A. Tross & Sons

[David Sechrest]

A. Tross & Son's was located across from the Courthouse on Washington Street, at 227 Washington. The building itself dates back to the mid 1800's, and at one time housed some sort of business by one of the Crumps.
I'd love to hear your memories of A. Tross, especially from the 1940's!

[nancs]

Hi, perhaps more a story that I have heard all my life, and told by my mom-------and I believe that on the front of the building it said something to the effect------A. Tross Across from the Courthouse.

Apparently people found sort of a joke in that and said, bear with my spelling------'A. Tross 'Atross' from the 'Torthouse.'

I do remember the store, but for whatever reason, I didn't venture all that far in that direction on shopping tours. Off chance that my mom may have clerked there at some point in time. Will have to confirm that.

Nanc

[Babs]

Nanc, You are right on about that little saying. I heard it (and repeated it) all my life. "A Tross, atross from the courthouse". Weren't we silly? Also another little tale about this particular store. I was never in it all that much but the clerks had this habit of they would
try to sell you something whether you really wanted it or not and if you decided "no" and began to walk out, they would follow you to the front of the store, all the while lowering the price and trying to convince you that this was "just what you wanted and needed". The few times my family did go in there, I don't think we bought anything but I do remember this going on and I never felt comfortable with it. Maybe thats why today if I am shopping and a clerk approaches (yeah where does this happen anymore?) if I say I am just looking, I mean it and I don't want to be followed or bothered. No service in most stores anymore but back in those days clerks did tend to follow a customer trying to sell something. This store was noted for that and maybe thats why I like to shop unhindered and left alone.

[mfaure]

Margie here again. In the early 40's the only people who wore blue jeans were farmers. You could only buy jeans at Tross. There were no girls jeans until much later. We who rode horses wore boys jeans for many years. Tross was not the only store there. What was the other store right next to it?

[richard]

mfaure said:

Margie here again. In the early 40's the only people who wore blue jeans were farmers. You could only buy jeans at Tross. There were no girls jeans until much later. We who rode horses wore boys jeans for many years. Tross was not the only store there. What was the other store right next to it?

Was it Cahn's-Smith Department Store which was located at 233-35 Washington Street the store you're thinking about?

[nancs]

For all things, I guess there is a reason. Yesterday I had a little extra time, and was able to search through some of my mom's 'treasures.' One of the first items I came across was a rather lengthy account about AARON TROSS. The article comes from the December 23, 1983 edition of the Columbus Herald, the weekly edition of the Republic/Republican that was often sent to people out of the area.

This article was written by the Rev. Cleo E. Hook (then age: 75). In the article Rev. Hook relates his memories of Mr. Tross and his business. Rev. Hook's family had very limited funds back in 1916-1920s era, times were hard and money in short supply. His father would 'outfit' the family with items from A. Tross. Not fashion items, just items that were good and sturdy.

Time passed and Rev. Hook began ministerial college and needed to work in his spare time. And went to work for Mr. Tross. Rev. Hook related that Mr. Tross had fought in the Sino-Russian War of 1905. That experience was 'enough' for Mr. Tross and he left his home in Kiev and migrated to Louisville, as he had friends there. It is not clear if Mrs. 'Mama' Tross came with him from Russia.

Mr. Tross came to Columbus and started a dry good store----'Across from the Courthouse.' He had connections in Louisville in dry goods, and was a part of the Jewish community there. Jewish merchants in Columbus figured that Mr. Tross and his business would not succeed, as he had some different business principles. These folks lived in big fancy homes, had spacious, well lighted stores, ones that were full of the 'latest of the latest' and advertised extensively. Not Mr. Tross, he would have a small ad in the paper advertising a few staple items and including that trademark we all know-----A. Tross. Across from the Courthouse. AND the family lived in quarters upstairs over the business. Mr. Tross made no attempt to be a part of the local Jewish community, saying that he wanted 'no image.'

A good part of Mr. Tross' business came via the German community out west of Columbus. It was suggested that the common factor was the 'broken English' that they all spoke, as well as the fact that Mr. Tross provided good and sturdy merchandise, and that was what they wanted. Thus Mr. Tross was appealing to about 1/6 of the county population.

The Rev. Hook went on to relate about the store pricing of merchandise, and I couldn't help but see a bit of what Babs was saying. Each item in the store had several prices-----to quote----Marked Selling Price, Marked Buying Price, Actual Cost Price, Customary Markdown----------and then if that did not complete the sale-------folks would be sent to see Mr. Tross for Final Pricing. Apparently Mr. Tross would bargain with a customer IF he felt they were sincere, but he could also be very shrewd if need be.

According to Rev. Hook, Mama Tross worked in the women's section, was a rather stout lady, with a friendly spirit and smile. She was a great sales lady, BUT when there was a final decision to be made-----it was left to Mr. Tross.

Apparently, by WW ll times the store had grown and took up 3 buildings, and they were stacked with goods, on every shelf, in every drawer, just like it had always been. Years prior the local foundry workers had gotten Mr. Tross to stock appropriate work shoes and clothing for them. And they loved him. Thus, yet another generation was shopping at A. Tross. It was not because of his advertising, it was what he provided for the community.

Mr. Tross occasionally made the paper, like when he headed the local Red Cross. But people really didn't seem to know what made him a success. Perhaps until his passing, January 21, 1954. Rev. Hook attended his funeral. There, he encountered a elderly lady, poorly dressed, in tears, as she stood at the casket. She related that many years prior her husband had been killed in a work accident, leaving her with a large family to care for. This being long before 'Welfare.' A school principal told her to take her family in to see Mr. Tross. The way I (NS) would say it, Mr. Tross literally 'took over' and starting outfitting this family in clothing and shoes, including the mother of the family. Not allowing the lady to say a word in protest. As all were outfited, and the children out of earshot, did Mr. Tross allow her to speak, and only as if he was lending her the money for the purchases. She tried to explain to Mr. Tross that a loan was great, but she surely didn't have the resources to repay him. At that point in time, Mr. Tross handed her all the tickets marked, 'Paid in Full.' And said to her------"you kgott da kidts. I kgott da cloathes. We're in dis togedder.'

Rev. Hook's account of Aaron Tross ends there. Perhaps we can gain some insight into the success of this business in town.

Nanc

[RER]

A. Tross.........Well, David asked for information for the 40s but I will provide historical information about A. Tross that goes back to the 1920s in Columbus. Prior to the "Great Depression" of the 1930s A. Tross was still a thriving business of many specialties. My father in his younger days was a farmer and trapper. Trapping animals... he was a pro. In the 1920s he ran hundreds of traps throughout the waterways of his dad's farms on present day Atterbury Post land (grandfather owned 1,000 acres of Atterbury before the government bought it) and at the local creeks and flatrock/driftwood rivers. There were plentiful beaver, muskrats, mink, raccoons and star skunks. He would skin the small animals in the barn nearest the house and hang the pelts for drying. He was careful to keep them out of the reach of any critters. After, he gathered a large number of pelts he would take them to A. Tross and Company on Washington Street, across from the courthouse. He sold them to A. Tross for various prices. A star skunk brought $5.00 he told me and that was a large amount of money in the 1920s and 1930s.

He saved his money from the sales and in 1932 he went to Indianapolis on the inter-urban train from Columbus and paid cash for a new Chevy Coupe for $750.00. He also hunted rabbits and cleaned and dressed them and sold them to the butcher in Edinburgh for $1.00 each. I would say he was a very resourceful man in those hard days around the depression times. Our family did most of our school shopping at A. Tross in the 1940s. Mostly plaid shirts and blue jeans. The store had clothes for every need. Factory work shirts in my dad's case because in 1941 he started working at Cummins Engine Company.

I remember dad buying me my annual "clod hoppers" that were black high leather top boots that laced up. Many kids in those days wore the clod hoopers. So, many former Columbus residents shopped and sold pelts to A. Tross in Columbus. For the women's information Blue Jeans were worn not just by farmers, but many kids not so well off and the wealthy.


Bob

[nancs]

A very interesting post, RER. Perhaps I am naive, and not really 'on top of' those times. What do you suppose was the final use of these pelts? Am wondering if A. Tross was perhaps the 'middle man' and that he, in turn, sold the pelts to someone else for their final use. (Remembering that Rev. Hook mentioned that Mr. Tross had friends in the dry goods industry in Louisville.) I am just thinking that maybe they were eventually made into garments, or accessories, and eventually made their way back into local stores.

Input, anyone? Thanks, Bob, for the great clarification. as per your next post.

Nanc

[RER]

A.Tross

Indiana history describes some first settlement fur traders and non-specific locations (or stations) in what is now Southern Indiana. These traders had temporary headquarters as early as the 1700s, not far from the Ohio river and Louisville areas. My great, great, great, Grandfather (1762-1850) settled near Edinburgh (Mt. Auburn). It goes without saying those people were all frontier and first pioneers. They depended (like all pioneers) almost entirely on animal skins, pelts, and furs for clothing. The hunting-shirts, trousers, and moccasins they wore were made of deer skins. A well-made suit with fringe, laced leggins and a coonskin cap appeared well and fairly comfortable in warm, dry weather.

Soon, linsey cloth took the place of many skins and pelts. A bearskin overcoat, a beaver hat, a pair of buckskin gloves lined with squirrel fur, were considered good taste down till the Civil War (1861-1865).

So, as history goes all family off-springs and next generations were taught to hunt, trap and be somewhat of a fur trader too. I suspect my father's early young days were the closing example of family fur trading becoming non-vogue or obsolete. However, history wise this shows a window in my family (1762-1940) of approximately 170 years of fur and pelt processing. As mentioned earlier there were many trappers and fur traders as a secondary to farming the land. There were tanneries, dry good factories and processors. In fact my great, great Grandfather (1801-1880) had a tannery near Mt. Auburn Indiana on a creek nearest the Blue River. His tannery processed and made clothing and leather and pelt apparel for the families and local people's households. A. Tross may very well be one of the final pelt and fur processing stores (or stations) before it became obsolete. Mr. Tross may have had connections in Louisville, New York or the local Columbus Tannery that is now torn down. Those locations may have made garments, fur hats, fur lined gloves, fur coats, fur collared coats, etc. etc.

I do recall as a young boy in the early 1950s that A. Tross and many stores sold the fur products discussed here today. As our nation got into new textiles (cotton, synthetics, etc.) animal furs and skins became less vogue and popular. It seems the only thing that has survived the storm is leather coats, and shoes. Animal rights groups in the 1970s campaigned against using furs of animals.

Further, beneath all the hoop-ta-la, processors of cattle skins still are selling leather skins (big pelts) for all our needs. It seems to me that A. Tross served the community needs in many other blinded ways.

Bob

Reference: Portions taken from Indiana History (From Its Exploration to 1850) 3rd Edition Hoosier Press, Fort Wayne 1924.

[RER]

"A. Tross Building Columbus"

The building is an 1880 Italianate style, that Aaron Tross a prominent business leader served the City of Columbus with clothing until 1960. The building and his name remains displayed on the building at 227-233 Washington Street, across from the Courthouse.

Note: I don't recall that we had established what year it closed. So now this provides the year of 1960. As Nanc said in an earlier post Aaron Tross died in 1954, meaning it stayed open 6 more years after his passing.


Reference source: Plantware Information and my recent visit observation.

Bob

[davefoist]

My parents took my brothers and sisters and I to A.Tross when we were young,as my Father was an Auto Mechanic and times were hard in the 40's and early 50's. I remember Aaron Tross waiting on us,or one of his son's,Bob and Joe.Then in the summer of 1956 I needed a job,and I was hired by the Tross brothers. I worked there part time while I was in High School,mostly just Friday nights and Saturdays,as that was their busiest times. When I graduated from High School in 1957,they hired me full time of 47 hours a week,and I was paid 39.90 after taxes per week.During the week I was a stock clerk,marking and stocking the clothing in the back room and basement. On weekends I would be a sales clerk. The one standing rule that they had,was,don't let a customer leave the store without selling them something,and they would really pressure us to follow the customer to the front door.They would be very upset if you didn't make a sale,especially Bob. Joe was more jovial and friendly to customers and the employees.I worked there until July of 1958,when I left and went to Arvin.It definitely was a unique experience working there.