Biography - Edward Summerfield
Edward SUMMERFIELD, merchant tailor and clothier, Litchfield, was born in Posen, Prussia, on August 5, 1829; his ancestors for several generations were merchants. He received his education in the common schools of Posen, and from private instruction in his father's home, which, at the age of sixteen years, he left, and traveled in England, selling merchandise until 1856, when he came to the United States, landing in New York in September. From there by ocean route he went to New Orleans, thence to St. Louis, Mo., which place he reached in March, 1857, with small means; he traveled thence to Illinois for one year, with merchandise, and, during that period, decided to locate here, which he did on March 13, 1858; he opened a stock of clothing, and was the first regular clothier to locate here; his first stock cost $850, and his business has grown steadily from year to year; by close attention to business, he has built up a large trade; for several years he conducted the business personally, until it largely increased, and, since 1870, has admitted some of his employees into partnership, and at the marriage of his daughter, in 1880, the present firm, Summerfield& Co., consisting of Mr. SUMMERFIELD and his son-in-law, I. L. MOSSLER, formerly of Indianapolis, Ind., was formed. During his twenty-four years' experience here, he has educated a goodly number of young men in the clothing trade, many of whom are now very successful business men; in 1867(?), he added a merchant tailoring department, and now occupies two large business rooms; in his business and manufacturing department, he employs twenty men. In 1880, Mr. SUMMERFIELD began the manufacture of gas for the purpose of lighting his business rooms, which are illuminated by fifty-four jets; his stock has grown with consecutive years of active labor and constantly increasing sales, from $650 to $50,000 per year.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 172.
