Hamilton Lutes, a civil war veteran, married a daughter of Samuel Lounsberry on May 9, 1872, and lived in and near Oakford for many years farming and raising watermelons. In 1902, he and his two sons Roy and Clarence began business in a small building, now a part of their present place of business. They first added groceries and dry goods. In 1914 the father died and the two boys carried on the successful business. They were in business almost continuously until the 1930s, with the exception of a year or so when they moved and returned from Colorado. In the above picture from left to right are: unknown, John Ishmael, unkown, Clarence Lutes, Hugh Watkins, unknown, unknown.