No business man of Lewiston has had better and brighter success for the time he has operated in Lewiston than has the subject of this review. Mr. Stacy is at present manager, director and stockholder of the Lewiston Mercantile Company, one of the strongest institutions of its kind in the state of Idaho. It is practically a creation of Mr. Stacy and issued its first catalogue on June 20, 1889, since which time it has increased from three hundred thousand dollars worth of trade the first year, to five hundred and fifty thousand in 1901. This is clue to the business acumen and foresight of its able manager, together with his capable corps of assistants, whom he has gathered around him. The company is widening and broadening and is recognized as one of the large and substantial establishments of the northwest.
Reverting to the personal history of our subject, we note that he was born in San Francisco, on November 18, 1864, being the son of George W. and Emily A. (Granger) Stacy. The father was a merchant, born in Massachusetts, and died in Minnesota in 1869. The mother was born in Illinois and now lives in Minneapolis. The parents removed to New York, when Arthur was an infant, then to Monticello, Minnesota. This was the scene of the early education and training of our subject and at the age of fourteen he entered the general mercantile establishment of T. G. Nealy & Son. He did business behind those counters for twelve years straight, then was offered a partnership interest in the concern. He did not accept however, believing that better things were before him.
He sought the west, and finally decided to try Lewiston. Entering the store of Vollmer & Company as bookkeeper, in four years he was manager of the house. In 1899 he severed his connection with this house and organized the concern above described, which is now no longer an experiment, but an established business of very gratifying proportions.
Mr. Stacy married Miss Alice Harwick, in Minnesota, on June 7, 1893. Her parents, A. H. and E. J. Harwick live at Monticello, Minnesota. The father was a native of Michigan and early settled in Minnesota. Mrs. Stacy was born in Paw Paw, Michigan, and there was educated in the high school. She has one brother, Elmer J., with the Lewiston Mercantile Company. Mrs. Stacy is vey proficient on the piano and has been a successful instructor in music for some time. Mr. Stacy has two brothers and one sister, Francis N., George E. and Emma A. To Mr. and Mrs. Stacy there have been born two children: Elmer G., five years of age, and Marjorie, two years old. Mr. Stacy is a member of the Masons, having taken thirty-two degrees.
He is allied with the Republicans in politics and manifests both zeal and active interest in this realm. Mrs. Stacy is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stacy owns real estate in addition to his business interests. It is of note that his ancestors were among the early immigrants to America who settled in Virginia.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho; Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903