Randolph  County,  Indiana
Historical  Articles
Businesses  through  the  Years

The  J. W.  McCamish  Company











Photographs contributed by Christy Little


The  Ridgeville  News
T R A D E   E D I T I O N
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J. W.  McCAMISH  &  CO.
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THRIFT  AND  ENERGY.
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Wonderful  Success  of  Prominent
Ridgeville Merchants.
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THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  RIDGEVILLE
GREATLY  INCREASED  BY
THEIR  OPERATIONS.
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            At this period of the world's history business is transacted with great dispatch, and those who are capable of conducting their affairs according to modern business methods are the ones that succeed.  Capital and energy are also important factors, but the greatest of all is a knowledge of the details of a business, and how it should be run to obtain best results.  Every year many of the older business men are compelled to concede the superiority of younger talent, and step out of the ranks to make room for those whose methods are more in harmony with the age.  Ridgeville has a number of successful business firms, foremost among which ranks that of  J. W. McCamish & Co. which from the magnitude of its operations is worthy of elaborate notice.  A few words about the business career of the head of the firm will be of interest to many and we will therefore devote this column to giving a brief outline of the course the young man has always pursued, since his advent into the great arena of commerce.
            J. W. McCamish begun his business life by clerking in a grocery store in Ridgeville seventeen years ago, and has advanced step by step until he is now at the head of one of the largest commercial concerns in eastern Indiana.  It is a noticeable fact that among the many thousands of young men who have entered the great field of active life, very few are successful beyond an ordinary degree.  The success that greets the efforts of some is often attributed to a combination of favorable circumstances, but observant people are not slow to notice that it is nearly always due to ability and hard work on the part of the fortunate ones.  Mr. McCamish is possessed of a remarkable aptness for mercantile pursuits and started in life with an honest purpose and determined will, and grocery houses, he commenced in the dry goods business as clerk for the firm of  Kitselman, Seaney & Co.  After three years spent in this capacity he purchased a partial interest of Mr. Seaney, the firm being known as H. T. Kitselman & Co.  This firm prospered three years, at the end of which time Mr. McCamish sold his interest to Mr. Kitselman and accepted a position with  W. E. Miller, a leading dry goods merchant of Winchester, where he remained a year.  In 1888, he came back to Ridgeville, and in conjunction with  A. L. and  D. M. Kitselman,  purchased the stock of dry goods of  H. T. Kitselman, and formed a co-partnership under the firm name of  J. W. McCamish & Co.
            The systematic arrangement of the south room of J. W. McCamish & Co. store is a matter of notice.  Everything has a place on the shelves and the clerks always know where to find it when the article is called for.  In dry goods is kept an extraordinary large stock of dress goods, muslins, calicoes, woolens, furnishing goods and carpets.  A specialty of dress goods is made and some very pretty patterns are displayed.  Clothing is also another specialty and suits are sold at very low figures.  The stock is very large and enables the customer to make any selection he may desire at a price within his means.  The stock of boots and shoes has been purchased with a view to meeting the wants of the public, footwear of every grade and price is to be had, and the customer cannot fail to be pleased with whatever he may buy in this line.  The line of ladies' and gents' furnishings that McCamish & Co. keep is not to be overlooked.  Hats and caps in endless variety are in stock.  Ladies' and gents' underwear of every quality and description, collars, cuffs and ties are also found at prices that are low beyond comparison.  McCamish & Co. always quote the very lowest prices on everything.  Their facilities for business enable them to compete with any store in the country.


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