Henry Hart (Naftali Hirsh) Bachrach

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via brother John Bacharach by SmartCopy: Dec 22 2015, 1:07:07 UTC

'HENRY BACHRACH DIES SUDDENLY Veteran Decatur Merchant Expires in Michigan
KEEN BUSINESS SENSE
His Picnics for Children Were Memorable Events
Henry Bachrach (Cheap Charlie) big hearted man and good citizen, long in the retail clothing business than any other man in Decatur and for many years one of the leading citizens of this city died suddenly Sunday afternoon at Charlevoix, Mich., where he and Mrs. Bachrach had been visiting for a week. Mr. Bachrach was sixty-nine years old last May. His death was caused by angina pictorius, a common form of heart trouble.
Several years ago, Mr. Bachrach suffered some heart trouble but it seemed to have left him entirely and for two years before his death he had seemingly been in perfect health. He seemed as well as ever when he and Mrs. Bachrach left for Charlevoix expecting to spend a few weeks among the lakes and the first thing the members of his family here had of his illness was a telegram received Sunday afternoon by his son, Dr. Benjamin Bachrach from a personal friend, Dr. Armstrong of Charlevoix, saying come at once your father has a bad attack of angina. Shortly afterward another message came announcing his death and then came a message from Harry Oldham, formerly of Decatur saying he had taken Mrs. Bachrach to his home where she would remain till members of the family arrived from Decatur.
BRING BODY BACK
Dr. Benjamin Bachrach and Edgar Bachrach left on the next train for Charlevoix. They expect to return with their mother and the body of Henry Bachrach either Wednesday night or Thursday forenoon. No arrangements for the funeral will be made until word is received from them. The body will be taken to the Monson & Wilcox chapel on the arrival here.
BORN IN 1848
Henry Bachrach was born in Baltimore, Md, May 27, 1848. At the tender age of twelve years, he had to get out in the world and hustle for himself. Naturally he had little education to start with, but he learned in the big school of experience which is the final course in which every successful man must qualify to be a success and he qualified abundantly. He first went to Washington, D.C., where he had no difficulty in finding a job. He saved his money and seeing an opening at Wheeling W.VA. he went there and worked for several years, always saving with the idea of getting into business for himself. In 1869 he went to Chicago and started in the clothing business in a small way. He remained in business there until 1877 and then decided to find a location in some growing town in Iowa. On his way to Iowa he stopped off at Decatur. He gave this town the once over and it looked good to him. The result was that he and I. Kaufman entered into partnership and started a clothing store on Water street in the room just north of the Millikin Bank. The firm name was Kaufman & Bachrach and they continued in partnership until 1884, when Mr. Bachrach bought out his partner's interest and conducted the business alone. As his children grew up, he took them into the store with him but he first gave them the educational advantages that were denied him when he was a boy. All remained with him except his second son, Dr. Benjamin Bachrach, who choose a professional career.
KEEN BUSINESS SENSE
Mr. Bachrach was always a man of keen business sense. Only once was he at a loss to know what to do in an emergency and that was only for a short time and he met that emergency broadside on and won. That was in 1863. A man came here from no one knew where and rented a room on the west side of Lincoln square. He had a big stock of clothing, advertised it as slightly damaged from smoke and water and proceeded to hold a fire sale disposing of the goods at price lower than local merchants could buy. It seemed evident that he had secured the stock without paying for it and intended turning it into cash as quickly as possible. He was doing a rushing business and the other clothing stores of the city were selling no goods at all.
Without saying a word to any one, Henry Bachrach went to Chicago and bought a big tent and a big stock of cheap clothing, hats, etc. and had it shipped to Decatur. He hired men to set up the tent on a vacant lot opposite what is now the guards armory on east main street and there the stock of good was unloaded and placed on tables and racks. Mr. Bachrach hired the Goodman band and there was a street parade with banners giving the location of the fire tent and advertising clothing at your own price. A fire bell was hung in front of this tent and was rung at frequent intervals. All the clerks wore firemen helmets. In a little while the fire sale on Lincoln Square had no patrons.
Everybody was at the fire tent on east main street. There in addition to selling goods as fast as they could be handed out, Mr. Bachrach had something going on all the time to interest the crowd and keep it there. In a few days, sales at the fire tent amounted to over $1000. Goods were practically given away. Mr. Bachrach lost some money but not as much as if the fire sale on Lincoln square had continued all season. It was quickly over and the fun he had helped to balance the books, for he had never had so much fun in his life.
MOVED IN 1884
In 1884, Mr. Bachrach moved to his present location. He finally bought the property he occupied and has been there ever since, always enjoying a big patronage. He knew Decatur real estate value as well as anyone in the city and he bought other business properties when bargain prices prevailed. He bought the row of buildings on the south side of Prairie Ave. extending from Water street West to the old Universalist church from the Powers estate in 1907 for $65,000. In 1912, S. S. Kresage of Detroit took an option on the property at $110,000, putting up $5000 to bind the bargain. Before the option expired Mr. Bachrach gave back the $5000 and declared the deal off. Several years ago Mr. Bachrach sold the building just north of the Brunswick hotel for about twice what he paid for it a few years before.
PICNICS FOR CHILDREN
For twenty years or more Mr. Bachrach gave an annual picnic at the farm of A. C. Birks, two miles west of Harristown, where he entertained the children of his own neighborhood, their parents and many of his old patrons, both from the city and the country. When the picnics were not held at the Birks farm they were held at Tom Scroggins farm. Several hundred people attended each picnic.
Mr. Bachrach was an enthusiastic baseball fan. He was one of the men who could always be depended on to stand back of the home team with financial and moral support. He never missed a game if it could be avoided.
He and Charles Laux started the movement among the business men on Lincoln Square that resulted in the erection of the present transfer house. The street railway co. had a wooden building there but it was small and unattractive. The street railway company did not feel inclined to go to the expense of putting up as handsome a building as Mr. Bachrach and Mr. Laux proposed so they went among the other merchants and raised enough money to pay the difference. For many years afterward each merchant who contributed had a big sign painted on the inside walls of the transfer house. These signs were works of art in keeping with the building.
BROAD AND LIBERAL
Mr. Bachrach was broad and liberal in his views. He gave much to charity. When he first went into business for himself he called his place "Cheap Charlies store". Many years ago he tried to drop that title but it always stuck and even yet people often refer to his place of business under its old title. Mr. Bachrach was always proud of his family and encouraged his children in every way possible.
He and Miss Tilly Hamburger were married in Baltimore, Md. Jan.11,1873. She and the following seven children survive him, Albert Bachrach, Miss Mattie Bachrach, Dr. Benjamin Bachrach, Sidney Bachrach, Edgar Bachrach, Mrs. Helen Goldfinger, all of Decatur and Mrs. S. L. Smith of Philadelphia. A son, Louis Bachrach, died in Philadelphia March 19,1913. There are two grandsons, Henry P. Goldfinger and Henry Bachrach II, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Bachrach.
News of Mr. Bachrach's death came as a shock to his friends and business acquaintances. He was one of the best known men in Central Illinois and was held in high regard by all.
VETERAN ODD FELLOW
The only secret order Mr. Bachrach was a member of is the Odd Fellows, which he joined early in life. He lacked only a few months of being a fifty years member.

                                                                                                         DECATUR DAILY REVIEW 7/23/1917

The funeral of Henry Bachrach will be held at 10 o'clock Friday morning at the family residence, 453 West Prairie avenue. The interment will be in Fairlawn. The funeral had been set for Thursday morning but word was received from Miss Mattie Bachrach that she could not reach Decatur until Thursday afternoon, so the services were postponed a day.
The body arrived in Decatur Wednesday afternoon at 4:35 and was taken at once to the family residence. Mrs. Bachrach, Dr. Benjamin Bachrach, Edgar Bachrach and Mr. and Mrs. Sam Smith accompanied the body.
WITHOUT SUFFERING
The death of Mr. Bachrach was sudden and apparently without suffering. He and Mrs. Bachrach had intended calling on Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Oldham, formerly of Decatur, who have been living in Charlevoix for the past few years. Mr. Bachrach left his wife in their apartments at the hotel about 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, telling her he would wait for her in the hotel office. A moment after he stepped into the corridor, Mrs. Bachrach heard him fall. She ran to him and found him unconscious. She called for help, and Mr. Bachrach was carried into his room and physicians summoned. Mr. Bachrach did not regain consciousness and died a few moments after the arrival of the doctors.

                                                                                                          Decatur Review, Thursday, 26 July, 1917

Notes for HENRY HEART BACHRACH:
Census 1900- Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Vol 118; ED 49; Sht. 3; Line 80

More About HENRY HEART BACHRACH:
Burial: Decatur, IL
Occupation: 1884, Clothier, Kaufman & Bachrach, Eau Claire, WI.
Residence 1: 1848, (Born on) Alicanne St. Baltimore
Residence 2: 1870, Elgin, Illinois
Residence 3: 1880, Decatur, Il
Residence 4: 1900, 722 West Wood St., Decaur, Il