Ten Hats for Ten Daughters

Towards the end of Reconstruction a blurb appeared in the Southern Watchman dated March 31, 1869 that said, "A lady residing in Campbell County visited Atlanta one day during the present week and purchased at Kisers ten hats for her ten daughters. The Constitution says she deserves a medal."

I'd have to agree.

Shopping with one daughter is a monumental undertaking - shopping with or shopping for ten daughters - well, I can't even imagine.

It seems totally plausible that this woman would go to Kiser's store - or as it was more formerly known - M.C. and J.F. Kiser & Company. It was a wholesale drygoods store owned by the Kiser brothers, and more than likely the mother knew one or both of the brothers because in the 1820s the Kiser family moved to Campbell County to farm.

Here's an ad from an issue of The Atlanta Constitution dated March, 1869. Notice that at the time the store was located at Old Stand Talley and Brown, Whitehall Street in Atlanta. Later, they would move to the corner of Pryor and Wall Streets.  

M.C. Kiser (Marion Columbus) would be wildly successful with his business with little or no formal education. In 1887 he was a Fulton County Commissioner and during Lithia Springs resort days Mr. Kiser would the president of the Piedmont Chautauqua working with Henry W. Grady to present a wonderful program of speakers and entertainers each season.

When Marion C. Kiser died in 1893, he left the largest estate to that point in Atlanta history.

Now I have to wonder….how many women in Campbell County during the year 1869 had ten daughters?

Hmmm.....