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Saturday, June 25, 2016

1915 - Seedsman S. Y. Haines "Had A Clever Head"

This is a story of a man and the story of the business of selling seeds.

Since I remembered the mystery of Mr. S. Y. Haines and Charlotte Lippencott when I found this seed packet image in my files, I went back and looked around for more information about Mr. Haines .   

When I Googled him, up popped this obit from The American Florist, March 6, 1915,  which somehow had remained hidden the first time around!

Charlotte was Mr. Haines' s second wife, and he started this business with her as the front.  Her husband played the "grown by a woman" card when setting up the Miss Lippincott business, too.   

The new mystery is who continued the business after Mr. Haines's death as Charlotte predeceased him by two years. There was a 9 year old daughter named Ruth.    In 1932 she would have been 26 years old...had the business been kept going with her as the owner and someone as the CEO?

If you haven't seen the posts leading up to this unraveling of the influence and career of Mr. Haines, you may enjoy checking out these posts.



Mr. Haines had a clever head and eye for designing horticultural advertising as well as a facile pen for trade pulling descriptions. Not all of his schemes were winners, but he was very prolific with suggestions and supplied such a wide range of sketches of more than average quality that a keen sighted employer might always find some promising ideas. 
OBITUARY.
Samuel Y. Haines.



Samuel Y. Haines, well known in the seed trade, died at Rockford, Ill., February 27, age 63 years. Mr. Haines had been suffering somewhat from rheumatism, but was at his desk as usual up to the previous evening. Myocarditis was given as the cause of death. 

Mr. Haines was a native of Tennessee and for the past seven years was identified with the advertising department of H. W. Buckbee, Rockford, Ill.. 

During the early eighties he started in the seed business in Philadelphia under the name of S. Y. Haines & Co. This venture, however, proved unsuccessful, and in 1882 he entered the service of W. Atlee Burpee, of that city, remaining about five years. 

Northrup, Braslin, Goodwin & Co



He then re-established the firm of S. Y. Haines & Company, having as a partner Harry Faust, a son of David Faust, who was for years president of the Union National bank, and this venture also proved unsuccessful, in fact, only lasting a few months, and the concern was succeeded by I. V. Faust, who was Mr. Faust's sister, Mr. Haines withdrawing. 








He then took a position with Northrup, Braslin, Goodwin & Co., Minneapolis, Minn., and was later with Vaughan's Seed Store, New York.    


Mr. Haines then established a mail order business under the name of his sister-in-law, Miss C. H. Lippincott, at Minneapolis, Minn., building up a flourishing trade in flower and vegetable seeds.  (The Miss C. H. Lippincott's business showed up in 1894.)



After this firm dissolved he again started business on his own account under the name of his second wife, Charlotte M.Haines, at Minneapolis, and this was continued through recent years in conjunction with his advertising work. 




Previous to entering the establishment of H. W. Buckbee he was two years in charge of the catalogue department of L. L. May & Co., St. Paul, Minn.

This is a ballsy design for the times...>

He was always optimistic and cheerful, bearing his occasional reverses with a brave spirit. When in funds he was the true southern gentleman in liberality.

Mrs. Haines died about two years ago, and one daughter, Ruth, about nine years of age, survives.   H. W. Buckbee and other friends accompanied the remains to Rives Junction. Mich., where the funeral was held March 2, with interment in the family lot.
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To be continued... if I can find out who continued his business after his death. 
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