Last week I bid on and won this postcard for S. H. Jackson Merc. Co. of Unionville, Missouri. I was hoping to acquire it with little to no competition which I did. This is a companion piece for the five trade tokens I have on this firm (also purchased from Ebay).
Fortunately, the Putnam County Historical Society has digitized old newspapers and made them accessible online. I was able to learn more about the firm and its owners.
Samuel H. Jackson was born in 1857. He worked in the store owned by James Turner in Unionville for a time. After Turner died in 1892, he along with two associates returned to Unionville to purchase and operate the store. Jackson expanded the storefront and sales area in 1898.
In January 1904, S. H. Jackson Merchandise Company was organized. Jackson was President; J. F. Underwood, Vice-President; Alice Coons, Secretary; and Nina Shearer, Treasurer. Other stockholders were C.B. Brasfield and H.C. Steer.
The firm was a prolific advertiser in the local paper--no surprise--as this was the prior to mass media such as radio and television.
Jackson moved to Lawrence, Kansas from Unionville around 1912 but retained ownership in the store until 1917 when he sold out to J. F. Underwood.
From the newspaper record, Jackson and his wife retired to Lawrence, KS and in later years traveled to Orlando, Florida. While in Orlando, in February 1930, S. H. Jackson died.
Underwood placed his name on the marquee and operated the store until 1950. It was home to several businesses after the store closed. The building housing the original James Turner and S.H. Jackson store collapsed in April 2013. At the time, a photography studio occupied the space; no one was inside at the time luckily. The addition built by Jackson in 1898 to the south remains standing and in use.
I'm only guessing here but I'd estimate the card and tokens are of the same vintage.
-MV
Posted 06/02/2017 5:27 pm
