Jackson County IL Archives News.....BEN DANIEL CAME FROM RED BUD WITH SIRE IN '66; ARRIVED AT GRAND TOWER BY BOAT; SUCCEEDS October 16, 1923 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary Riseling riseling@insightbb.com July 13, 2006, 11:18 pm Murphysboro Daily Independent October 16, 1923 Ben DANIEL, president of the Daniel Wholesale Grocery Co., came to Murphysboro in 1886 from Red Bud, with his father, Sebastian DANIEL, and family in what would now seem to be a very circuitous route to the traveler of today. Going from Red Bud to Prairie Du Rocher by wagon they took boat on the Mississippi river down to Grand Tower and then came up in a boat on the Bid Muddy river to Murphysboro. The family first lived in a cottage at what is now the corner of Manning and Fourteenth street, in the house now occupied by Mrs. J. B. CLARK. In 1869 his father built a bake shop at the location now occupied by the splendid two story Daniel wholesale building at the corner of Thirteenth and Chestnut streets, and a year later built a residence to the south of his store and bake shop on the same site. On the opposite corner stood the home of Mrs. Ann WATSON, mother of the later Robert WATSON, and Mrs. Carrie ROLENS, mother of the editor of the Independent, and Mrs. Frankie ROLENS, wife of George S. ROLENS. On the corner now owned by Mr. Daniel and occupied by the RATHBERGERS' book store was a livery stable conducted by Louis PELZER, father of Amiel PELZER, business manager of the Independent. Next to it on the east was the Peter SCHNEIDER saloon, and residence above, now occupied by BUXON the jeweler and A. F. KUEHLE, insurance agent, owner of the building. Where the city hall now stands was a vacant lot and just back of it where the Independent is now located was a blacksmith shop owned by John CLAFFIE, and to the south of that was a frame building occupied by Charles LABAR, with a store. Mr. Daniels' memory as to location of buildings is that on NEADSTINE drug store corner, Thirteenth and Walnut, was Frank JAGGERMAN's saloon in those days, and west of that where the Dreamland, Mrs. KUEHLE's millinery shop and George HORSEFIELD's print shop was a blacksmith shop run by William TURK, father of Dan TURK. Emerson says, "Every successful enterprise is but the lengthened shadow of one man." This is proven out in the business life of Ben Daniel. His first touch of business life was with his father in the former's bake shop and store, where he learned that to be successful you must work and save to be ready for that day when opportunity comes knocking at your door. When that opportunity came Ben Daniel was ready and opened his first grocery and bakery with Henry and Joe BORGERS as partners in 1882 at the location now occupied by NEADSTINE's drug store. He had but one clerk, John PIGGOTT, who with the proprietors was sufficient force to carry on the business on this new enterprise with Ben doing the baking. But business prospered and in 1884 he bought out Messrs. BORGERS and continued in that location until 1895, when he built a three story brick business building at the corner of Thirteenth and Walnut now occupied by RATHBERGER's store, which he still owns, and moved into it. He enlarged his dealings with the public by putting in a stock of general merchandise. This business continued to prosper and in 1902 he sold to Henry KRAUSE the retail store and in the same year started in the wholesale grocery business in the BERGER building on Ninth street with Henry BORGSMILLER. This partnership was dissolved the latter part of the year, Mr. Daniel buying his partner's interest. Here he remained until 1907 when he built the two story brick building on the corner of Chestnut and Thirteenth street which he occupied until 1921. The business had by this time grown until it was imperative that the Daniel Grocer Co., which now was composed of Mr. Daniel and sons, William, Ben, and Joe, should have larger quarters in which to do business. In this year the fine new home of this company was erected on the site of the first home and bake shop of his father so many years before. It is 50 by 150 feet, three story, reinforced concrete construction with a full driveway to the left as you enter from Chestnut street and extends through to Mulberry street. It has trackage from the Illinois Central for their incoming and out going freight at the west, with broad platforms to the car doors. The growth of this business has been indicative of the growth of the city. Doing less than one hundred thousand dollars worth of business in 1903 it has grown to a business of more than five hundred thousand dollars in the home plant. A branch was started in 1922 in West Frankfort which has proven a marvel of growth. This branch is under the direct charge of the founder of the Daniel Wholesale Grocer Co., and his son William is ably managed by Carl WILLIAMS who long held a position of responsibility in the parent concern. Beginning with one clerk the force that handles the business for the Daniel Grocer Co., now numbers 23 men, all intensively alive to the responsibility that is theirs in supplying their large list of customers over Egypt. The company features their goods under the names of "Daniel's Pride" and "Trust Me" brands and handle exclusively the Pillsbury and Enterprise brands of flour. No man in Murphysboro is more wide awake to the possibilities of Murphysboro and Egypt than Ben DANIEL, the founder of this company. He has made this city his home since his youth and has ever been a consistent believer in its constant growth, and has shown his faith by his works. Additional Comments: Transcribed by Mary Riseling from grandfather Dr.C. E. RISELING's collection of old newspapers. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/newspapers/bendanie105nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb