One of the old established houses of Cornwall is R. J. Pitt's hardware store, started over half a century ago by the late Hiram Pitts, father of the present proprietor.   The founder of this business was born in the township of Osnabruck in 1808, and came to Cornwall when a young man.  He went to California, and a few years later returned and commenced business at Morrisburg, when he removed to Cornwall 36 years ago.  He was for several years a member of the Town Council, and died in 1890.
      R. J. Pitts in his younger days was a commercial traveller, and when his father located in Cornwall, Mr. Pitts joined him in the venture. He built their present handsome store in 1886, and has since carried on a most prosperous hardware business. His store, with warehouses, has a length of 184 feet by a width of 25. His stock is by far the largest in this district, and embraces complete lines of shelf and heavy hardware, a fine assortment of silverware, and a large and carefully selected range of sporting goods, in fact almost everything found in a hardware establishment.