Bertig Bros. History 1909
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RESEARCHED BY : TINA EASLEY
12/31/2008
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ar/county/greene/
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SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 27, 1909 - THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
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MAGNIFICENT NEW STORE BUILDING
BRIEF HISTORY OF A SUCCESSFUL FIRM WHO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED GREAT THINGS IN MERCANTILE WORLD
AD BERTIG BEGAN LIFE IN ARKANSAS AS A $5 PER MONTH CLERK.
THE OPENING TODAY OF THE BIG NEW THREE STORY BRICK STORE OF BERTIG BROS. MARKS A EPOCH IN THE HISTORY OF THEIR BUSINESS AND IN THE COMMERCIAL PROGRESS OF PARAGOULD AND GREENE COUNTY.
BEGINNING IN A VERY MODEST WAY IN PARAGOULD IN 1884 , WITH A SMALL CAPITOL AND A SMALL STOCK OF GOODS . NOW AMONG THE LARGEST MERCHANTS OF THE STATE HAVING ESTABLISHED IN PARAGOULD , BLYTHEVILLE , RECTOR , MARMADUKE AND CARDWELL , MO.
IT WAS IN 1872 THAT AD BERTIG , THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE FIRM , LEFT HIS HOME IN EUROPE TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE. HE LANDED IN NEW YORK ON AN EMIGRANT VESSEL AND SET OUT FOR THE WEST REACHING LITTLE ROCK WITHOUT FRIENDS AND NO MONEY. HE SOUGHT EMPLOYMENT AND WAS ENGAGED AS A CLERK IN A GROCERY STORE FOR $5 A MONTH .
BERTIG SOON ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF JOHN G. FLETCHER , WHO WAS THEN A SUCCESSFUL LITTLE ROCK , BUSINESSMAN . LEARNING THAT THE YOUNG FOREIGNER WAS WORKING FOR WAGES THAT WOULD BARLEY CLOTHE HIM . COL. FLETCHER PROPOSED TO START HIM IN THE PEDDLING BUSINESS. MR. BERTIG SECURED A TEAM AND LOADED HIS WAGON WITH GOODS AND THUS BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A MERCHANT. HE DROVE INTO THE THE MOUNTAINS SURROUNDING LITTLE ROCK , AND SOLD GOODS TO PEOPLE AT THEIR HOMES.
IN A SHORT TIME HE ACCUMULATED A CAPITAL OF $500 WITH WHICH HE OPENED A SMALL STORE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY NEAR OZARK. IT WAS THEN HE SENT TO EUROPE FOR HIS YOUNGER BROTHER , SAUL , WHO CAME TO AMERICA AND ENTERED THE STATE UNIVERSITY AT FAYETTEVILLE .
IN 1884 , JUST TWELVE YEARS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF A. BERTIG FROM EUROPE , HIS BROTHER SAUL OPENED BUSINESS IN PARAGOULD . HE OPENED UP IN THE OLD FRAME BUILDING KNOWN AS THE HOLMAN BLOCK AND THE STORE WAS CALLED THE "FAMOUS" WITH S. BERTIG AS MANAGER. AD BERTIG JOINED SAUL AFTER A YEAR AND THE FIRM BECAME BERTIG BROS. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CAREER OF BERTIG BROS.