From Sawmill to Wherley's

From Sawmill to Wherley's. . In 1832 Simon Koller built a sawmill at this location which he operated until 1837 by which time he was ready to move. On March 31, 1837 Koller sold his farm to a young Englishman named William Heathcote who built a woolen mill adjacent to the Koller sawmill which was included with the farm. The sawmill stopped operating prior to 1880. During 1880 the Glen Rock Chair Works opened for business in the sawmill building., In 1885 Israel Glatfelter decided to expand his business interests in town and purchased what had become the Glen Rock Flour Mill property. His business interests go back to 1871 when he started a tailoring business., In May 1893 Glatfelter cleared out the foundation of the old Koller sawmill to build his new clothing store which opened in December and introduced something new in town , large glass windows to display merchandise., In 1903 Glatfelter sold out to Joe Miller who opened the Water Street Clothing Store. In 1906 Walter L. Seigman and E. Oscar Wherley bought Miller's stock and began a business, Seigman and Wherley's which developed into something which almost defies description in a few words., Besides selling clothing, hats, shoes, gents' furnishings and goods, they also sold car parts, gasoline, bicycles, motorcycles, guns, ammo, and on and on. Between 1908 and 1918 they were agents for Ford and Maxwell cars. In 1913 they were instrumental in organizing the Glen Rock Motor club., Edwin Oscar Wherley passed away in 1946, at which time his son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Clare, became the owners of the property and business. It was a sad day in Glen Rock on November 30, 1996 as this was the end of the line for a business which carried the Wherley name for ninety years , operated for forty years by partner E. Oscar Wherley and another fifty years by Frank and Clare Wherley.