Hiram Brodie
(Partnered with Simon Goldstein)
Born: ?
Died: ?
No information has been found in regards to where Hiram Brodie came from, but he arrived in Leadville in late 1880 with his business partner Simon Goldstein whose permanent residence was in Washington, D.C. [1] He took up temporary residence at the Clarendon Hotel and the two opened the Goldstein & Brodie jewelry store at 304 Harrison Avenue. [2] The new store took over their business space from the firm of Kaskel & Company, after a sinkhole caused the building’s front façade to fall into the street. [3] The opening of Goldstein & Brodie was a grand affair indeed; a contest was held where a watch and chain was awarded to the most popular lady while a gold handled cane went to most popular gentleman in Leadville. [4] The store was immediately successful and one of the more prosperous enterprises in the Leadville community by year’s end. [5] Hiram moved to his permanent Leadville residence at 309 Harrison Avenue in the early part of 1881. [6]
It did not take long for Goldstein & Brodie to become involved in a local controversy. On September 9, 1881 a complaint was sworn out on several men by the Taylor & Brunton Stamp Mill; who were believed to have stolen bullion and amalgam from the plant. A few days later, John F. Bateman, a stock exchange caller and mining speculator who traveled in the upper societal circles in Leadville, appeared at Goldstein & Brodie with recently formed silver bars he wanted to sell. Louis, son of Simon Goldstein who worked for the store as a clerk, noted that Bateman’s demeanor was “suspicious” and declined the purchase. [7] Bateman was able to dispose of the bars elsewhere, and there was a report of his trying to purchase a diamond ring on credit from another firm, who also declined to make a deal with him. Bateman disappeared around the same time local police determined that he was the primary suspect in the Taylor & Brunton theft. Bateman was soon arrested in Chicago and returned to Leadville to stand trial as the mastermind behind a small ring of bullion thieves. [8]
The Goldstein & Brodie operation was community oriented and created awards and prizes for organizations around Leadville that included the design and manufacture of a special custom clock as a gift from the community to Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Chapin. [9] Soon after Goldstein & Brodie created a solid gold badge that was awarded to Colonel A. M. Clay in recognition of his service as general manager of the Leadville Telephone Company. [10] In addition the firm created a custom solid gold badge emblazoned with three diamonds for the newly elected Sheriff, Peter Becker, that was awarded to him in January of 1882. [11] Simon Goldstein split his time between Washington, D.C. and Leadville and spent his summers traveling abroad. When Simon left town that year, Hiram Brodie threw him a going away party and presented him with a silver brick as a gesture of their close friendship. [12]
Goldstein & Brodie continued to seek out new markets for their thriving business and in June of 1882 announced that they would be closing their Leadville store and opening a shop in Denver’s new bustling retail sector and chose a recently built storefront on Larimer Street for their new location there. [13] Goldstein & Brodie closed their doors at their Leadville location for a final time on August 1, 1882, as advertised. Afterwards, Louis Goldstein and Hiram Brodie relocated to Denver to operate their new location. [14]
Advertisement for Goldstein & Brodie “The Leading Jewelers”.
Leadville Democrat. March 23, 1881. Page 5.
On the front page of the Leadville Weekly Democrat the last day of 1881 was a full page of store fronts of businesses in Leadville, especially on Harrison Avenue. The late 1870s and early 1880s was time of a building frenzy in Leadville. Here is the drawing of the storefront for Goldstein & Brodie at 309 Harrison Avenue.
Leadville Weekly Democrat. December 31, 1881. Page 1.
1 Grant, Jeffrey P. Jewish Surname Index-Goldstein. Temple Israel Foundation. Temple Israel Museum- Jewish Surname Index. Edited by William Korn. September 2017. http://www.jewishleadville.org/goldstein.html. Goldstein, Simon.
2 Corbett, TB, Hoye, WC and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, Hoye and Co’s First Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1880”. P88.
3 Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996. P553.
4 “Grand Presentation”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. April 17, 1881. P4.
5 “Interesting Items”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. December 16, 1881. P4.
6 Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1881”. P84.
7 Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996. P837.
8 Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996. P838.
9 Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996. P916.
10 Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996. P926.
11 “Becker’s Badge”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. January 8, 1882. P4.
12 “Surprise Party”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. January 14, 1882. P4.
13 “Goldstein And Brodie’s Removal”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. June 28, 1882.
14 “Personal Points”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. November 18, 1883. P1.
Bibliography
“Becker’s Badge”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. January 8, 1882
Corbett, TB, Hoye, WC and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, Hoye and Co’s First Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1880”. Democrat Printing Company; Leadville, CO: USA. 1880.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1881”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1881.
Corbett, TB and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Third Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1882”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1882.
“Embrace An Opportunity”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. July 27, 1882.
“Goldstein & Brodie, Jewelers”. Leadville, Colorado: Leadville Weekly Democrat. December 31, 1881. Page 1.
“Grand Presentation”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. April 17, 1881.
Grant, Jeffrey P. Jewish Surname Index-Goldstein. Temple Israel Foundation. Temple Israel Museum- Jewish Surname Index. Edited by William Korn. September 2017. http://www.jewishleadville.org/goldstein.html. Goldstein, Simon.
Griswold, Don L., and Jean Harvey Griswold. History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado: from mountain solitude to metropolis. Vol. 1. Denver, CO: Colorado Historical Society, 1996.
“Interesting Items”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. December 16, 1881.
“Personal”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. January 15, 1882.
To cite any of the information in this biography, please use the following reference.
AUTHOR: Jeffrey P. Grant
EDITOR: William Korn
SOURCE: Jewish Surnames/Brodie
PUBLISHED BY: Temple Israel Foundation. Leadville, CO; USA.
STABLE URL: http://www.jewishledville.org/brodie.html
