Merchant. The son of a furniture manufacturer, Charles was put out to service as a farmer's boy at the age of eleven. After working on a farm until he was 16 years old, he went to Chelsea, Massachusetts and clerked for two eyars in a grocery store there. Then he went to Boston, the mecca of every ambitious New England youth who searched for fame and fortune in the commercial world. There he gained his first knowledge of the dry good trade. From Boston he went to New York in 1852 and was an employee of the dry goods house of Lord & Taylor until 1859. He then came to St. Louis that same year and was connected with the dry good house of C. B. Hubbell Jr. & Company. In 1860 he transferred his services to the firm of McClelland & Scruggs, thus beginning his connection with the great dry good house with which he was identified for the remainder of his life. Changes in partnership were followed by changes of the firm name, with the the firm eventually becoming known as the Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney Dry Goods Company. Under this name, the company became a leading dry good house in St. Louis and became known nationally. The firm took over Mermod Jaccard King Jewelry Company and incorporated them into their downtown location; they later created several branch stores in the St. Louis area. Mr. Barney became vice-president and he was associated with the firm for over 38 years. The firm succumbed to financial pressures and closed their doors for good in the 1960's.
Merchant. The son of a furniture manufacturer, Charles was put out to service as a farmer's boy at the age of eleven. After working on a farm until he was 16 years old, he went to Chelsea, Massachusetts and clerked for two eyars in a grocery store there. Then he went to Boston, the mecca of every ambitious New England youth who searched for fame and fortune in the commercial world. There he gained his first knowledge of the dry good trade. From Boston he went to New York in 1852 and was an employee of the dry goods house of Lord & Taylor until 1859. He then came to St. Louis that same year and was connected with the dry good house of C. B. Hubbell Jr. & Company. In 1860 he transferred his services to the firm of McClelland & Scruggs, thus beginning his connection with the great dry good house with which he was identified for the remainder of his life. Changes in partnership were followed by changes of the firm name, with the the firm eventually becoming known as the Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney Dry Goods Company. Under this name, the company became a leading dry good house in St. Louis and became known nationally. The firm took over Mermod Jaccard King Jewelry Company and incorporated them into their downtown location; they later created several branch stores in the St. Louis area. Mr. Barney became vice-president and he was associated with the firm for over 38 years. The firm succumbed to financial pressures and closed their doors for good in the 1960's.
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