Formative years of the Woolworth Brothers

The Woolworth story begins more than 150 years ago, when the world was a very different place. John Hubnall Woolworth (pictured right) had just returned from fighting in the American Civil War and had set up a small farm with his wife, Fanny McBrier Woolworth (left) and their two sons, Frank Winfield and Charles Sumner in Great Bend, Jefferson County, New York. The family were staunch Methodists. His younger son, Charles Sumner Woolworth, was given the unusual names in honour of the famous abolitionist, and as a sign of the family's commitment to ending slavery.

Life was hard with money generally short after the war and the farm only providing just enough to support the family. Fanny came from a wealthy family but John was determined to support himself.

The boys went to the local school and were expected to help out on the farm before and after school and at the weekend. One of their favourite leisure activities was to visit the abandonned house of Joseph Bonaparte - Napoleon's brother, which was nearby. For a while Joseph had been the puppet King of Spain. Frank began to dream of being an Emperor himself!

FW's school record shows that he was a good, hard-working, charming but ultimately undistinguished pupil. He and his family were well liked by his teacher, but no-one believed he would make much of himself. It looked as if he was set for life on the farm and one day he and Sum would take over from their Father. At 16 Frank left school to work on the farm full time.

In later life Frank Woolworth recalled a particularly formative moment in his teenage years. He and brother 'Sum' saved up their nickels and dimes to buy their mum a birthday present. As the day approached they headed off into town to look for something. They toured the centre of Watertown (illustrated above) in search of a gift, in the end settling on a small item costing around 50 cents. When they came to pay, all in loose change, the assistants all gathered round to snigger at the poor boys, teasing them that in a year's time they would have scraped together enough cash to buy the other half of their gift. Frank hated the humiliation and the fact that poor customers didn't get the same service as the rich, and walked out, buying something in a neighbouring store instead. On the way home he told Sum that one day 50 cents would be enough to buy five or ten items, and every customer would be treated with respect. It was an important learning and one which inspired a core value of the store-based chain on both sides of the Atlantic. The shops aimed to be 'classless' and to give the same friendly, efficiently service to everyone, whether they were spending a little or a lot.

Frank Woolworth didn't enjoy farm work, and persuaded his mother to pay for him to do a book-keeping course at night school. After clocking off work he would take the family pony and trap into Watertown for an evening's learning. He quickly took to the subject, learning not only about book-keeping but about the principles of commerce. Frank later said the course had been the catalyst for much of his later success.

On his trips into Watertown Frank also took time to look at the shops and to plan his escape from the farm. He decided that he wanted to be am engine driver, or failing that a merchant. In the Spring of 1873 he persuaded his Father to let him give it a go. He was given six months and a small allowance from his mother. A family friend gave him a month's apprenticeship in his shop and arranged an introduction to the proprietors of the local Dry Goods Store, which was the smartest shop in town.

Frank Woolworth struggled to impress Morgan Augsbury, the senior partner in the Dry Goods Store. He did not like the look of the scruffy farm boy who didn't own a tie, and was unmoved by his book-keeping skills. But he left the decision to his partner, William Moore. The younger man was intrigued when Frank offered to work for free on a three month apprenticeship, in exchange for board and lodgings. Moore argued for six months, but agreed to a compromise where Frank would be paid a small salary from the fourth month. In later life William Moore had good reason to celebrate his choice. Woolworth idolized Moore and repaid his kindness with a $500,000 bounty when the F. W. Woolworth Co. was publicly listed in January, 1912.

Shortcuts to other exhibits in our 1800s Gallery

1800s Overview: the story begins
Formative years of the Woolworth Brothers
Birthplace - Augsbury & Moore, Watertown, NY
The first five cent table
Experimental five cent store in Utica (a flop)
First successful store - Lancaster PA 1879
The 'friendly rivals' buying syndicate
Frank Woolworth's early buying trips to Europe