Hiram Bump and Frank Gray associated in the grain brokerage business (about 1856).

The evidence

• “Hobson carried on the grain brokerage business on the streets. About 1856, Hiram Bump and Frank Gray associated in the business, and, in 1858, a small building — a shanty — was erected for the accommodation of the firm at the corner of Jacks,on and Milwaukee streets. Two years later, the headquarters were located on the present site of the Corn Exchange.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/14-rock-county-ch08-janesville.md, PDF p. 584 / book p. 588

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources