Origins & Early Life

Alvah Curtis Roebuck (January 9, 1864 – June 18, 1948) was an American retail businessman, who was one of the co-founders of department store Sears, Roebuck and Company with his partner Richard Warren Sears. Alvah Curtis Roebuck was born on January 9, 1864, in Lafayette, Indiana. He began work as a watchmaker in a Hammond, Indiana, jewelry store at age 12. Roebuck co-founded Sears, Roebuck and Company with Richard Warren Sears in 1891.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1895, Roebuck asked Sears to buy him out for about $20,000. At Richard Sears's request, Roebuck took charge of a division that handled watches, jewelry, optical goods, and, later, phonographs, magic lanterns and motion picture machines. His business interests did not end with Sears. He later organized and financed two companies: a manufacturer and a distributor of motion picture machines and accessories. Roebuck also served as president (1909–1924) of Emerson Typewriter Company, where he invented the improved typewriter, called the "Woodstock." After several years in semi-retirement in Florida, the financial losses he suffered in the stock market crash of 1929 forced Roebuck to return to Chicago.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

By 1933, Roebuck had rejoined...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akashi Motojiro — Contemporary (Born in 1864) (1864): General in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor-General of Taiwan.
• Banjo Paterson — Contemporary (Born in 1864) (1864): Iconic Australian bush poet, journalist, and author of 'Waltzing Matilda'
• Benjamin Silliman — Contemporary (Died in 1864) (1864): Pioneering American chemist and science educator, instrumental in establishing modern scientific pedagogy.
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Abdulrazak Gurnah — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Acclaimed Tanzanian novelist and Nobel laureate exploring themes of colonialism and refuge.
• Akira Mutō — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• Adrien-Marie Legendre — Shared historical date (01-09 · Died) (1833): Pioneering French mathematician known for Legendre polynomials and least squares method.
• Caroline Herschel — Shared historical date (01-09 · Died) (1848): Pioneering astronomer, famed for comet discoveries and professional scientific career.
• Alan Davis — Shared historical date (06-18 · Born) (1956): English comic book writer and artist known for Captain Britain and X-Men work.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Shared historical date (06-18 · Died) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• 1864 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1864
• January 9 (01-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 9
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• June 18 (06-18) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 18