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Orgill Brothers
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...the
oldest Memphis Firm |
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Founded in 1847, Orgill Brothers & Co is Memphis' oldest
running business. The hardware distributor was founded
when the city wasn't yet 30 years old with a population of
only 7,000. Orgill sold hardware, cutlery, and guns -
everything a pioneer town would need. What's
extremely unusual is that after 167 years the same family
still "runs the store". Today Orgill, Inc. is the
nation's largest and fastest growing independently owned
hardlines distributor operating five distribution centers
across the country. These centers distribute hardware,
home improvement and building materials across the United
States and to more than 60 countries throughout the world.
Annual revenues total more than one billion dollars. |
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Click on small photos to see an enlargement. |
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In the
1840's there was little American-made hardware. It was
necessary to import practically all the cutlery, saws, guns, and
other articles from Europe. This merchandise came by way
of steamers to New Orleans and then up river to Memphis.
During this period, two brothers - Joseph and William Orgill
came from Straffordshire, England to New York as representatives
of the leading British manufacturers to act as importers.
They were associated with the New York company of Wiebusch & Hilger.
William became a pioneer traveling salesman and got to know the
Mississippi Valley very well. He was impressed with the
possibilities of Memphis as a trading center. Around
the same time, he purchased a hardware business in Virginia |
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Straffordshire, England |
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William
moved his newly acquired hardware business to Memphis, where he joined in
partnership with the firm of R. T. Lamb. Together they had the
largest hardware stock south of the Ohio River. Thomas
Holyoake and Henry Lownes soon became members of the firm - and upon
the death of Lamb, the name changed to Holyoake, Lownes and Company.
The new firm erected a brick building on the corner of Front and
Monroe streets. It was considered one of the finest in the
city. |
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Wiebusch & Hilger ad |
R. T. Lamb |
Holyoake, Lownes &
Co pistol barrel |
The New Memphis Building |
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Edmuond Orgill, the younger brother of Joseph and William,
followed his two brothers to New York City. In 1855 he
also came to Memphis, where he became a partner in the hardware
firm. The name of the firm changed to Lownes, Orgill and
Company. Edmund acquired a controlling interest in the
firm and held it until his death in 1905, passing the control to
his three sons (Frederick, William, and Joseph. His eldest
son Edmund , Jr, died in 1885).
In
1859 Mr. Lownes retired and the firm's name changed to
Orgill Brothers & Company. |
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Edmund Orgill |
Lownes,
Orgill Co knife Case |
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The
earliest available Memphis Directory is 1849 and "Lownes, Orgill &
Co" is listed, verifying the early existence of Orgill in the
city. The next available Memphis Directory is
1855 and "Lownes, Orgill & Co is still listed. In the
1865 Directory, the listing is now Orgill Brothers & Co. for
the first time.
See the listings below. |
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The Orgill
Brothers did advertise. It's amazing that so many of their ads
have survived from the early newspapers.
See
some of the
ads from 1855 to 1887 below: |
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The
Orgill Brothers & Company Retail Building on Front Street is
prominent in postcards and photographs of the day. |
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In
1908, the company made the decision to confine its activities to
the wholesale trade and sold its retail business to the DeSoto
Hardware Company. Frederick Orgill, Jr. is President of DeSoto Hardware Company, which
took over Orgill's
Front Street Retail Store. |
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DeSoto at Orgill store |
DeSoto Hardware |
DeSoto Hardware |
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Orgill
Brothers & Co memorabilia is very collectible today... |
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1895 Billhead |
1898 Envelope |
1904 Billhead |
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Orgill Knife |
Orgill Knife |
Orgill Hatchet Label |
Orgill Hatchet |
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1900
Billhead |
1900 Envelope |
1949 Ad |
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| 1866 Ad |
1947
Billhead |
1981 Catalog |
Vintage
Bottle Opener |
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| The Spur 1924 |
Pages 2 - 3 |
Pages 8 - 9 |
Pages 10 -
11 |
Pages 14 -
15 |
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| Back Cover |
Parts |
Parts |
Blotter .
Vintage |
1924
Warehouse |
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1939-40 Catalog |
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Warehouse Post Card |
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Orgill
Brothers & Company has survived wars, epidemics, the Depression and
an endless series of competitive challenges and has always been able
to adapt. There were many articles about the company in
national Hardware Magazines. |
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The Orgill
name is legend in Memphis and has become a synonymous term for
"hardware". This building, at 505
Tennessee, was once an Orgill distribution center. Their name
is still visible on the building's walls. That building
has now been renovated for apartments and is named "The Lofts at
South Bluffs. |
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The Lofts |
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505 Tennessee ... The
Orgill Brothers distribution Center is now renovated into The
Lofts at South Bluff |
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With 1800
employees, many of them in Memphis, and a fleet of 235 trucks,
Orgill operates distribution centers in several U.S. cities.
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Since
1899, the Rhodes and Sewanee College have battled for gridiron
supremacy with the victorious team taking home the Edmund Orgill
trophy. Edmond Orgill is also the namesake of a golf course in
Millington. Orgill Brothers & Co sponsored a city baseball
team which became city-champs in 1945. |
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Orgill Cup - 1954 |
Orgill
Baseball Champs 1945 |
Edmund
Orgill Golf Course |
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Edmund
Orgill, Mayor of Memphis 1955-1959
In
1955 Edmund Orgill became the first mayor of Memphis elected
without the backing of E. C. Crump in almost five decades.
During his administration (and afterwards), Orgill helped ease
integration in Memphis. He was key in convincing the
Memphis business community to peacefully desegregate public
places such as department stores, parks, libraries and eating
establishments. Edmund Orgill was the son of
William and Georgia Orgill - born in 1899 and died in 1983 |
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Edmund Orgill
1945 |
Edmund Orgill
1968 |
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The
company, now called Orgill, Inc. is still majority-owned by the
Orgill family. Joe Orgill III, great-great-grandson
of the original, sits on the board of directors and holds a deep
respect for his ancestors. |
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Joe
Orgill III |
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Orgill Brothers & Company |
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Credits |
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The
Historic-Memphis website does not intentionally post copyrighted
photos and material without permission or credit.
On
occasion a "non-credited" photo might possibly be posted because we
were unable to find a name to give credit. Because of the nature of
our non-commercial, non-profit, educational website, we strongly
believe that these photos would be considered "Fair Use. We have
certainly made no monetary gain, although those using this website
for historic or Genealogy research have certainly profited. If by
chance,
we have posted your copyrighted photo, please contact us, and we'll
remove it immediately, or we'll add your credit if that's your
choice. In the past, we have found that many photographers
volunteer to have their works included on these pages and we'll
also do that if you contact us with a photo that fits a particular
page. |
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The "Historic-Memphis" website would like to acknowledge and thank the
following for their contributions which helped make this website
possible:
Memphis
Public Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Law Library,
Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Press Scimitar, Shelby County
Register of Deeds, Memphis City Schools, Memphis Business Men's
Club, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis City Park Commission,
Memphis Film Commission, Carnival Memphis, Memphis Historical
Railroad Page, Memphis Heritage Inc, Beale Street Historic District,
Cobblestone Historic District, Memphis Historic Districts, Vance
Lauderdale Family Archives, Tennessee State Archives, Library of
Congress, Kemmons Wilson Family, Richard S. Brashier, Lee Askew,
George Whitworth, Woody Savage and many individuals whose assistance is
acknowledged on the pages of their contributions. Special
thanks to Memphis Realtor, Joe Spake, for giving us carte blanche
access to his outstanding collection of contemporary Memphis photos.
We do not have high definition copies of the photos on these
pages. If anyone wishes to secure high definition photos,
you'll have to contact the photographer or the collector.
(To avoid any possibility of contributing to SPAM, we do not
maintain a file of email addresses for anyone who contacts us). |
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