R.H. Macy

[from wikipedia]

Rowland Hussey Macy, Sr. (August 30, 1822 – March 29, 1877) was an American businessman who founded the department store chain R.H. Macy and Company.

Macy was born on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts to a Quaker family. At the age of fifteen, he worked on the whaling ship, the Emily Morgan, and had a red star tattooed on his hand that became part of the store's logo.

He married Louisa Houghton (1820–1888) in 1844, and had two children: Rowland Hussey Macy, Jr. (1847–?); and Florence Macy (1853–1933), who married James F. Sutton.

Between 1843 and 1855, Macy opened four retail dry goods stores, including the original Macy's store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts. They all failed but he learned from his mistakes. In 1858, he opened a new Macy's store at Sixth Avenue and 14th Street in New York City. This was the official start for his store chain.

Macy died on March 29, 1877 in Paris of Bright's disease. He was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York. His will was probated on May 1, 1877.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 2 2016, 17:34:50 UTC