A. M. Herkness Dead - Inquirer 13 Feb 1898

A. M. HERKNESS DEAD 

Veteran Auctioneer of This City Expires From  Heart Failure

Alfred M. Herkness, known the country over among horsemen and horse dealers as senior member of the auctioneering firm of Alfred M. Herkness & Co., proprietors of Herkness' Bazaar, Ninth and Sansom streets, died shortly after 10 o'clock last evening, at his home, 1714 Vine street. Mr. Herkness had been enjoying excellent health up to a month ago, when he became subject to heart trouble. He took to his bed, but was up and out again a few days later. He, however, again succumbed, and grew gradually weaker as a complication set in, and with the general, debility of age, led to his death. Alfred Morris Herkness was born in this city eighty years ago at No. 22 (old number) North Ninth street. He was a son of Adam Herkness, a native of Hawick, Scotland. He received a limited education in the public schools of the city, and went to work at the age of fifteen with an auctioneer, where he showed great aptitude for the business. In 1833 he went to work with Charles J. Wolbert, general auctioneer, and about 1840 was taken into partnership, the firm name being Wolbert & Herkness, and they carried on business from 1833 till about 1840 in the famous old Carpenter's Hall.

About 1840 Mr. Herkness, started in business for himself at 85 fourth Second street, where he did a general auction business. He remained there, however, only a year, and on March 17, 1847, he removed to what has been known for over a half century as Herkness' Bazaar, Ninth and Sansom streets. This building, too, was once-famous as the Colosseum, a place of amusement, where a great panorama of Jerusalem was for sometime on exhibition. The circular shape of the building was found to be admirably adapted for the purpose of displaying horses and their paces, so Mr. Herkness made it one of the leading horse markets of the East, it was the pioneer enterprise of the kind in the city, and Mr. Herkness grew to be known as the pioneer auctioneer until of late years he has earned the title of veteran in that business. 

Library of Congress