Charles Seeberger, Hardware Merchant

By Larry Hurto — Newton Historic Preservation Commission & Main Street Design Committee

Charles Seeberger was a prominent Newton businessman from 1878 to about 1911. He came here from Des Moines to purchase the hardware business of William H. ri (surely a great name for any merchant!).

e Newton Journal for Feb. 14, 1878 noted the “BUSINESS CHANGE.” – “W. H. ri has sold his hardware and stove business, including building, stock and xtures, to Mr. Charles Seeberger of Des Moines, who has been brought up in that line and comes of a substantial business family. We cordially welcome him to the citizenship of Newton, and bespeak for him the con dence and patronage of the people of Jasper county. It is his intention to keep a choice stock of goods in his line, and sell at prices in keeping with the times.”

Charles “Charlie” Seeberger was born in Ohio, Jan. 7, 1851, the son of Alexander A. and Mary M. (Gasche) Seeberger, Prussian immigrants. According to his biography in Portrait and Biographical Record of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties (1894), Charlie received an ordinary common-school education, which he completed at the age of 16.

In the 1871 City Directories, he is listed as a clerk with the Des Moines hardware rm of Howell & Seeberger, C. C. Howell and John D. Seeberger.

Here Charlie became “thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business in the wholesale and retail departments,” his 1894 biography states. It noted that “he also saved from his earnings a su cient amount to enable him to begin in business on a small scale.”

In 1880, he put up a new two-story brick building on the south side of the Newton square, which he owned until 1914. e store was located at 111 W. Main (First Avenue West).

We nd this account of Seeberger in e Newton Journal, Souvenir Edition-Extra, March 16, 1898:

“CHAS.

SEEBERGER.”

“An enterprise of more than usual importance in the commercial make-up of Newton is the large and well stocked hardware establishment owned and conducted by the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. Mr. Seeberger came to Newton twenty years ago, having at that time served his apprenticeship in the hardware business in the large wholesale establishment of his uncle, J. D. Seeberger, at Des Moines; and putting in a stock of goods he has been continuously engaged in that line ever since, and is now our pioneer hardware merchant; in fact, this very month is his twentieth anniversary of a very successful business career in this community. He now owns a large two story brick building, 32x132, located just south of the court house, and it contains the largest assortment of shelf and heavy goods in the county. Down through the center of the building is a large and well selected line of steel ranges – the Quick Meal being made a specialty — and the best heating and cooking stoves manufactured, and the hot air and plumbing are made a specialty. e cutlery department is a model of completeness, while the line of builders’ hardware contains everything needed in that line. Barbed wire, tinware, woodenware, iron and wood pumps, household furnishings and everything else usually found in a rst class hardware store are to be found in their places in this well kept establishment. In the upper story of this building is a large and well equipped tinshop where three skilled workmen are employed the year round, and a specialty is made of tin roo ng, plumbing and steam tting.” e 1899-1900 Newton City Directory lists Seeberger as “hardware, cutlery, tin and granite wares, farm, garden and mechanics tools, etc.” In addition to his hardware business, Seeberger was one of the incorporators of the Newton Canning Co., of which he served as director, in 1884.

In 1910, he was 1st vice president of the Citizen’s State Bank.

He married Delia Rhodes (1856-1936), a New York City native, on Apr. 23, 1884. ey were the parents of two sons, Hugh Alexander Seeberger (1885-1984) and Karl David Seeberger (1887-1953).

By 1910, Seeberger’s son, Hugh, had charge of the hardware store. is item appeared in the Jan. 14, 1911 issue of e Newton Daily News:

“SEEBERGERS GOING WEST”

“Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seeberger will leave on Wednesday of next week for an extended visit in the west. ey will go rst to Los Angeles and later will return home by way of Portland, Ore., where their son, Hugh, is located, he having recently purchased an interest in the Oregon Hardware Co., of that place.

“Mr. and Mrs. Seeberger expect to be gone all winter on their western sojourn.”

As far as I know they never returned.

Seeberger died Oct. 15, 1931, in Portland, Ore., at the age of 80 years, 9 months and 8 days. e principal cause of death was angina pectoris.

In politics, like his father and uncles, Charlie Seeberger was a life-long Democrat.

Once in Newton, he became an active communicant of St. Stephen’s Parish (Protestant Episcopal). In 1878, he was a member of the Vestry, serving as Junior Warden. He was also Superintendent of the Sunday School.

A number of leading Newton businessmen got their start in Seeberger’s employ.

Longtime plumber Frank P. Baldwin (1865-1958) clerked for Seeberger from 1885 to 1901 before going into business for himself. He partnered with A. W. Morton in the hardware rm of Baldwin & Morton from 1901 to 1905, then continued in business for himself. In 1921, he sold the hardware interests but retained the plumbing and heating business. He retired in 1945.

J. M. “Jim” Davidson (1874-1951) was a Seeberger employee starting in 1896. erea er, for 35 years, he operated his own plumbing shop, selling the business in 1943.

S. S. “Shelly” Marshall (1870-1939) was a tinner with the Seeberger hardware store until 1906. He then entered into partnership with E. L. Earley in the hardware rm of Earley & Marshall (1906-1908). is was followed by a partnership with Lory E. Johnston in the rm of Marshall & Johnston, hardware, stoves and tinware (1908-1912). In 1912, Marshall acquired full control of the business which was familiar to generations of Newton shoppers as Marshall Hardware.