Baltimore Hats, Past and PresentBrigham, William Tufts
History
Baltimore Hats, Past and Present
Brigham, William Tufts
Hat trade -- Maryland -- Baltimore -- History; Hats
In 1810 Andrew Ruff is found at No. 72 Camden street, likely to have
been his place of residence. Whether he was then engaged in business
is not known, but in 1817 he had a factory on Davis street between
Lexington and Saratoga streets, the site now occupied by the stables
of the Adams Express Company. About the year 1822 he established a
retail store at 158 Baltimore street. In 1842 the firm was Andrew Ruff
& Co., at 194 Baltimore street. At one time Mr. Ruff was foreman in
the manufacturing establishment of Clap & Cole.
Henry Jenkins, in 1822, was a hat manufacturer at 28 Green street, Old
Town, and from 1824 to 1830 Messrs. H. & W. S. Jenkins kept a hat store
on the northeast corner of Baltimore and Calvert streets, where
afterwards was erected the banking-house of Josiah Lee & Co., now
occupied by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a ticket office.
Joseph Branson was a hatter in the year 1827 at 182 Market street. He
was a son of William Branson, who was engaged in the same business
from 1796 to 1817. Joseph Branson ranked as the fashionable hatter of
that time. He was a man of considerable military distinction in the
State. He raised and commanded the famous Marion Rifles, a superb
military organization of the city, to which was accorded the honor of
receiving General Lafayette upon his visit to Baltimore in 1824.
Mr. Branson is said to have been the first to introduce a thorough
system of military tactics in Baltimore. He served several terms in
the City Council, and was an active, enterprising citizen. In the year
1831 he went out of business and took the position of inspector in the
custom house.
Mr. Charles Grimes was a well-known hatter who commenced business at
42 Baltimore street about 1823. In 1831 he removed to No. 29 North
Gay, near High street. He evidently had a love for his first choice,
as in 1833 he is found again at 42 Baltimore street. Mr. Grimes
retired from business as early as the year 1839. He was extremely fond
of the Maryland sport of duck shooting, in which he was associated
with many of Baltimore's sporting gentlemen. In 1853 he removed to
Philadelphia, enjoying a life of comfort and ease. He was an exemplary
man in all the relations of life, and died in the year 1868 at the
advanced age of 73.
In 1810 John Petticord was learning his trade with Jacob Rogers, being
then fourteen years of age. His honesty and faithfulness were
appreciated by his employer, and in 1814 he occupied the position of
foreman in Mr. Rogers' factory. After continuing in that capacity for
some time he commenced the manufacture of hats on his own account,
continuing it until the feebleness of age compelled him to abandon it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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