Samuel W. Stedman
His life – His business – His Foundation
Samuel William Stedman was born August 12, 1881 at Ayr, North Dumfries, Ontario the second child of Edward Stedman, a painter, and Ellen Eliza Bucknell.
The 1891 census finds Edward, painter, and Ellen living in Brantford along with daughter Lillie aged 11 and sons, Samuel aged 9, Edward aged 7, and George aged 6. This family photo was taken in 1894 and shows daughter Nellie Beatrice Stedman born December 21, 1891. Sam Stedman is in the back row with his sister Lillie.
At a very early age, the Stedman boys took on the responsibility of assisting in the family’s income and Sam and brothers began selling newspapers for the Brantford Expositor from stands at the corner of Colborne and Market streets as well as Dalhousie and Market.
The Stedmans decided to augment their paper sales by adding The Globe, The Mail, The Toronto Telegram and the Buffalo News. The Brantford Town Council had refused access to the GTR and so the boys had to collect these papers from the GTR station at Harrisburg. This 20-mile round trip by horse and buggy required an early start of 4:30am! They still managed to make it in time for the start of the school day at 9:00am. Edward Stedman believed that “every man should have a trade” and so Sam was apprenticed as a tailor but that was not where his heart was.
The brothers’ newspaper sales prospered so well the boys set up shop in a room they rented over what was then the William Davies butcher establishment of Colborne Street. Soon that location proved to be inadequate for their growing business. In 1905 the brothers decided to open a store using the savings they had gleaned from their years selling newspapers. Sam was just 24 at the time and they had savings of $2,200. To put that amount into to-day’s value it would be in excess of $60,000! Stedman Brothers first location was at 148 Colborne Street, property rented from J. C. Walker who requested, because of Sam’s young age, that the brothers pay a full three years rent totaling $1,800. This they were able to do with $400 in funds remaining to buy stock for the store. Money was tight though and it has been said each item on the shelf was taken out of its box to make the store look better stocked. This writer can attest to this business astuteness by relating a story of Sam Stedman’s advice for a young store worker who had found an old ball of string, covered in dust and faded from years on the shelf. “Just unwind a few layers and put it on the shelf at half price.”
Sam Stedman, when asked to what he attributed his success, replied: it was “his mother, she was the finest mother imaginable, and she taught us the basic principles of good conduct and of good business. She saw to it that we saved a certain amount of all we earned, and it was due to this habit of thrift that we found ourselves with enough money to launch out into business.”
A new venture was undertaken when Stedman Bros. Inc. was incorporated on May 8, 1908. The amount of capital stock $40,000, number of shares 400. Directors Samuel William Stedman, Edward Issac Stedman, George Henry Stedman and Peter Cairns. Objects of the Company: to trade in, manufacture and publish books, magazines, post cards and kindred lines. The operations of the Company to be carried on throughout the Dominion of Canada and elsewhere.
At right
It is interesting to read the following from the December 1909 Bookseller for it shows the tremendous early success of Stedman Bros:
“Some twenty years ago Stedman Brothers commenced selling newspapers on the street and early showed their business ability. The Burchell murder trial may be said to mark the definite establishment of their present extensive business, for it was the tremendous sale of newspapers consequent upon that trial which decided them to go into the business on a large scale. Tn course of time increasing business made it necessary to open a stationery and news store on 148 Colborne Street. In 1908, the stationery business of W.J.F. Mallagh was purchased. It is the wholesale line that the enterprise of the firm is most apparent, they employ fifty-five hands in their wholesale establishment, where post cards, calendars, booklets and Christmas cards are manufactured.”
In 1921 Stedman Bros decided to sell their manufacturing business to focus on wholesale distribution. On July 1, 1924, they moved their distribution centre to Toronto. This centre supplied merchandise to their franchise stores a number that grew to 336 retail outlets by 1961, 127 owned by the company and 209 franchised.
In the midst of the depression, 1933, the three brothers acquired the building at 154 Colborne Street, a few doors West of the original store. On January 20, 1955, a fire broke out at the 154 Colborne Street store completely gutting it and destroying all the contents.
A testament to the business mastery of the Stedman Bros. was the May 30, 1955, notice in the Brantford Expositor:
“In opening our remodeled store, we would like to express to our customers and the citizens of Brantford our sincere thanks for their patience and co-operation during the time we have been in a temporary location. It has always been our desire to serve our patrons. That it was appreciated is a source of satisfaction and encouragement to render better service in the future … and thus to merit your continued patronage.”
Personal Life
On July 2, 1913, Sam Stedman married Jessie Cockshutt Kippax the daughter of George Kippax and Mary Margaret Cockshutt. Mary Margaret was the daughter of Ignatius Cockshutt by his first wife Margaret Gemmel. Sam and Jessie had 4 daughters: Margaret Ellen born 1914, Ruth Kippax born 1919, Mary Beatrice born 1922, a still born boy born 1925 and Catherine Elizabeth born 1928. Margaret, Ruth and Mary each attended Trinity College, U of T an advantage not all that common for girls of that era.
The Samuel W Stedman Foundation
On the occasion of his birthday his friends and business associates presented him with a scroll which, in part, stated:
“in testimony of the affectionate esteem which we have for you and of our admiration for the achievements of your long and fruitful life.
We are grateful to you for the spirit of humility in which you have received the bountiful successes of your life, for your devotion to the welfare of your community and for your uncompromising integrity in business affairs. We admire you for the high example you have set in your personal and family life.
May this scroll coney fondest wishes from your countless friends, for whom your name is inseparably linked with the finest traditions of your country, your community and the Christian way of life.”
Shortly before his death on March 10, 1965, Sam Stedman created the Samuel W Stedman Foundation but prior to that date he had supported many local charities and also, in co-operation with the then Brantford Board of Education, provided bursaries to diligent and self-motivated students.
It was in 1963 under the guidance of Mr. Strong of the then Canada Permanent, the Foundation was founded. On March 13, 1963, the Letters Patent were issued in the name of Samuel W. Stedman Foundation to the following: Samuel William Stedman, Mary Beatrice Stedman, Margaret Ellen Stedman, Ruth Kippax Stedman, Matthew Graham Kneale and John Kent Wedlake. The first distribution of net income was paid equally among the following organizations: Brantford Community Chest of Brant [now United Way], Farringdon Independent Church and burial grounds, Widow’s Home, Salvation Army Citadel and Hostel, Board of Education [Bursaries] British and Foreign Bible Society, Canadian Red Cross, Victoria Order of Nurses, Foundation of the Mentally Retarded of Brant County. A listing of the donations made in 1968 gives a total distribution of $83,800 of which $20,750 was allocated to bursaries. Adjusting for inflation to the date of this writing at the end of 2024, the amount of $83,800 is equivalent to $713,623.16.
Researched and written by
David Pease
December 2024