James H. Wear

James Hutchenson Wear, II (30 September 1838, Otterville, Missouri - 14 September 1893, St. Louis, Missouri) was the son of William G. Wear, a merchant in Tennessee and Missouri. James was educated in local public schools and trained in mercantile pursuits at Jones' Commercial College of St. Louis. At the age of seventeen he entered the business of his father. In 1863 he settled in St. Louis, and became involved in the trade of boots and shoes. Later he became involved in the dry goods business, as head of Wear & Hickan. Wear organised J. H. Wear & Co. and the Wear-Boogher Dry Goods Company, of which he was President. His businesses became very successful. Wear employed his father when he was struck with financial troubles. He was a director of the St. Louis National Bank. In earlier life Wear steered clear of politics, but was a Unionist during the Civil War. In latter life, he became a supporter of the Republicans, but switched to become a Democrat. He was a ruling elder of the Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church.