Sanger-Harris Department Store

Sanger-Harris stores represented Dallas in the department store business for over 100 years. In 1988, the name was changed to Foley's and a century of tradition ended. Sanger-Harris began as two separate and competing firms: Sanger Brothers and A. Harris and Co. On February 6, 1961 a merger created Sanger-Harris Department Stores, Inc.

Sanger Brothers

Sanger Brothers was started by Lehman Sanger as a dry goods store in Weatherford, Texas in 1855 under the name Baum and Sanger. The business moved several times around the state. In 1858 Isaac Sanger joined his brother; Philip arrived in New York in 1857. After serving in the army during the Civil War the three brothers opened a store in Millican, Texas in 1865. The Sangers followed the expansion of the railroads, opening nine stores in other cities. The Dallas store was opened July 1872 and soon became the main store. The Dallas operation was managed by Philip with a fourth brother named Alex handling the wholesale department. The second major store was opened in 1872 in Waco by Lehman and the fifth brother, Sam. Isaac Sanger returned to New York City as the firm's buyer.

Alex and Philip Sanger became heavily involved in the social and political life of Dallas. They served on committees, boards, and commissions. The most active was Alex. Beginning in 1873 as a City Alderman, Alex served the City of Dallas throughout his life in many capacities: State Fair Exposition, Volunteer Fireman Engine Company #1, Director of City National Bank of Dallas, Director of the Board of Trade, and Director of the Dallas Club, to name a few.

Sanger Brothers became known as the largest wholesale-retail dry goods establishment in the Southwest in the 1880's and 1890's. The success of the store was due to the combination of efforts between the five brothers. Their styles and innovative ideas included free home delivery in 1879, two of the first moving stairways in Texas, telephones, and electric lights.

It became evident upon the deaths of the founding brothers that it was their combined efforts that made the store a "household name." Philip died on April 12, 1902 at the age 61 while visiting Pasadena, California. Lehman died ten years later on March 19, 1912 in Waco. Isaac died in New York on January 17, 1918 at age 81. Later that same year Sam died in Waco on December 18, 1918 at the age 75. Alex held the company together until his death at 78 on September 13, 1925 in Dallas. The surviving second generation could not continue the family tradition.

After the turn of the century, financial losses began to take their toll. Alex disbanded the wholesale department in 1923. After Alex's death, Clarence Linz, (Philip's son in law) became president. Philip's son Eli became vice president and general manager. Elihu, Alex's son, became vice president along with Sam's son, Charles. Due to continued financial problems, the stockholders decided to sell the store on August 2, 1926 to Stiffel, Nicholas and Co. The Sanger Family founded the Sanger Investment Co., Inc. to handle their real estate holdings. Total family control ended with the final sale September 13, 1926.

Financial difficulties continued to plague the store. On March 14, 1931 the stores in Fort Worth and Waco were closed. A reorganization took place in 1938. E.P. Simmons was named general manager and remained for 14 years until his death on February 18, 1951. During this time, the name and reputation of the store remained constant. On July 9, 1951 Sanger Brothers was sold to Federated Department Stores, Inc. The Sanger Brothers name remained until Federated purchased A. Harris and Co. stores.

A. Harris and Co.

Adolph Harris, founder of A. Harris and Co., was born in Prussia on March 7, 1842. In 1859 Adolph left Prussia for Galveston, Texas. From Galveston he settled first in Limestone County and then traveled to Houston. In 1862 he established a dry goods store in Houston names Harris &Fox. In 1878 the firm was reorganized without Fox. Adolph Harris and his brother Jacob (Jake) called the company Harris brothers, occasionally known as A. Harris & Brother. After Jacob died in 1886, Adolph formed a partnership with the family of his wife, Fannie Grumbach Harris. Adolph had moved to Dallas in 1885. From 1886-1892 the firm operated as Fellman, Grumbach & Harris. The name was changed in 1891 to A. Harris and Co.

A. Harris and Co. was a well known, successful store. Unfortunately, Adolph died suddenly on February 14, 1912 of a heart attack while on a buying trip to New York City. He was survived by his wife, sons Arthur and Leon A., and daughters Marcell and Camille Harris Kramer. Camille's husband Arthur L. Kramer became president and Leon A. Harris vice president.

Arthur L. Kramer was born in December 17, 1880 in Kentucky. His family moved to Dallas when he was nine years old. Before assuming the presidency of A. Harris and Co., Kramer practiced law with the firm of Haxter and Kramer from 1902-1912. He remained at the head of A. Harris and Co. until his death in February 1950. Like Alex Sanger, Arthur Kramer and Leon Harris were involved in the social life of Dallas. They were active supporters of the Symphony, the Opera, and other Arts in Dallas. Their sons, Arthur L. Kramer Jr. and Leon A. Harris Jr., became the next generation of A. Harris and Co. management.

The Kramer and Harris families were more successful than the Sanger family in keeping family control of the company. The Harris and Kramer families continued to expand A. Harris and Company stores until February 1961 when the stock was taken over by Federated Department Stores. Federated, a holding company formed by the owners of Filene's,Abraham & Strauss, and Bloomingdale's in 1929, began acquiring other stores. Basically headed by Fred Lazarus, Jr., Federated became one o the largest department store conglomerates. With the purchase of both Dallas stores, Federated merged them together creating Sanger-Harris.

From the guide to the Sanger-Harris Collection MA83-18., 1880-1982, (Texas/Dallas History & Archives, Dallas Public Library)