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William Petrikin was the first merchant in Bellefonte. In 1796 along with his tailor shop he kept a stock of goods; and Roland Curtin was the next in 1800. Robert T. Stewart. the next most prominent, with his. brother William, 1809-19. John Rankin opened a store in 1810. Hamilton Humes came to Bellefonte from Lancaster county in 1809, and rented the property of James Smith and operated a mill until 1814, when he built a hotel. He quickly tired of the tavern business, and in about 1814 exchanged his hotel with John Irvin, of Penns Valley, for a store on the Diamond that Frank B. Smith had been managing for Irvin. The tavern was then taken over by James Watson, and later by Jacob Rothrock, who re-christened it the Conrad house, in honor of one of his Philadelphia friends bearing that name.
John Irwin, Jr., a Quaker, came to town from Boggs township in 1811, and opened a shoe shop on the Diamond. He carried on the business until 1822, when he returned to Boggs townshop.
Samuel Harris came from Lycoming county in 1811, and opened a furniture store at the corner of Bishop and Spring streets. At the start of the War of 1812 he enlisted. Returning in 1813, he resumed his furniture business.
In 1814, William Welch carried on shoemaking on a large scale; Ebenezer McGee, cabinet making; William Keever and A. Vandyke, saddlery; J. Kline, the tailoring; and Thos. Beatty had a general store; and Benner & Cambridge also kept store until 1817.
Between 1821 and 1829 merchants began to advertise more liberally, and the following names of business people can be found in the Bellefonte between these years; James and andrew McCelland, proprietors of the Bellefonte Mills; J. Lambert & Bro., weavers; Dr. Fisher, (who advised any patrons not understanding or speaking German, to bring an interpreter); Wm. Armor and Charles Callahan, tailors; Abraham Weaver & Co., tinners; Stewert & Carland, tailors; John Mckee, general store; Rankin & Steel, wool carders; W. Robinson, silversmith; Charles Johnston, silversmith; Charles Mackey, wagon maker and blacksmith; Eli Cadwallader, cooper; Wm. Wood, tailor; James Rothrock, furbuyer; S. Hull, saddler; Jacob Roop, gunsmith; W. Meyers, tailor; George Rothrock, saddler; Wm. Alloway and Elijah Reeves, watch makers; John Hammond, general store ; Gillespie & Smith, shoemakers; Hammond & Page, general store; James Kent, wagon maker; Theophilus Kekeler, general store; William Patton, tavern; Joseph Uperdegraff, landlord of the Gen. Jackson house; W. C. Welch, shoemaker; Barr, Pruner & Baker, carpenters; Wm. Mann, Sr., blacksmith; Cook & Ammerman, carriage makers; Beatty & Humes, copper and tinsmiths; P. Cambridge, general store; Cambridge & Black, general goods; John Rankin, tavern keeper; C. F. Seligman, druggist & grocer; Cambridge & Petrikin, general store; Peter Felmilee, wagon maker; W. Ward, tobacconist; Harris & Smith, druggists; Franklin Smith and Andrew Gregg, Jr., general store; Abiel Davis, wagon maker.
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