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For at least 63 years, wholesale grocer Joseph Strong was among Terre Haute’s most respected business leaders. A native of Chillicothe, Ohio, he was born June 23, 1839, the son of William and Anna (Massie) Strong. Joseph was educated in the Chillicothe public schools, securing his first full-time job with the Com mercial Bank in Cincinnati in 1861 until enlisting in the army during the Civil War. While in the service he met and became infatuated by Mary Bourne Blake, the daughter of Dr. Richard and Franceska (Groverman) Blake, who owned “Butter nut Hill” at the eastern lim its of Terre Haute. Upon being discharged from the service in 1865, he relocated to Terre Haute and founded a coffee roast ing business in what later became known as Spectator Court, between Wabash and Ohio streets. To draw attention to his business, Strong affixed a large tin coffee pot, which spouted steam, to the build ing. Joseph and Mary mar ried on Dec. 3, 1867. Soon after the marriage Joseph established a whole sale grocery house in Dowl ing Hall, on North Sixth Street, south of Cherry Street. On Sept. 15, 1868, Strong employed his 17-year-old brother-in-law Anthony Groverman Blake, his wife's youngest sibling. MIKE McCormick In 1870, Strong founded Joseph Strong Co. at the northwest corner of Sixth and Ohio streets, which pro duced Red Cow Coffee, packaged in a container displaying a photo of a bright red cow. In addition, the company packaged and distributed Real Brand spices and extracts, B C Baking Pow der and B C Pancake Flour. The firm also distrib uted other brands regional ly. In 1887, Strong erected a three-story building at Sixth and Ohio, which included a modern coffee and spice mill and a commodious warehouse. He identified the structure as “Joseph Strong's Terre Haute Coffee and Spice Mill” The manufacturing department, which included a 50-horsepower steam engine and four coffee roasters, faced Ohio Street while the warehouse, which included a basement, faced Sixth Street, were elegantly furnished with antique oak furniture in rooms divided by orna mental partitions. Besides several brands of coffee, Sterling baking powder and pancake flour, the firm began producing its own cream tartar and mustard. In addition to manufac turing, the company had an extensive wholesale busi ness covering most of Illi nois and Indiana, grinding its own spices and coffees and putting them in con tainers with the “Joseph Strong trademark” In 1888, Strong made his brother-in-law, Anthony Blake, a junior partner, and Blake eventually took over as the firm’s chief executive. Strong was active in local civic and financial cir cles and was one of the ear liest businessmen to become identified with the Terre Haute Savings Bank. He also served on the board of the Terre Haute National Bank, Citizens Mutual Heat ing Co., the Commercial Club of Terre Haute and the Business Men's Association of Terre Haute. Joseph and Mary were involved in the Fort Harri son Country Club and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. The Strongs erected an elegant residence on the northeast corner of Sixth and Oak streets. They were the parents of six children: Anna, who became the wife of Benja min McKeen of St. Louis, son of William Riley McK een, founder of the McKeen Bank and president of the Terre Haute Indianapolis Railroad; Richard, who mar ried Catherine, daughter of attorney Ambrose B. Carl ton of Terre Haute; Henriet ta, who married S. Craw ford McKeen, another son of William R. McKeen, of Terre Haute; Franceska, who mar ried Grant Fairbanks of Haverhill, Mass.; Susan, the wife of Terre Haute attorney James Cooper, Jr.; and Eliza beth, the wife of John L. Crawford of Terre Haute. The Strong residence at 422 S. Sixth St, which still exists, has long been con sidered one of Terre Haute’s finest homes. Mary Blake Strong died at age 69 on Dec. 10, 1912. Joseph remained active in the business until six weeks before his death at age 89 on Jan. 10, 1929. Anthony “Tony” Blake married twice. He had four children by his marriage to Catherine J. Morgan, who died on Feb. 10, 1899: Edward, Frances or “Fan nie,” Mary Josephine (Her kimer) and Charles. Blake subsequently mar ried widow Eva W. Floyd of Mendota, Illinois, who sur vived him. Eva died June 1, 1932, in California. Blake died Feb. 17, 1923. Strong, Blake and many members of their respective families are interred at Highland Lawn Cemetery on Wabash Avenue in Terre Haute, nh ‘Al PERSPECTIVE
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Terre Haute Tribune Star
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Sun, Jan 01, 2017
Page 20
Full Page
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USA 02 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Terre Haute, Indiana
Western Register and Terre Haute Advertiser
Terre Haute Wabash Courier
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