Union City Businesses-1859-1880
These business notices from the Weekly Union City Times demonstrates the bustling business scene in Union City.
March 1859
Will Have a Fine Blacksmith Shop
Mr. Fred Carroll, who has been doing blacksmithing in the shop formerly owned by J.M Morton has purchased the farm building on Miles Street of the Union City Coal & Supply Company and has had it moved to a lot he leases from William Dunmeyer next to the iron works on South Main Street, and will fit it up at once for a blacksmith shop and it will be a good one too. Mr. A.D. Meintaffer had the contract for moving the building.
November, 1865
Thompson & Cowden
Iron Founders and Machinists, Union Mills, Pa.
Manufacturers of the Jamestown Wood Mills, greatly improved and strengthened, and machinery of every description. Machinery made to order and repaired on the shortest notice. Castings in iron furnished to order. Foundry and machine shop on Willow Street.
April, 1866
Miss Jennie Brown will open a shop for Dress and Cloak making on May 1st, at the residence of J.W. Sturdevant on the corner of Miles and Concord Streets. Any young ladies desirous of learning this trade will be employed on the usual terms. Thankful for patronage received, she would respectuflly solicit a continuance of the same.
Notice
I would inform the people of Union and surrounding county that I will promptly attend to all orders for hair jewelry and switches. Persons having hair to sell will please call at the residence of E. Cooper, opposite this office.
Huldah M. Babock
Union Mills
J.L. Titus has removed his Barber Shop into the building occupied by Wm. T. Body. Shop on second floor.
James Summerton says he has just received a car load of Polishing Powder, and as the weather has been quite damp for some time past, thereby rusting knives, forks, 7 c, he anticipates an extensive sale of the article within the next few days. The first lot that he purchased went off like hot cakes.
April, 1871
Union Mills
Rock Oil Refining Company
G.W. Browning, Manger
Located on the P & E and A & G. R.R. at Union Mills, Pa. Manufacturers and dealers in Refined Petroleum, benzine, axle grease and lubricating oils. All orders promptly filled at Oil Creek prices, thus saving the time of freight and time of transportation, which will not be less than one dollar per barrel. Your patronage is respectfully solicited.
February 1873
J.W. Brooks, proprietor of the stage route between Union City and Wattsburg, will put a daily stage between Union City and Wattsburg on the 15th of March. This will prove to be a great accommodation to the traveling public. He will make connections with the morning and evening trains on the Philadelphia & Erie and Atlantic & Great Western Railways.
March 1880
At this point in its history, Union City excelled as a manufacturing town. Barrie Wilson in a History of Union City, reprinted in the Thursday, March 25, 1880 edition of the Union City Times listed these manufacturing concerns:
Anchor Grist Mill
Brunstetter's Steam Sawmill
Blanchard & Hanson's Furniture Factory
Carroll's Shingle and Cider Mill
Culberton's Cheese Factory
Clough's Shingle Mill
Cooper's Planing Mill
Church's Grist and Sawmill
Clark & Sons Saw, Stave and Handle Mill
Dunmeyer's Industrial Iron Works
Hunter's Pump Factory
Hatch's Broom Factory
Irwin's Carding and Grist Mill
Jone's Cheese Box Factory
Jenkin's Sash, Door and Blind Factory
Kimball & Harrison's Shingle Mill
Maurer's Stave Works
Pratt & Son's Sawmill
Terrill's Tannery
Thompson's Water Wheel Works
Union City Iron Works
Woods & Johnson's Barrel Factories
Wheeler's Chair Factory
Westcott's Broom Handle Factory
Wood's Stave Factory
Wager's Beer Brewery
Church's Grist and Saw Mills, Cooper's Planing Mill, Clark's Factory and Blanchard & Hanson's Factory were powered by French Creek water and Thompson's and Irwin's Mills by the waters of Church's run. There were many small shops surrounding these major establishments.
There were many small business that Union City residents and people from the surrounding countryside patronized. They included:
C.B Geer. He was a jeweler and occupied one half of the store room immediately north of the Johnson House. In 1880 he rented a room and enlarged his stock.
C.W. Dabney operated a clothing business.
P.C. Brown of Waterford moved to Union City in April of 1880. He was a jeweler.
Thomas Dunham manufactured and repaired boos and shoes. He was located under A.O. Gillett's furniture store.