Alvah Curtis Roebuck
Alvah Curtis Roebuck | |
---|---|
Acacia Park Cemetery, Chicago, U.S. | |
Occupation | Businessman |
Years active | 1891–1948 |
Known for | Co-founder Sears, Roebuck & Co. |
Spouse | Sarah Blanche Lett |
Children | 3 (2 sons, 1 daughter) |
Alvah Curtis Roebuck (January 9, 1864 – June 18, 1948) was an American retail businessman, who was one of the co-founders of department store Sears, Roebuck and Company with his partner Richard Warren Sears.
Early life
Alvah Curtis Roebuck was born on January 9, 1864, in Lafayette, Indiana. He began work as a watchmaker in a Hammond, Indiana, jewelry store at age 12.[citation needed]
Career
Roebuck co-founded Sears, Roebuck and Company with Richard Warren Sears in 1891.[1][2]
In 1895, Roebuck asked Sears to buy him out for about $20,000. At Richard Sears' request, Roebuck took charge of a division that handled
After several years in semi-retirement in Florida, the financial losses he suffered in the stock market crash of 1929 forced Roebuck to return to Chicago. By 1933, Roebuck had rejoined Sears, Roebuck and Co., where he largely devoted his time to compiling a history of the company he helped found.
In September 1934, a Sears store manager asked Roebuck to make a public appearance at his store. After an enthusiastic public turnout, Roebuck went on tour, appearing at retail stores across the country for the next several years.
Personal life and death
Roebuck married his first wife Kittie Rice on September 2, 1890, in
Roebuck died on June 18, 1948, while visiting his daughter in Evanston, Illinois.
References
- Newspapers.com.
It was from his partnership with Richard W. Sears in 1891 that the huge mail order business grew.
- Newspapers.com.
It was from his partnership with Richard W. Sears in 1891 that the huge mail order business grew.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ "A. C. Roebuck Dies. Store Cofounder. Partner of Sears in Starting Business in 1891. Sold His Share Early in Century". The New York Times. June 20, 1948. Retrieved 2008-06-14.