BIOGRAPHY: Frances Varet; New York co., NY
surname: Varet

submitted by Elizabeth Burns (burns at asu.edu) 
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Submitted Date: June 3,2005
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Author: Walter Barrett

Francis Varet
Page 113
Old Merchants, 
Walter Barrett, 
Thomas R. Knox, 1885

Francis Varet and Company, French importers did a very large business at one 
time. For years this firm was one of the heaviest in the silk trade.  They 
imported and then sold heavily at auction through John Hone and Sons. The old 
man was named Frances and the son Lewis F. They did a heavy West India 
shipping business. The old Varet was a French refugee and settled in New York 
as early as 1797 at 26 Reade Street. In 1804 he took his son into partnership 
and kept at 112 Chatham Street. In the war they kept their store at 94 Bowery.

Perhaps the heaviest business they did was in 1830, and for some years prior 
to that date. Though the firm was Francis Varet and Son, as it had been for 
twenty-six years, I am not certain that old Francis was in it actively.  The 
son was an old man in 1830 and his private residence was at No. 36 Beach 
Street.

The house employed their own buyers in France and he was under engagement not 
to buy for any other New York silk house. At one time James R. Icard was their 
banker at Paris. John B. Viele of Lyons, France was a partner in this house.

This house, established in 1798 is still in existence under the firm of Oscar 
Varet and Company, 21 Murray Street.  They yet deal in silks and have Paris 
connections. I think the names of the young men are Oscar and Emil.

I now return to the old house of F. Varet and Son. Their store was at 147 
Pearl Street for a long time. Lewis Varet was a very close business man; he 
kept his affairs to himself and his own book-keeper whose name was Durival. He 
made out all the entries of goods, and attended to the custom house business 
himself. He did not confine himself solely to dry goods; on the contrary, F. 
Varet and Company received cargoes of sugar, and beeswax from Matanzas. In 
Lyon he had large manufactories, monopolized in making little braids one 
sixteenth of an inch in width.

He also imported woolen gloves and mittens in hogsheads and at first used to 
make immense profits, selling them at public sale; but after a while the 
market got overstocked and these goods became a drug in the market.

It is about eighteen years since Mr. Varet died.