Alvah Curtis Roebuck facts for kids

Alvah Curtis Roebuck (born January 9, 1864 – died June 18, 1948) was an American businessman. He is best known for co-founding the famous company Sears, Roebuck and Company with Richard Warren Sears.

Early Life of Alvah Roebuck

Alvah Curtis Roebuck was born in Lafayette, Indiana, on January 9, 1864. He started working at a young age. When he was just 12 years old, he became a watchmaker in a jewelry store in Hammond, Indiana.

Building Sears and Other Ventures

Starting Sears, Roebuck and Company

Alvah Roebuck teamed up with Richard Warren Sears to create Sears, Roebuck and Company in 1891. This company grew into a huge retail business.

Leaving and Returning to Sears

In 1895, Roebuck decided to leave the company. He asked Richard Sears to buy his share for about $20,000. Even after leaving, he still helped out. Richard Sears asked him to manage a part of the company that sold watches, jewelry, and optical goods. Later, this division also sold phonographs, magic lanterns, and early movie machines.

Roebuck's Other Businesses

Alvah Roebuck was a very busy person. He didn't stop with Sears. He started and funded two other companies. These businesses made and sold movie machines and their accessories.

He also became the president of the Emerson Typewriter Company from 1909 to 1924. While there, he invented an improved typewriter. He called his invention the "Woodstock" typewriter.

Coming Back to Sears

After spending some years in semi-retirement in Florida, Roebuck faced financial problems. He lost money during the stock market crash of 1929. This made him return to Chicago.

By 1933, Roebuck rejoined Sears, Roebuck and Co. He spent his time writing the history of the company he helped start.

In 1934, a Sears store manager asked Roebuck to visit his store. People were very excited to see him. Because of this, Roebuck went on a tour. He visited Sears stores all over the country for several years.

Personal Life and Later Years

Alvah Roebuck married Kittie Rice on September 2, 1890, in York, Ontario, Canada. They had a son named Theodore Roebuck.

Later, Roebuck married Sarah Blanche Lett. They lived in Tujunga, California. They had two more children: a son, Alvah Curtis Roebuck, Jr., and a daughter, Lucile May Roebuck.

Roebuck passed away on June 18, 1948. He was 84 years old. He died while visiting his daughter in Evanston, Illinois. He was buried at Acacia Park Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

See also

In Spanish: Alvah Curtis Roebuck para niños