Clugston, Adams & Co.

    Clugston, Adams & Co., in April, 1878, with a general assortment of goods, valued at about $12,000, engaged in mercantile business at the corner of Chauncy and Van Buren Streets, Columbia City, and met with remarkably good success, and as trade demanded, they keep adding to the variety and quantity of this stock, till they now carry without exception, the larges and best assortment of goods of any house in the town, it being valued at $30,000, and consisting of dry goods, silks, hats, caps, boots, shoes, ready-made clothing, carpets, groceries, etc., and they do an average annual trade of $90,000 to $100,000.

    The senior partner, Asher R. Clugston, was born in New Castle County, Delaware, December 22, 1839, and is one of four children born to Asher and Catherine (Rittenhouse) Clugston, who were of Scotch descent. He came to Larwill, this county, in 1861, and in August, 1867, married Mary A. Mattoon. To this union have been born three children -Lucie E., Gertrude M. and Arthur W. He is a Democrat and a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a Knight Templer of Fort Wayne Commandery. John Adams, the second member of the firm, was born in Thorn Creek Township, November 22, 1856, and is a son of Andrew Adams, an old settler of Whitley County, and yet living in Thorn Creek. His early education was gained in his native county; he graduated at Iron City College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he acquired his business knowledge by clerking in Columbia City.

Source:

Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana, Historical and Biographical. Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard, 1882. Page 244.