HISTORICAL TRIVIA 1936-1940 - Fulton County Public Library

extensive improvements and as a result the floor space has been
practically doubled. The store now has a full basement salesroom,
attractively arranged to facilitate prompt sales service. The main floor
of the building has also been rearranged and redecorated and a balcony
display runway has been erected around the entire main floor.
This year marks 50 years in the hardware field by the Grove
family. The Grove Bros. (Arch and Oliver), father S.V. Grove, opened
up a hardware and general store in Talma in the year of 1889. In the
year of 1914, the firm of Grove Bros. took over the Talma business and
in 1925 removed from that community to Rochester where they have
been in continuous operation in their 126 East 8th street location.
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ROCHESTER TELEPHONE CO.
Brief History
The News-Sentinel, Feb. 16, 1939
The original incorporation papers of the Rochester Telephone
Company were issued under date of November 26th, 1896.
The incorporators were Henry A. Barnhart, Rome C. Stephenson,
Lyman Brackett, Joseph Myers and George W. Holman. The latter
incorporator, who resides in Rochester and Winter Haven, Fla., is the
only one of this group remaining alive today.
To the late Henry A. Barnhart was accorded the honor of
becoming the first president of the Rochester Telephone Co. He was
elected to that office late in the year of 1895. Mr. Barnhart continued to
serve as president up until the day of his death, March 26th, 1934. His
son, Hugh A Barnhart, was elected to the presidency of the company in
1934 and continues in that capacity.
The companys first home was situated on the second floor of the
Dawson building, on the southwest corner of Eighth and Main street.
In this loation the company made a steady progress in equipment and
service expansion and the officials long standing aspiration for a new
and modern equipped home became a reality in 1938.
The first switchboard of the companys was located in a small
room in the rear of the Dawson building and although the company was
founded in the fall of 1895 active operatin of the switchboard was not
launched until June 1896. The compay at that time had 100
subscribers, employed two operators and a trouble shooter who also
served as a line builder, collector, business manager and relief operator.
The first toll line was connected with Argos on March 17th.
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