SRHS
Steamboat Rock Historical Society
A NEW CENTURY
HARNESSES AND HARDWARE
As mentioned in the last section John Cramer came to Steamboat Rock in 1898 and opened a harness shop on Market Street. This was the beginning of a 75 year hardware business operated by one family.
In 1914, John and Henry Cramer built a new larger hardware store at the location harness shop and neighboring tin shop.
In 1901, his brother Henry arrived and he and John bought the hardware store and tin shop that were adjacent to the harness shop from Fred H. Sterns.
In 1902, Henry Cramer Sr. died of Pneumonia at his home in Forreston, Illinois, and his remaining family members came to Steamboat Rock. They were: Kate, Jacob and their mother, Trienje.
Kate married Louis A. Luiken the son of Antone Luiken.
Jacob Cramer and Louis A. Luiken constructed a building on the corner east of the Harness shop and established the Luiken Cramer implement store in 1903.
Now the three brothers and one brother-in-law were operating related businesses side by side. John and Henry the harness, tin and hardware business. Jacob and Louis the implement business.
In 1914 John and Henry Cramer built a new larger building for the hardware and harness business on the location where the harness business and tin shop stood, and used the former hardware building for the tin shop. They then employed Phillip A. Ruppelt as the tinsmith.
Jacob Cramer and Louis A. Luiken pictured below, constructed a building on the corner east of the Harness shop and established the Luiken Cramer implement store in 1903.
Jacob Cramer
Louis A. Luiken
In 1923, Jacob sold his interest in the implement store to Louis A. Luiken and bought Henry’s interest in the Cramer Brother’s hardware store. John bought Jacob’s interest in the hardware store in 1930. By that time there was very little harness and tin shop business. John sold the hardware store to Louis A. Luiken in 1935, and it became known as Luiken Hardware.