USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 38
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Wightman and Asa Chapman (W. & A. Chapman) began in 1813 on the corner north of the court-house; they continued successfully until October, 1826, when Wightman retired and joined Francis Wilson in a store north of the Addison House ; they continued until 1830; Asa Chapman and his sons have been continuously in trade to the present time.
Lavius Fillmore & Son (Lorin B.) sold general merchandise and books in 1814-15 ; they sold their books to Samuel Swift, and the other stock to Swift and Orin Shaw, who traded where the Buttolph block now stands. Hagar & Ripley (Thomas Hagar and Samuel P. Ripley) began trade in 1814 at the north end of the bridge; they dissolved in 1816, and Mr. Hagar moved to No. 4 Merchants Row. Michael B. Lattimer and Milo Cook traded from 1814 to 1816 in the Adams block where is now George McCue's building. In 1815 Eliphalet Mitchell succeeded Nathaniel Gibson for about one year, and the latter joined Ira Stewart as the firm of Stewart & Gibson. Ira Stewart was next a member of the firm of Stewart & Matthews (Heman Matthews) from 1820 to 1826, when Matthews retired ; from 1826 to 1829 Mr. Stewart was in the firm of George W. Root & Co. In 1815-16 Jonathan K. Barlow was in trade in Hagar's new block, and sold to John Addoms ; the latter moved to the north end of the bridge in 1817. William Meacham began in 1815 in the old jail building and the following year sold to Silas Barrett. He moved about 1818 to the store before occupied by the McDonalds. The store men- tioned as occupied by Jonathan Hagar was used by Bassetts & Co. in 1815-16 and was sold out to Nicholas White in the latter year. George Bowen traded in 1815-16 on the site of Dyer's block and sold in the latter year to R. B. Brown.
Joseph and James McDonald were in business in 1815-16 in a store where Horatio Seymour's garden was located, which was afterward moved and used for a dwelling by Ozias Seymour; in May, 1816, Joseph succeeded to the busi- ness and moved to the north store in what is now the Sheldon block. James occupied the Henshaw store at the south end of the bridge and moved to the Allen block in 1822; he sold to Brown & Sheldon in 1843, after a long and honorable business career. The latter firm was composed of George M. Brown and Harmon A. Sheldon and continued until 1845, when Mr. Brown retired. Mr. Sheldon remained in the Allen block to October, 1852, and moved to the Davenport block, where he continued until his removal in 1859 to his own new brick store ; here he continued a successful trade until 1870, when he died and was succeeded by Sheldon & Co., and in 1885 by his son, Dr. William H. Shel-
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don. The business career of this family has been one of success and credit in all respects.
Timothy Harris traded a short time in the Cobb location in 1816. From 1815 to 1817 Amon Wilcox sold stoves and hardware in the old Vallett store ; he then removed to his own store across the street, where he continued for a long term of honorable trade, which closed in 1870. In 1816 R. & J. Wain- wright (Rufus and John) began their long and successful business on Merchants Row, which continued until 1838. In 1816-17 Parker & Hough (Isaac Parker and Joseph Hough) were in trade in the stone store east end of the cotton fac- tory ; the firm was succeeded by Joseph Hough & Co., in which were asso- ciated Jonathan Wheelock and Nathan Wood; in August, 1818, Mr. Wood re- tired ; in June, 1822, Mr. Hough retired, the business having been removed to what is now H. L. Sheldon's block. In 1823 Mr. Wheelock sold out to Will- iam B. Martin, before mentioned, and in 1825 the latter was joined by Mr. Wheelock and the firm continued to 1829; at this time Mr. Martin went into business on the site of Cobb's block and continued until October, 1831, when he sold to T. Harris; in September, 1829, Mr. Wheelock sold his business to Moses Seymour and A. V. Holley, who continued it until 1831; Harris con- tinued in trade until 1833. Joseph Hough, who retired in 1822, as stated, went into trade in the Adams block in 1824 and sold out in the following year. In 1826 he operated the cotton factory and the store belonging with it; from 1826 to 1830 he was associated with Nathan Wood in trade.
Seymour & Linsley (Benjamin Seymour and Charles Linsley) began busi- ness in 1816 on the site of Cobb's block and in May, 1818, Mr. Seymour re- tired, Mr. Linsley continuing the business. Nathan Wood, Aaron and Tim- othy Hall (firm of N. Wood & Co.) ran a store and the grist-mill from 1818 to 1825, and were succeeded by Nathan and David Wood. Mr. Wood con- tinued alone and in different firms until 1856 and was one of the leading busi- ness men of the village.
Philip Heartt began trade in 1820 in the block on Mr. McCue's present site ; in 1822 he was joined by his son and in 1823 they moved to the old "Green store," and continued to 1825, when the business was purchased by Horace Boardman, son of Joel ; it is supposed that he failed about 1827.
Hastings Warren began trade in 1823 in the Henshaw store at the south end of the bridge, which he continued until 1828 and sold to Harris & Warren (Timothy Harris and William Y. Warren), who continued to 1831. Joseph Dyar was a jeweler in Smith & Sheldon's block from 1822 to 1851; during this long period he earned an enviable reputation for integrity and uprightness. He manufactured clocks which are now highly prized.
The firm of Hooker & Brewster has been mentioned. They were succeeded by Elisha Brewster in 1823, and in 1832 the firm became Brewster & Fish, which continued to 1837, George H. Fish being the associate. E. W. Brewster 21
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
then joined his father, Elisha, and they occupied his new block, where they continued until his death in 1838.
Charles Bowen was one of the leading business men from 1823 to 1845, when he traded in drugs, books and general goods in the Masonic Hall store ; he subsequently changed his location several times before his closing about the date mentioned. Asa and Oliver Field were in trade in 1826 at the south end of the bridge.
In 1827 Zechariah Beckwith began mercantile business in the rear store of what was then the Dickinson block, where the barber shop is now kept ; he later removed to the front store of the same block and to the Davenport block in 1852 (now the Battell block). In 1860 the business passed to Beckwith & Co., his son, Smith Beckwith, and G. S. Wainwright constituting the firm. During the career of Z. Beckwith, and from 1841 to 1846, Cyrus Dorrance was associated with him ; and from 1850 to 1852 the firm of Z. Beckwith & Co. was composed of the senior and Charles G. Wainwright in the Masonic Hall store ; this business was afterwards continued by Mr. Wainwright until 1854. The present firm of Beckwith & Co. is composed of Smith Beckwith and Gard- ner S. Wainwright ; in 1883 the firm occupied their commodious and elegant new block, one of the finest business edifices in this section of the State, where they carry on a very large and successful trade.
In 1830 J. Nelson Rogers began trade in the N. Wood's store, and in the following year the firm of J. N. Rogers & Co. moved to the H. L. Sheldon block ; they were succeeded in 1832 by A. Manning. From 1828 to 1832 Ephraim R. Smith traded first in the Nichols block, which was burned in 1831, and then in the store north of the Addison House. Between 1828 and 1830 Moses Cutter carried on business on Merchants Row.
Martin H. Birge took the " Green store " in 1830; the next year the firm was composed of Cyrus and M. H. Birge, and in 1834 Cyrus Birge took the business alone. The same store was occupied until 1838, when the business was moved to Brewster's block, and the firm became in 1845 C. Birge & Son. In December, 1846, the business was closed out.
The firm of Cutter & Rogers (George W. Cutter and Edward G. Rogers) succeeded Moses Cutter, and moved to the Wood store in 1830; the firm dis- solved in 1831, and George W. Cutter continued until June, 1832. In April, 1833, Mr. Cutter occupied the brick store, site of Cobb's block ; in 1834 he moved to Nichols's block, and continued until 1837. Samuel Sargent, 2d, occupied the factory store, with brick end to street, adjoining Beckwith & Co.'s store, in 1831 and 1832, and was succeeded by Cyrus Smith in July, 1832. From 1831 to 1835 Goddard & Hinsdill (Edward B. Goddard and Stephen Hinsdill) occupied the new store at the lower side of the south end of the bridge, built after the fire of 1831, and continued until 1835. Hinsdill then retired, and Mr. Goddard continued to 1836. Green & Waller (R. A. Green
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
and Marshall S. Waller) were in the Masonic Hall store from 1830 to 1832, when in February they sold to Ketchum & Shaw (Joseph C. Ketchum and Calvin A. Shaw) ; in 1835 Mr. Shaw retired. Mr. Ketchum continued busi- ness until 1839. Nathan Wood commenced trading in the stone, cotton fac- tory in 1817. The next year he moved to the Wood store, where Sheldon's brick store now stands, where he continued most of the time either alone or with several different partners until the store was burned in 1854. He then closed up in the Sheldon block opposite in 1856. He was a very prominent and successful business man. In 1833-34 Timothy C. Smith was in the north store of the Nichols new block, and was succeeded by George W. Cutter, as before noted. In the south store, during the same period, E. H. Johnson had a store, but was unsuccessful. Asa A. Francis took this store in 1834 to 1847, when his son was taken in as a partner. In the next year Parkhurst P. Francis, the son, continued alone ; he was closed out in 1850. In 1836-37 Charles H. Doolittle was in the brick store, site of Cobb's block, and was succeeded by George H. Fish. He continued the sale of drugs principally until 1840. In 1836 Alson B. Crane occupied the store east of the Addison House.
The firm of Slade, Sears & Co. (James M. Slade, Thomas P. Sears and Mr. Birge) began business in 1835 in the store near the Phelps house, which was moved away. In 1843 the firm of James M. Slade & Co. was formed of Mr. Slade, Heman and Myron Langworthy, and did business at No. 3 Mer- chants Row until 1845, and then removed to a store on the railroad bridge, where a successful business was done until 1860, when Mr. Slade retired. In 1836 Joseph Andrus was in business in the Adams block; and from 1837 to 1839 Sidney Moody was in trade in H. L. Sheldon's block ; in August, 1839, he took in as a partner George O. Adams; the latter retired in April, 1840. In 1838-39 George H. Wicker & Co. (H. N. Wright) occupied the store vacated by George W. Cutter, in the Nichols block ; the firm dissolved in March, 1839. In this same period, 1838-39, Walter S. Johnson traded with John Wood, in the Wood store, site of Sheldon's store ; Mr. Johnson then con- tinued trade at No. 4 Merchants Row until 1840, when the firm was made A. & W. S. Johnson (father and son), and business continued until 1845, when Austin Johnson closed it out. Walter S. Johnson traded from 1846 to 1850 in the R. & J. Wainwright store and sold to Johnson & Wood, who continued to 1852. From 1839 to 1843 Timothy C. Smith traded in the store just men- tioned as vacated by Wicker & Co. John Wood continued the commission business before alluded to as conducted by Nathan Wood, from 1839, for one or two years.
In the old Vallett store business was carried on by John Vallett, with his son Edward in immediate charge, from 1838 to 1846, the firm gaining an excellent reputation. This business was successfully continued by Edwin Vallett until 1872, a long and honorable record.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Artemas Nixon, jr., was in trade about two years in the Nichols block, in rear of A. Francis, from 1840. In 1842 Wm. P. Russel began the drug trade in the Brewster block, which was continued with some changes until 1870; his son E. P. Russel was with him one year. Dr. Russel was a successful and honorable business man, as well as an excellent physician.
Royal D. Farr dealt in stoves, etc., in 1842, on Merchants Row. In 1843- 44 Russel & Gridley were in business in Brewster's block; Gridley retired. Harrison C. Gridley was in the drug trade in 1845 in the Smith & Sheldon block.
Peck & Flower (Levi Peck and William Flower) began business in August, 1844, and were succeeded in 1847 by H. Langworthy & Co. The "Co." in this firm was J. M. Slade & Co., and the business was located in the Nichols block, where business continued until 1852. Mr. Langworthy then assumed sole control and continued in successful trade until 1868. Frank A. Bond then associated himself with Mr. Langworthy and continued until 1873, when Mr. Bond succeeded to the business, and soon built a new store. In 1881 he took as a partner his brother Edward E., and they still carry on a successful trade, and are among the leading Middlebury merchants.
Cyrus Russel sold groceries in 1843 in the Nichols block, over the water, and in 1845-46 Cyrus Birge and his son Henry were in trade in Brewster's block, as before stated; during the same period William Nash traded in the Stewart store. Charles D. Nash began in the Nash brick block, site of Cobb's block, in 1846, and in 1847 took in as a partner William S. Goodrich, who continued until March, 1849, when one year later Nash sold to James M. Gordon. He continued to 1853 and assigned to John Stewart.
Adams & Fuller began business in the Ira Stewart block in 1846, and in the same year Adams retired and Fuller sold to C. M. Simmons. In 1848 he sold to R. L. Fuller. Simmons soon took the business again and carried it on until he died in 1857. In 1848-49 Lorin Wainwright and Harvey B. Chap- man did business in the old Chapman store, north of Masonic Hall ; Chapman retired and Wainwright failed. From 1846 to 1849 Edwin C. Carpenter sold stoves, etc., on Merchants Row ; he was killed on the railroad. In 1847 James McKeand carried on merchant tailoring.
Henry L. Sheldon began business in 1848 (May) in the Nichols block, over the water, and continued the sale of groceries, etc., until January, 1850. In 1852-53 he succeeded Jonathan Hagar in the book trade at No. 2 Merchants Row and sold to L. W. Clark, as before noted. Pitts & Harris began running the cotton-mill in 1849, and continued to 1852, when Frederick W. Harris retired and Hiram W. Pitts continued to 1872.
In 1850 Carpenter & Holton began as jewelers in the Smith & Sheldon block, and were succeeded by S. Holton ; the latter has made several changes in location, and is still doing a successful business in the H. L. Sheldon block.
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
In 1851 James E. Negus began business as a merchant tailor, and has con- tinued to the present time ; he is now located in his own store and has earned an enviable reputation.
From 1852 to 1861 Jason Davenport sold stoves and hardware at No. I Merchants Row; and William S. Lane dealt in clothing in the Seymour block and later in the Nash block from 1851 to 1856. From 1857 to 1860 Andrew Magovern carried on merchant tailoring, and in the first-named year Edwin R. Clay began dealing in millinery and fancy goods in Cobb's new block at the north end of the bridge; in 1871 he removed to his own block at the other end of the bridge, where he is still in business. In 1857 Lyman Rockwood began trade in the Masonic Hall store and continued a few years. Henry W. Brewster began as a jeweler in Brewster's block, south end, in 1859 and has continued a successful trade to the present time. Welch & Earl started in the hardware trade (Michael Welch and Charles D. Earl) ; in 1866 Earl retired, but again joined the firm in the next year ; they continued in what is now the Smith & Sheldon building until 1870. Mr. Earl still continues in the business. Charles J. Soper did a merchant tailoring business from 1861 to 1880 in the Allen block and other places. Bliss Brothers (Edgar J. and Charles H.) were located in the old Hagar three-story store from 1865 to 1867.
From 1856 to 1859 Sidney and William S. Moody continued the drug business before alluded to as carried on by the former; they were in the Sey- mour block. From 1856 to 1860 William H. Remsen was in trade in the basement of the Allen block. Hiram W. Pitts and Harmon A. Sheldon sold flour, grain, etc., in 1856, and Solomon Parker was in the book trade in 1857 as successor to L. W. Clark, before mentioned. R. L. Fuller, deceased, was succeeded in 1857 by George C. Chapman and Nelson P. Barbour, to 1865, when Barbour retired. Chapman continued to 1868, when his son Charles joined him, in the Stewart block. In the next year Charles retired.
William Slade & Co. (Jennie Ford) did a millinery business on Merchants Row from 1866 to 1881, doing the leading business of the place. Mr. William Slade now deals in ladies' fancy goods in the Slade store since 1881.
In 1865 William H. Fox began the boot and shoe trade, purchasing the business of P. P. Francis, who had in 1863 succeeded H. C. Wilcox at No. 2 Merchants Row ; the next year he sold to N. P. Barbour. Mr. Barbour con- tinued in successful trade to 1875, in the Davenport block. In 1865 John H. Simmons & Co. succeeded A. H. Copeland in the book trade in Brewster's block. Amasa S. Tracy was the company, and they continued to 1870.
From 1867 to 1875 Leander R. Sayre was in the business in the basement of the Allen block; in 1866 Valentine V. Clay began dealing in flour and feed, in a three-story building between the creek and the railroad ; in the same year Orin S. Dickinson succeeded Solomon Parker in selling books, jewelry, etc., in the Allen block. In 1867 Frank W. Soper & Co. began merchant tailoring in
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
the Seymour block and continued to 1871, when the senior member retired leaving Henry Soper in trade, who was succeeded by Charles Ballou. (See later page.)
In 1868 Sheldon & Owen (Harmon A. Sheldon and Benjamin F. Owen) began business in grain, milling, etc., in the old Wood grist-mill on the north side of the creek. Mr. Owen later became connected with other business, as will appear. In 1869, for about one year, Orin S. Dickinson and Edmund D. Munger were associated in business in the Severance store, south side of the creek, over the water ; Dickinson then retired and Munger continued to 1872, when he failed. Their stock was books, jewelry and fancy goods.
The firm of H. & M. Langworthy, which has been described, was succeeded in 1869 by Langworthy & Co. (Heman, Myron and Charles P.). From 1869 to 1871 John L. Barker & Co. traded in the Severance block. The drug busi- ness of William P. Russel, before noted, was taken by Frank H. Bascom & Co. in 1871, and about a year later W. M. Day succeeded in the store in the Brewster block, and continued to 1876.
Caleb Ticknor and William S. Goodrich began the milling business on the south side in 1869, and in the same year Chauncey L. Case and Norman F. Rider began the drug trade in the Severance block, continuing to 1875 ; Mr. Rider continued after the fire of that year, in the Case new store; he failed in 1877.
Thad. M. and Charles P. Chapman carried on business in the Stewart block from 1870 to 1875, and were succeeded by T. M. Chapman & Co. (Thad. M. and P. Fletcher Chapman and John Flint) ; the latter retired in April, 1877.
In 1870 and to 1872 Charles D. Earl and Valentine V. Clay were associ- ated in the hardware trade, at first in the Seymour block and later in the Clay block; they sold to Clay, Wilcox & Hyde. Wilcox & Hyde were successors in 1870 to Amon Wilcox, then the oldest dealer in town, having been in busi- ness continuously from 1815 ; into this firm Mr. Clay came in 1872, in Lane's new block, and continued until the fire of 1875, with a change of firm name to Hyde, Wilcox & Co., by which two other partners were admitted.
Harmon A. Sheldon, who has been mentioned as in trade from 1843, was succeeded in 1870 by Sheldon & Co. (Homer Sheldon, J. Wesley Lovett and Walter Goodnough), who carried on a large business in the Sheldon brick store. In April, 1876, Mr. Lovett retired, and in October, 1881, Homer Shel- don sold out to Dr. William Sheldon ; the latter bought out Mr. Goodnough in April, 1885. The business is now conducted by William H. Sheldon, who is one of the leading merchants of the village.
Rollin Birchard began in the furniture business in 1870, and sold out the next year to John B. Steele. In the same year Uriel D. Twitchell and Milton Brooks joined in the hardware trade in the Davenport block ; Brooks retired the next year and Gideon D. Miner took his place. In 1871 John L. But-
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
tolph and Gideon D. Miner took up this same business; in 1872 Miner retired and later in the same year Buttolph sold out to Farnsworth & Fletcher (Frank A. Farnsworth and Thomas Fletcher) ; in September, 1877, Mr. Fletcher re- tired and the next year P. Fletcher Chapman continued the business ; the firm now carrying on this successful business is Frank Farnsworth & Co., one of the leading establishments of the place.
Justus Cobb sold books, etc., in his block in 1872-73. In the first year named Gideon D. Miner and Judson A. Wright (G. D. Miner & Co.) followed E. D. Munger in the jewelry and fancy goods business in the Severance block, continuing to the fire of 1875.
The business of E. Vallett, which has been noted, was continued in Val- lett's block from 1872 by Edwin Vallett & Co. (Elijah W. Bird) to January, 1877, when Charles E. Cardell took Mr. Bird's place, but retired the following July. Mr. Bird joined with Thad. M. Chapman, as E. W. Bird & Co. in 1883, and continued as general merchants 'in the Vallett store and Merchants Row until 1885, when Mr. Chapman retired, and the business is now conducted by Benedict & Bird (E. W. Bird and Ransom S. Benedict).
William S. Alden began in the book and stationery trade in Cobb's block, in 1873, and has continued to the present time, doing a large business. From 1875 to the fire of 1881 William W. Eaton sold clothing in the Tupper store and McLeod block. In 1876 George H. Plumley succeeded to the old William P. Russel stand and sold drugs and medicines to 1881, when he died. L. Han- aford succeeded him and is still in trade. Swiney & Sargent (Wallace W. Swiney and John H. Sargent) began the stove and hardware trade in Swiney's store in 1875 ; and Henry R. Dodge began hardware trade in 1876 in Mc- Leod's new store, corner of Ellis Lane and Main street; he was closed out by the fire of 1883. B. F. Owens & Co. (J. Wesley Lovett) began trade in the L. J. Barker store, Slade & Barker block, in 1876; and in 1877 Henry Gar- lick and Alvin Williamson opened a market in H. L. Sheldon's block, contin- uing to 1881.
B. F. Wales was associated with John Hyde in 1877 in J. L. Barker's block. In 1878 Thomas W. Fletcher began as a merchant tailor in the Allen block.
In 1879 M. H. Reed began the clothing trade at No. 2 Dyer's block; and in the same year Rollin Birchard & Co. (Mrs. R. Birchard and Norman F. Ri- der) began the drug business.
Charles D. Earl and George E. Barnum began a partnership in 1879 in Dyer's block, in the hardware trade.
George E. Marshall began as a bookseller in 1882, and continues the busi- ness.
George C. Chapman, P. Fletcher Chapman and Julius W. Pitts, under the firm style of Chapman & Co., began merchant tailoring in March, 1884.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
In September, 1883, Edward P. Cushman opened the dry goods trade at No. 3 Merchants Row.
Edmund L. Stowe was engaged from 1883 to 1885 in the gun and hard- ware trade in the McLeod block until the fire of 1883, and then in H. L. Shel- don's block; he failed.
Whitmore & Porter were the first daguerreotype artists in town. They started June 28, 1843, in J. C. Huntington's hotel, now the residence of L. R. Sayre.
This account of the mercantile interests of Middlebury (which is believed to be very nearly complete) is of necessity somewhat monotonous; but it is thought to be of great value in a work of this character. It indicates in a gen- eral way the degree of success attained by the various merchants, and also that the village has always been well supplied with business houses of all kinds. At the present time the stores are of a character creditable to the place, and the merchants are generally successful in their several lines.
Hotels. - Frequent allusion has been made to the old-time tavern which occupied the site of the present Addison House, the first of which was destroyed by fire. The present hotel was built by Nathan Wood in 1826 and in the fol -. lowing year was opened as the "Vermont Hotel." It was subsequently occu- pied by various tenants until 1852, when the " Middlebury Hotel Company" was formed, took the house, and inaugurated extensive repairs. Other changes followed in the proprietorship down to 1865, when the present owner, Darwin Rider, took the house and has made it one of the popular hotels of the county. Mr. Rider has greatly improved the house in many ways; runs a free carriage to all trains; has a large livery in connection and very successfully caters to the wants of his numerous guests.
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