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The History of
Willard's Furs and Fashions |
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Hiram Willard founded the
business in 1864 at the corner of 1st and Main Street where it is
still located today. Prior to moving to Marshalltown, Hiram worked at
a tannery in Galena, Illinois owned by Jesse Grant. Jesse's son,
Ulysses Grant, also worked in the business before the Civil War broke
out. Hiram would take trips into the Dakotas and Montana where he
would trade beads and pearls with the Native Americans for pelts that
he would bring back to Marshalltown and process into goods he would
sell to the people in this area. |
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Charles Hull married Hiram
Willard's daughter, Alice, in 1885. He joined the business around that
time. Alice Willard did sewing and, with money from that, she ordered
the first set of Limoges china that was shipped west of the
Mississippi River. She became friends with Billy
Sunday, the
evangelist, and he would often stay with her family when visiting
Marshalltown. |
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Willard Hull, the
oldest of five children of Charles and Alice Willard, joined the
business in 1910 after returning from China where he had been in the
embassy service. Under his direction, the manufacturing of men's and
women's coats was done in Marshalltown. Tanning continued to be done
also and came in from all over the United States. |
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C. Joseph Hull was the
fourth generation and joined the business around 1944 after World War
II. The fur tanning and manufacturing was discontinued around 1970.
The business was continued as a women's retail specialty store under
his direction. |
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Jonathan Hull is the fifth
generation to carry on Willard's Furs and Fashions. He joined the
business in 1982. Pictured with him is wife, Christine, and daughters,
Lindsay and Lara. |
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