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Show Tb& warn it warn im this- gq&ws , - r- i11?- r"r ;!"7 ' pr- fpf" Ip M. 7" i V "p r"f jiOiit 1 V . .- 1- - fc-r,T nnijg ;; rr"EI itJ(f U4irhi Ilk' fi I LAYTON FARMERS UNION General stores became the commercial heart of Layton By DONETA GATHERUM The commercial development of Layton can be called "The Tale of Two General Stores." The year was 1882. Kaysville had been incorporated in-corporated as a city since 1868. Layton did not exist. It wasn't until 1920 that this city was officially incorporated. in-corporated. Two stores developed on opposite oppo-site corners of the main dirt road that meandered through Davis County connecting isolated settlers set-tlers and small townships with Salt Lake and Ogden. On the northeast corner of this main road, Joseph and Isaac Barton, Bar-ton, brothers, founded Barton and Company, an extension of their Salt Lake store which was opened in 1875. At the same time, the Kaysville Farmers Union opened their general merchandise business on the southwest corner of the road. According to research done by Kent Day, curator of the Layton Heritage Museum, Barton and Company bought out a small business busi-ness formerly occupied by Burton, Herrick and White. This earlier business, was a branch of the Burton, Bur-ton, Herrick and White lumber and hardware businesses in Ogden. It opened in 1876 in a log building rented by the three businessmen from John H. Green, grandfather of Robert Green (see companion story). In 1885 Barton and Company sold part of its Main Street property proper-ty to George W. Adams and by 1888, Mr. Adams had taken over the entire business. Adams and Sons Company, an outgrowth of George W. Adams store officially incorporated in 1889 with a partnership consisting of George W. Adams, his sons, Rufus and George P. and many principal stockholders. By 1891 Adams and Sons Company Com-pany had assets of $24,987 and stock holders received a 26 percent dividend, payable in merchandise at the store. Financial success seemed certain cer-tain when a fire in May of 1892 burned the wooden building, its goods, fixtures and inventory to the ground. The fire insurance policy poli-cy had lapsed just before the fire. 'The tale of two general stores'. The remaining assets amounted to $1,190. Stock in the company reduced re-duced to 50 percent of its original value. The board of directors decided to re-build. In the summer and fall of 1892, a brick building with a wood facade, a porch and large glass windows was built. This structure has been remodeled from 1892 until the present time. Today the building houses the Layton Trading Post. The fortunes of Adams and Sons fluctuated with the economic highs and lows of Layton. There was prosperity during World War I. This was followed by a decline in revenues during the 1920s. World War II brought irreversible econo mic hardships to this business and other general stores that suffered because of extended credit, wartime war-time shortages and rationing. In 1945 the board of directors decided to suspend business and liquidate the business. On March 25, 1946 the Adams and Sons store was sold to Roy W. Simmons for $25,000, about the same amount the company was worth when it began business in 1890. The Farmers Union history parallels pa-rallels the story of Adams and Sons. Incorporated on Feb. 27, 1882 by Christopher Layton, George W. Adams, Thomas H. Hodson, Elias Adams Jr., Joseph A. Adams, William N. Nalder, Richard Pilling, Alexander Dawson, Daw-son, Ephraim P. Ellison and John E. Ellison, the business operated from a small frame building moved from Kaysville. Business flourished. In May, 1 892 the directors announced in the "Clipper".that'a new 30 by 70 foot building would be erected north of the frame store. This opened just before Christmas 1892. It was designed de-signed by William Allen, prominent promin-ent Kaysville architect and builder. In 1896 the building was doubled in size by a two story addition on the site of the original wood frame store. The upper story consisted of a large room that was used for social so-cial gatherings, political meetings, dances and other community programs. prog-rams. In 1909 the business was reincorporated re-incorporated with Ephraim P. Ellison, Elli-son, David E. Layton, John W. Thornley , John W. Gailey, Alexander Alexan-der Dawson, S.H. Nalder and John H. Bonnemort as directors. The name was changed to the Farmers - yTT'1 " THT - (J L-J I- - rH r, . kMrfy1 . j ft i . 4 s ADAMS & SONS STORE Union of Layton. Property values were set at $20,930. The Farmers Union fared economic eco-nomic bad times better than did Adams and Sons. It operated as a business until 1957. In 1974 the First National Bank of Layton purchased the building. It was remodeled and restored in 1980-81, nearly a century after its founding. Today, the Farmers Union Un-ion building houses the First National Na-tional Bank of Layton. For over 50 years the commercial commer-cial heart of Layton was centered around the Farmers Union and Adams and Sons buildings. Even today, historic downtown Layton is an important segment of tjt county's economic foundation. M |