dollars for the second year, and one hundred dollars for the third and
last year, with board in his employer's family. With this modest salary it
required the utmost care and rigid economy to clothe and keep himself; but
where there's a will there's a way, and the economy thus practiced in
early life was no detriment in laying the foundation for a sound business
career in after life. After having fulfilled his engagement with his
employer, he spent some three years of mercantile life at the South, but
the customs of the country, and the barbarous system of slavery were so
repulsive to his feelings that he abandoned that field for the more
congenial and prospectively profitable activities of the West, and in
December, 1842, landed at Medina, in this State. In the Spring of 1845, a
mercantile copartnership was formed with Mr. Augustus W. North, under the
firm name of North & Alcott. During the subsequent Fall he married Miss
Mary A. Williams, with the view of permanently settling at that place, but
the mercantile prospects, and the growth of the town not appearing
satisfactory to his views, the firm of North & Alcott was dissolved and
the business discontinued, to be reconstructed and opened in a wider field
and on a broader basis. Accordingly, in the Spring of 1849, (just twenty
years ago,) a business arrangement was entered into with his present
partner, Mr. Burrett W. Horton, a former school mate, under the firm name
of Alcott & Horton. The business was to be the retailing of dry goods, and
located at 177 Superior street, in Harrington's Block. The beginning was a
moderate one, with a very limited capital, but what was lacking in capital
was made up in energy, industry and perseverance. At first a retail trade
only was contemplated, which was continued some four years, when the rapid
growth of the city and increase of business induced them to open a
wholesale department in the lofts of their store. Subsequently they closed
their retail business and occupied the whole building for their jobbing
trade; but their apartments were soon found to be too strait for their
rapidly growing trade, and in August, 1855, they removed to the large new