Former Blair Man Dies At Central City

The death of N. B. Falconer, a well-known former resident of DeSoto township, is reported as occurring at a hotel at Central City, this state, on last Sunday.

Deceased was prominent in the mercantile business at Omaha, covering a period from ’71 up into the ‘80s, at which time he owned and managed the most extensive retail dry goods store in that city. Coming to Omaha in 1871, he engaged in business in partnership with Alex Cruickshank, of the city. His partner’s health failed, he was compelled to seek a milder climate, going to California, when Falconer bought his interest in the business. Falconer was a Scotsman, learned the mercantile business in a leading Glasgow establishment and had a rigid rule which he always lived up to, that nothing cheap or shoddy should ever be put across his counters. Anything bought at Falconer’s carried a guarantee that it was what it purported to be, not “good enough for the price,” but GOOD, regardless of price. The hard times created a demand for cheaper merchandise, which the Brandies and others supplied, and many of the ‘leading citizens’ of those days, whose assets consisted wholly of unsalable real estate, were indebted to him in large amounts, which they defaulted payment of, so that he was compelled to sacrifice a fortune in order to realize by a sale of the business. While in business at Omaha, he married a young woman, clerk in his store, and the marriage was not a happy one.

He is survived by a son who is living at St. Paul, Minn.

After disposing of his Omaha business he came to Desoto and made his home with Mr. and Mrs. James Cruickshank, old friends and countrymen, for a number of years, off and on, but for a few years had made his home at Central City, where he had property interests. He had many friends in Blair and vicinity. He had lived near a score of years beyond the allotted span of “three score and ten”.

Note: Since death date was not given, the news article date was used.