William Schlemmer is made a full partner in the company and the firm takes its present name, Hammacher Schlemmer & Co. His son, William F. Schlemmer, is also active in the business.
On the morning of July 2, 1881, President James Garfield is shot twice by an assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled federal office-seeker. Though Garfield survives the initial attack, he gradually weakens over the next several weeks and dies on September 19, 1881. Vice President Chester A. Arthur is sworn in as the nation's 21st President.
Six years before Sears and Roebuck, Hammacher Schlemmer published its first catalog of hardware and tools. The hardcover book was used by the company's salesmen as they crisscrossed the country taking orders from customers. The first printing was less than 500 copies, a far cry from the vast amount of catalogs now sent all over the globe.
