United Grocery Company
Our 50th Year, 1905-1955

from the collection of Brenda Fiddler

the people with better food at the more reasonable prices which mass production and delivery made possible.

On Monday mornings, Mr. Fanning would leave Lexington by horse and buggy and travel the spine-jarring roads to Timberlake, Wildersville, Clarksburg and Yuma, all north of Lexington.  At Yuma, the liveryman would be waiting to drive the team on to Westport.  In the meantime, the salesman’s travels took him to the merchants of Yuma, which was then a flourishing community, and to the relatively comfortable train that left there at 4:30 in the afternoon.  This journey covered the few miles to Buena Vista, and from there it was another train trip back to Westport and a good night’s rest, which was sorely needed after the trials of the day and the long hours on the road.

Tuesday began with calls on Westport merchants; then the long drive across country to Parsons, with stops at Dollar, Shiloh and Bible Hill, and arrival in Parsons in the afternoon.  The remainder of the day was spent in Parsons and at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Fanning caught the “Perryville branch” for Perryville.  Here he spent his second night on the road.

The third day of the week was spent in Perryville and in Parsons, and in jogging along behind a team toward Decaturville and the county-line town of Scotts Hill, where the night was spent in well-earned rest.

[photo caption]

Gathered around the desk of Mr. W. C. Fanning, Vice-President, are from left to right, Kitty Bunch, Treasurer; Jack Hay, Vice-President and General Manager; and Herman Nichols, Bookkeeper.