Abram Nave

Abram Nave was born in Cocke County, East Tennessee on June 2, 1815. His father, Henry Nave, was descended from Swiss immigrants, and had served in the War of 1812. When Abram was one year of age his parents brought him to the newly organized Territory of Missouri, in what is now Saline County. Statehood for Missouri was not to come until 1821.

Abram grew up in that area of Central Missouri and in 1841, when he was twenty-six years of age, he went to Savannah, Missouri to engage in the mercantile business. He was successful and when established he returned to Saline County to marry Lucy McCord, sister of James McCord. In 1846 James McCord joined his brother-in-law in Savannah and the partnership of Nave & McCord was formed. Mr. McCord opened a retail grocery at Oregon, Missouri while Abram remained in charge of the business in Savannah. During the years of the great migrations to California after the discovery of gold, the two brothers-in-law and Dudley M. Steele made two trips driving cattle across the Plains for sale at high prices in the West. They then returned by the route across the Isthmus of Panama. In 1857 the three men, Nave, McCord and Steele came to St. Joseph and founded the first wholesale grocery house here under the firm name of Nave, McCord & Company. The business was very successful and in 1872 Abram went to St. Louis to establish the business of Nave, McCord & Company there. He returned to St. Joseph in 1883 and devoted his attention to the two large business houses as well as numerous business enterprises in Colorado and Texas.

During the years in Savannah, Abram and Lucy had seven children, although two died in infancy. Lucy died in 1853. Abram married his second wife, Mary Blewett, in 1875. However, the marriage ended in a bitter divorce in 1883. Abram married, third, Mrs. Augusta Bagwell in 1885.

He died at his home, 311 North Eighth Street, on June 23, 1898, at the age of eighty three. Of his children, William Henry Nave lived in New York many years before settling in West Virginia; James McCord Nave was in business in Kansas City; Emma (Nave) Ranney lived most of her adult life in Paris, France; Samuel Miller Nave was active in business in St. Joseph; and Joseph E. Nave was a farmer, but predeceased his father.

Abram was one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of this area. The Commercial Club reported: “This city laments the loss of that pioneer merchant and well beloved citizen, Abram Nave. His excellent qualities commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. His death is a great loss to our City and to the entire West, with which he was so largely and prominently identified. Another note: “He was a great merchant and a splendid type of Christian gentleman."