Page 107 - Poat_to_Poot_Engels

Produce peddlers and bakery wagons also came around, but many people
preferred to shop for these at their favorite market or bakery.

Will Poot had apprenticed in a printing shop in Kalamazoo. While in Grand
Rapids, he obtained another printing job, now as a typesetter and
pressman for the "Fuller Printing Co." A typesetter loaded long u-shaped
holders called sticks with the letters of type to be printed. A pressman
operated the printing presses that used either flat plates or rotating
drums holding type and etchings. Warren N. Fuller had started several
printing and engraving partnerships in Grand Rapids during the previous
twenty years. The Fuller & Stowe Printing and Engraving Company was
started in 1886, and in 1891 it was located on Louis Street in the central
business district. Their principal activity was to prepare engravings of
furniture, and to print furniture catalogs. Fuller is credited with producing
the first modern furniture catalog. The furniture factory that hired Fuller
was worried that their designs might be stolen before publication, so they
required Fuller to do all of the etchings in his home and to keep them
securely hidden from view. Fuller's skill attracted orders for engravings
from all over the country. These were then used in advertisements in
newspapers and magazines. The annual revenue at Fuller was
approximately $30,000.

Since the Fuller establishment prepared so many etchings and drawings, it
is possible that Will Poot received some practical art training while he was
working there. A few years later, Will depended upon his artistic skills to
help support himself while in college.

From the Fuller business, Will Poot advanced to an elite establishment
named E. A. Stowe & Brother, Publishers. He worked here as a job
pressman. Ernest A. Stowe was a partner in Fuller's business, but Stowe
also ran a larger, separate, publishing business. Stowe was one of the
most respected men in Grand Rapids. He was chairman of the Trade
Association, was a director at the bank, and held several other community
offices. He edited and published several business-trade weekly and
monthly magazines. His best known publication was the Michigan
Tradesman, and another major one was called Michigan Dairyman. They
also printed books and pamphlets. They used the business name
Michigan Tradesman Printing Company on many of their publications. Mr.
Stowe employed several Dutchmen in his business. One of these was the
city salesman, Frederik Jacob Michmershuizen. He was born in 1855 in
Deventer, the same city as J.W. Poot. In 1893 Michmershuizen named his
newborn son Frederick William, and we can wonder if his choice of the
names was influenced by his acquaintance with Will (William Frederick)
Poot.

Most Americans in the late 1800's only went to school for six to eight
years, and fewer than 1 in 8 completed high school. However, the Poot
family believed strongly in the value of education. They expected Will to

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