THOMAS H. B. VARNEY

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THOMAS H. B. VARNEY, wholesale and retail bicycle dealer, No. 1041 Market street, is one of the prosperous business men of San Francisco. In 1883 he established a hardware business in this city, and subsequently, in connection with it, began dealing in bicycles. The latter soon became the leading feature of his business, and in 1891 he sold his hardware stock and since that time has given his attention exclusively to handling bicycles. In July, 1891, he moved to his present quarters, invested more capital, and his establishment is now the leading one of the kind in the city. He handles the Warwick Perfection bicycle, made in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the Rambler’s safety bicycle, manufactured by the Gormully & Jeffery Co. of Chicago. In connection with his store he has a bicycle school, a room 150 feet long, in which he teaches ladies and gentlemen to ride the various kinds of wheels. All scholars are required to engage the time ahead, so that each learner has his own special half hour, and at that time no other one is allowed on the floor. Mr. Varney employs several agents, and does a business that extends all over the Pacific coast.

He was born in Petaluma, Sonoma county, California, November 12, 1858. His father, Robert Varney, a native of Vermont, came to California in 1850. To him and his wife, nee Elizabeth Burnett, a native of his own State and, like him, a descendant of English ancestry, were born two sons and a daughter, all of whom are residents of San Francisco. Coming to this city when he was two years old, Mr. Varney was reared and educated here. He married Ada Hall, a native of California, and has three children.

Politically he is a Republican.

Transcribed by Donna L. Becker

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, pages 671-672, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~npmelton/genealogy/sfbvarn.htm

T. H. B. Varney and George Faulkner rode to Santa Cruz, via Alma and Hotel de Redwood, Wednesday of last week on pneumatics, covering the distance in 10h. 45m., which they claim as record.

Not a run, but rather a "climb and coast" - Mon, Nov 16, 1891, Page 3, San Francisco Chronicle

W. (Walter) F. Foster and Thomas H. B. Varney were part of the local cycling scene. They went hunting together. Thomas H. B. Varney had a bicycle shop (a "biclorama") and an outdoor advertising business. Walter Foster meets George Kleiser, go into outdoor advertising and 129 years later we have ClearChannel.

San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 35, 5 July 1892 - Bicycle Races in Various Parts of the State

The Referee & cycle trade journal -  v. 16 Nov. 1895-Apr. 1896 - page 916

Thomas H. B. Varney's Rambler bicyclorarna at San Francisco combines all the different departments of a fully equipped bicycle store. It is on the corner of Market, Tenth, and Stevenson streets, and has an entrance on each street.The salesroom is 80 feet long and 40 feet wide and contains a full assortment of Rambler and Ideal bicycles, as well as tandems. The entrance to the salesroom is on Market street near Tenth, and the cars of the Valencia, Haight, Castro, Oak, and Post street lines pass the door, while the Mission, Larkin, and Hayes street cars run within one block. The renting department opens on Tenth street and occupies 6,000 square feet of floor room. Renters can ride one block up Fell street, to Van Ness avenue, and from there to the park, by the way of Golden Gate avenue, or they can take the Howard street slot and ride to the Ferry, or to San Jose via San Bruno or Mission road. The repair shop is on the corner of Stevenson and Tenth streets, is large and commodious and has all the latest improvements. The stock and shipping room is very large, and is carefully arranged for a large stock of bicycles and parts, sundries and accessories. It is 120 feet by 60, and all the shipping and receiving freight is done from the Stevenson street entrance. This gives this immense store three entrances — one on Market street, one on Tenth street and one on Stevenson street. No department interferes with the other, and yet each is closely connected. The building is fitted with all the latest improvements, including electric lights, electric power for the repair shop, and has telephones, dummy waiters and package deliveries between the different departments. The riding academy covers the entire second floor of the immense biclorama building. Each instruction department is entirely without posts and the women have a separate school, on the second floor, where they can learn without fear of interruption.

Varney's Biclorama - The Referee & cycle trade journal Vol. 16, No. 15, February 6, 1896