The success of Stratford born Adolphus C. Bartlett

 

 

Adolphus Clay Bartlett was born in Stratford, New York on June 24^th,  1844  to Aaron and Delia Bartlett.   Aaron Bartlett his father was  a successful Stratford business man owning a tannery, sawmill  and store in town.

 When Adolphus was 10 years old his father Aaron passed away.  Delia who was Aaron’s 2^nd wife relocated with Adolphus to Salisbury Center at some time after her husband’s death.    Adolphus  attended school in Salisbury Center until he was sixteen years old.   He then went to Danville Institute for one year and Clinton Liberal Institute for 2 more years.  After school he worked as a school teacher and a clerk in a country store. 

 At the age of 19  Adolphus moved to Chicago and was hired at Tuttle, Hibbard & Company a wholesale hardware business as an office boy.  Working long hours through the years he worked his way up to a management position.  In 1869, and  six years of working for the company he was made general partner.

 When the Great Chicago Fire almost destroyed Chicago and the business,  the company surprisingly  prospered due to the high demand for hardware to rebuild the city.  After a full recovery the company continued to grow .   In 1882 the business incorporated under the name of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett and Company.   Bartlett was made Secretary.  In 1890 after the death of Franklin Spencer,  Adolphus was named vice-president.  And after the death of William Hibbard in 1904 Bartlett was named president of the company.  In 1914 he was the first to occupy the newly created office of Chairman on the Board of Directors.  He held the position until his time of death.

 Sadly, Adolphus died in 1922  in California where he was recuperating from a heart attack.

 Adolphus’  company continued on.  In 1932 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. introduced a brand name line of tools called True Value.     In 1962 Cotter and Company purchased the assets of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett and Company for $2.5 million acquiring the True Value trademark.  Years later becoming the True Value Company the hardware stores we know today.  And to think that part of this success is due to a boy born in Stratford.