George Huntington Hartford

1908, New Jersey. Stock certificate for 72 shares of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company signed George H. Hartford (1833 - 1917) as President. Founder of A & P along with George F. Gilman. In 1858, Hartford began working as a salesman in a St. Louis store owned by Gilman. Within a few years the two had become partners buying and selling tea under the name of The Great American Tea Co. By 1864, the two partners had a few stores in operation in New York City. In 1869, the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (inspired by the completion of the trans-continental railroad) was chosen as the new name to distinguish the growing retail business from the mail order segment. Upon Gilman's retirement in 1878, Hartford headed the company alone, creating the largest grocery chain in the industry with over 15,000 stores at its peak. Green/Black with brown overprint. Uncancelled. Extremely fine.