Nave & McCord Mercantile Company

The Nave & McCord Mercantile Company was a major pioneer mercantile chain of stores in the Midwest from the mid-19th century through the early 1930s. The company’s primary founders were brothers-in-law Abram Nave and James McCord.

One of four children of Henry B. and Mary (Brooks) Nave, Abram Nave was born June 15, 1815, in Cocke County, Tennessee, and came to Saline County, Missouri, with his family about a year later. In 1841, Abram made his first business venture with $1,000 borrowed from his father. With the capital, he opened a general store in Savannah, a small town located in Andrew County, Missouri. He had arrived in town with a single wagonload of miscellaneous merchandise that he sold in a small building on the west side of the town square. The following year he married Lucy McCord in Saline County. She was born September 30, 1822 in Randolph County, Virginia. They would eventually have six children, two of which died young.

In 1846, Abram opened another store under the name Nave & McCord in Oregon, Missouri, with his brother-in-law, James McCord. It was a partnership that would last 52 years, until Abram died. James was born January 7, 1826, in Randolph County, Virginia, one of four children (and only son) of William McCord and Sally Moss Field. He married Mary E. Hallick and they had 10 children.

From 1850-57, Abram, James and Dudley M. Steele were partners in the company Steele, McCord & Company that drove cattle, mules and other livestock from Missouri to Sacramento, California, where the animals were sold at a high profit. In the July 19, 1856, issue of the North West Democrat newspaper, it’s stated “Abram Nave reached home a few days ago from California. His numerous friends will be glad to hear he is in good health.”

Abram and James formed the wholesale grocery company Nave, McCord & Company in 1857 in St. Joseph, Missouri. By 1860, the company had expanded its operations over an extensive territory and branch offices were soon opened in Omaha, Nebraska (with partner Charles L. Clark), and Kansas City, Missouri. However, despite the company’s growth, 1860 would prove to be a disastrous year. On the morning of July 5, 1860, fire broke out in the upper floor of the Nave & McCord building in St. Joseph. The building’s walls collapsed before the general alarm was given. The debris completely covered the tenement and nine people perished. Two of Nave & McCord’s clerks, who slept in the second story, had a narrow escape. The insurance companies refused to pay the loss on the building upon the grounds that the collapse had occurred before the fire. The case was tried at St. Louis, and after eight years of litigation resulted favorably to Nave & McCord thanks to an eyewitness. A guest at the nearby Patee House had been unable to sleep owing to the hot weather. Seated at his window, he said he noticed the flames and watched the fire for some time before he heard the crash when the building collapsed. Abram and James rebuilt their company and managed to continue its success.

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