In 1900 Mrs. Mary Joseph, a widow with 5 children, arrived in Fort Bend County from Lebanon. Shortly after arriving, she started the original Joseph’s retail business. Mrs. Joseph began calling on families throughout the county by horse and buggy, and selling supplies and goods from her wagon. Although no longer a “door-to-door” business, the family operation has remained open and run by a member of the Joseph family for more than 100 years.

 

Mary Joseph was a determined woman. Back in the day, roads were rough, narrow, muddy and impassable on many rainy days.  She often had to stay over with families she called on.  Over the years Mrs. Joseph did well enough to build a small frame house at 708 Morton Street (this building no longer exists).

 

In 1919, the eldest of Mary Joseph's children, Emil, opened a mercantile store on Morton Street in downtown Richmond.  This has been the location of the Joseph's business since.  In 1927, a fire destroyed the adjacent building and caused the roof to collapse on the Joseph's building.

 

The building repair was completed in 1928, resulting in "E. Joseph 1928" on the front of the building. Emil Joseph sold — among other things in his store — coffee, cigars, guns and ammunition.

 

In 1925, Emil Joseph married Miss Josephine Selleh of Elgin, and in 1927 they had a son, Richard who graduated from Texas A&M University (at that time known as AMC), then went on to serve our country in the Air Force and Merchant Marines.

 

After his military service and graduation from college in 1947, Richard helped his father run the family business.  They expanded into cotton brokering, real estate business and several other ventures.

 

In 1961 Richard added a building next to his father's mercantile store which became Joseph's Furniture and Gifts and remained open until March 2012.

 

In time, Richard Joseph married Barbara "Dolly" Joseph of LaGrange, Texas. She was a beautiful lady with "Texas Southern" style, grace and charm.

 

In 2011, Richard and Dolly’s son, Michael, inherited the family business. Before he passed, Richard told Michael that he could do whatever he wanted with the business... but reminded him that the Joseph family business had been in Richmond for over 100 years.  To honor his father and 100+ years of  the Joseph family business history, Michael decided to continue the legacy on Morton Street.

 

So it seems that Joseph’s has come full circle since Emil’s original concept of selling coffee, cigars, guns and ammunition. Since  Michael’s true passion is for the English shooting experience, the “new look” Joseph’s features vintage English side-by-side shotguns, and accessories, traditional English shooting attire and shooting bags.  And it’s no coincidence that when you step into the next building you will find a steaming hot cup of coffee and some of the world’s finest cigars at your fingertips.