholders of the new company are C. H. Seeley, R. E. Allen, J. F. Burr, Mrs. J. B. Warren and J. J. McGrath.
"The firm of Brady & Rush changed to R. L. Rush & Co. in 1890, F. J. Elsensohn and J. B. Brady becoming junior members. Later R. L. Rush sold his interest to his partners and took the presidency of the Pomeroy State Bank, and the firm name was changed to Brady & Elsensohn until J. B. Brady sold his interest to F. J. Elsensohn. Mr. Elsensohn continued the business under his own name until he incorporated the Fred J. Elsensohn Co. Two years later he sold the business to J. N. Cardwell & Sons, who consolidated it with their business.