USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 58
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Among the merchants here were Gideon Horton, Harvey Fuller and Roger Fuller, his father, Silas R. Deming, Matthew W. Birchard, John Conant and Captain Simonds. Nearly all of them made potash in considerable quantities. John Conant's ashery was about on the site of the flouring-mill tenement house. Matthew W. Birchard's was on the stream to the rear of his tavern.
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TOWN OF BRANDON.
Probably the earliest one was that run by Gideon Horton, opposite the acade- my site, and almost adjoining the present premises of John A. Conant.
Whisky was also made here in large quantities, and of a quality which can- not be excelled. John Conant ran it for a time; was followed by Allen Pen- field, of Pittsford, and he by the Fullers. The building, a brick one, still stands on the south part of Conant's square. It was continued until about 1836.
But probably no industry in the history of Brandon has attained such prominence as the iron business. Just when the first works were built here is not, we believe, positively known, but we have seen, perhaps, the first move- ment toward their establishment in the vote before mentioned, passed Febru- ary 9, 1787, to the effect that a five-acre plot be leased for the purpose of furnishing a suitable site for such works, if ore should be found in sufficient quantities. On the 25th of March, 1788, the " trustees for said Brandon " were authorized and requested by the town to lease this site and the water power for the purpose aforesaid. Simeon Avery, John Curtis and James Sawyer bought a forge here as early as 1790 of O. Blake. Penuel Child was one of the first lessees, and continued until about 1810. J. A. Graham, in his descrip- tive sketches of Vermont (p. 83), published in 1797, states that " Brandon has iron foundaries and forges, at which they make good bar iron." Succeeding Child were Roger Fuller and Harvey, his son, who began the manufacture of shovels, and soon made it one of the greatest industries of the town. Mr. Co- nant says that shovels were made here as early as anywhere in the country. They had a market in Boston and other New England towns and cities. The Messrs. Fuller had two factories, one on the site of Forestdale, and one in Brandon village. The ore used in making them was taken from a bed on the ground now occupied by the paint works at Forestdale.
The most important industry ever carried on in town, however, and the one which contributed most extensively and permanently to the growth of the town, was the iron industry established by John Conant. In 1820 he built the first blast-furnace in town, beginning operations in October of that year. At this furnace was cast the first cooking-stove made in the State, although a few stoves with ovens but without boilers had been previously made to some ex- tent. The first "Conant cook-stove" was made in the autumn of 1819, castings for the same having been obtained from the Pittsford Iron Works. The work of erecting the blast-furnace in Brandon was in prosecution at the same time. Unlike most of the furnaces, the castings for stoves, potash kettles, and almost every variety of iron castings, were made directly from the brown hematite ore of the regions, taken from the bed near the site of Forestdale This bed was discovered in 1811. In 1823 Mr. Conant took his two sons, Chauncey W. and John A. Conant, into partnership with him, and continued the business under the firm name of "John Conant & Sons" until 1844, when he retired, and his sons conducted the business under the name of "C. W. & J. A. Conant." In
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
1852 they sold out to Howe, Blake & Darricut, who did not remain here long. The buildings were situated on the site of the First National Bank, and to this cause may be attributed the transfer of the principal business of the village from the west to the east side of the creek. During the period intervening be- tween 1820 and 1840, when this industry was most active, the town gained in population more rapidly than any other town in the county. The population in 1820 numbered 1,495; in 1830, 1,946; and in 1840, 2,194.
It is not easy for those who cannot remember the early methods of trans- portaion to appreciate the difficulties with which the pioneer manufacturers and produce dealers had to contend. Previous to the opening of the Champlain Canal in 1823, wheat, the great staple, had to be shipped to Troy on wheels or runners, a distance of about ninety miles. And even until the completion of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad, in the fall of 1849, the expenditure of time and labor in shipping was considerable. " Many a time," says John A. Conant, " have we carried a load of a ton or a ton and a half of produce to Boston, consuming in going and returning thirteen days." One of their cus- tomers lived in Maine, and in shipping stoves to him they were forced to send by the way of Lake Champlain, the canal, Hudson River, in a packet to one of the rivers in Maine and thence to their destination. The transportation of money was equally slow and difficult. Another customer of John Conant & Sons, at Fitchburgh, Mass., was once instructed by John A. Conant to give the sum of $1,500, due the house, to the cashier of the bank there, who in turn was to send it to Brandon by stage. The currency was securely wrapped in package form and forwarded. When it reached Brandon it had been handled so much that the ends were worn open so that the bills were exposed ; yet not a dollar was lost, and the postage was only twenty-five cents.
Another important industry for which Brandon has been famous is the Howe Scale Works, for description of which see preceding history of the town of Rutland.
In the Rebellion .- The unwavering loyalty of Vermont to the Union in the troublous Civil War has never been called in question. From every town, village and hamlet in the State, citizens of every walk and occupation left comfortable homes and imperiled their lives in the service of the nation. Brandon at once took her place amongst the foremost. There is nothing of vital interest, however, in the town records prior to August 1, 1863, when at a legal town meeting resolutions were adopted authorizing and directing select- men to pay to each single man, resident in Brandon, who had been drafted into the service of the United States, and had actually entered such service, the sum of one hundred dollars ; to the family of each man so drafted and entered, who had a family, the sum of two hundred dollars, and to the family of every such man who had a wife and more than one child, the sum of three hundred dollars; in the last two cases the money to be paid in monthly installments.
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TOWN OF BRANDON.
On the 6th of the ensuing August resolutions directing the appropriation of $10,000 from the treasury to be used for bounties for such as should volunteer to the credit of Brandon to fill the quota under the president's call for 500,000 men; and authorizing the selectmen to procure a sufficient number of volun- teers to fill the quota, to pay the bounties, and, if necessary, to borrow not to exceed $10,000 to pay the expenses of recruiting, were adopted with but two dissenting votes. On the 17th of September, 1864, another resolution was adopted authorizing the selectmen to pay by January 1, 1865, the sum of $250 to each veteran recruit, credited to Brandon, not deserting, who should enlist under the president's call for 500,000 men. On the 4th of February, 1865, the report was recorded that a bounty of $600 had been paid to each man who had enlisted, excepting the cavalrymen, who had received $150 each ; where- upon a vote of thanks to the selectmen was passed for their perseverance in filling the quota of thirty-six men.
Following is a list of enrollments accredited to Brandon : -
Volunteers for three years credited previous to call for 300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863 : Charles C. Backus, co. G, 6th regt .; Hiram Bailey, co. B, 2d regt .; Samuel W. Bailey, co. I, 2d regt .; George A. Baker, and Loren H. Baker, 2d bat .; Wallace E. Baldwin, Charles J. Bartlett, William P. Bartlett, co. H, 5th regt .; George Barras, co. B, 9th regt .; Logro Bashaw, 2d bat .; Will- iam Ball, Ebenezer G. Bigelow, 2d bat .; Roger Blakely, co. F, 6th regt .; Oliver P. Bogue, 2d bat .; William C. Bowen, jr., Dana Briggs, Frederick W. Brill, co. H, 5th regt .; Oliver Bourden, co. B, 7th regt .; Andrew Brothers, co. B, 7th regt .; Niran Buckland, Reed S. Bump, co. H, 5th regt .; Wesley N. Campbell, Carlos W. Carr, co. E, 4th regt .; Joseph Cazaran, co. H, 5th regt .; John Caton, co. B, 7th regt .; John W. Chase, 2d bat .; William H. Cheney, George Clark, co. H, 5th regt .; James G. B. Clark, 2d s. s .; John Clark, 2d bat .; Charles H. Clemens, co. M, 11th regt .; Philip Connell, co. F, 6th regt .; George H. Cramer, Thomas Cronan, jr., William Cronan, co. B, 7th regt .; Thomas M. Cutts, Lewis T. Dalton, George D. Davenport, Willard G. Davenport, co. H, 5th regt .; Charles Delpha, co. B, 7th regt .; Joseph Deschamps, co. H, 5th regt .; Andrew J. Dimick, co. E, 4th regt .; Charles R. Dyan, Jacob Dyan, co. C, 10th regt .; Henry P. Ellis, 2d bat .; Thomas Everett, co. B, 7th regt .; Jasper A. Fales, co. K, 3d regt .; William C. Fairman, co. K, cav .; George V. Farr, co. F, 6th regt .; Joseph Faulkner, Hiram N. Fifield, co. H, 5th regt .; Frank Finney, co. B, 7th regt .; Levi B. Foote, co. B, 7th regt .; Cornelius H. Forbes, Charles A. Ford, co. H, 5th regt .; Hadley P. Ford, co. G, 2d regt .; John S. Ford, co. C, 10th regt .; Francis Fortier, 2d bat .; Patrick Fox, co. H. 5th regt .; Horatio Garey, Charles Gear, 2d bat .; Charles Gingras, co. B, 9th regt .; John Goodroad, co. K. 7th regt .; Frank L. Goodnough, co. H, 5th regt .; Martin V. B. Goodrich, co. B, 7th regt .; David Gouley, co. C, 10th regt .; Eugene A. Griswold, co. H, 5th regt .; Charles S. Hale, 5th, chap .; William A. Hale, co. H, 5th regt .; Zeb Har-
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
per, co. C, 9th regt .; Edward Harvey, 10th regt .; Ira M. Hatch, co. H, 5th regt .; Edwin M. Hendry, co. B, 7th regt .; Moses B. Hill, 4th, band ; Patrick Hohon, co. C, 9th regt .; Vernon E. Holley, co. H, 5th regt .; Harrison Holden, co. E, 2d regt. s. s .; Nelson K. Holt, William T. Howard, co. H, 5th regt .; William Hunt, John Hurlburt, 2d bat .; Nathan Hussey, co. C, 6th regt ; Mont F. Johnson, co. H, 5th regt ; Robert Johnson, co. B, 7th regt .; Edwin Jones, co. E, 4th regt .; Joseph B. Kelly, 4th, band ; Edward P. Kimberly, co. C, 10th regt .; William P. Kimberly, co. H, 5th regt .; Charles C. Kinsman, co. E, 4th regt .; Andrew Laffie, co. H, 5th regt .; John Laffie, 2d bat .; Thomas Laffie, co. H, 5th regt .; Martin C. Laffey, co. F, Ist s. s .; Erastus Laird, co. H, 5th regt .; George S. Laird, Stephen Laird, John Larock, 2d bat .; Henry Lasser, co. H, 5th regt .; Joseph J. Lasher, co. F, 6th regt .; Nelson J. Lee, co. K, 10th regt .; Dennis Lepine, co. B, 9th regt .; John L'Heureux, co. H, 5th regt .; Alonzo E. Lord, Ist bat .; Philip Lucia, co. B, 7th regt .; John Maguire, co. H, 5th regt .; Frank Mattoo, co. B, 7th regt .; Joseph Mayhew, 2d bat .; James L. McDonald, James McGary, co. B, 7th regt .; Robert McGregor, Henry Mills, co. H, 5th regt .; William H. Metcalf, co. B, 9th regt .; James R. Morrison, Thomas Mor- ris, James Murray, William H. Murray, co. B, 7th regt .; Martin Mulcahy, co. H, 5th regt .; John Nailer, co. G, 5th regt .; James Noonan, co. B, 7th regt .; Thomas Noonan, co. G, 5th regt .; Edward E. Noyes, co. H, 5th regt .; Frank- lyn Noyes, James F. Noyes, co. F, 6th regt .; John H. Noyes, co. G, 5th regt .; Charles J. Ormsbee, co. H, 5th regt .; Jackson V. Parker, co. B, 7th regt .; Philo F. Parker, co. C, 9th regt .; Horatio N. Partle, 2d bat .; Charles L. Peters, co. B, 7th regt .; Albert W. Phelps, co. E, 4th regt .; John W. Pittridge, Robert Pratt, co. H, 5th regt .; John Place, John Quarter, John A. Quilty, 2d bat .; George A. Quilty, Samuel Rennie, Michael Reynolds, Nelson Riley, Cyrus S. Rockwell, co. B, 2d regt .; William B. Robinson, co. H, 5th regt .; George Ross, co. B, 7th regt .; William H. Sanderson, co. K, 9th regt .; Charles W. Seager, co. H, 5th regt .; Harry G. Sessions, co. C, 10th regt .; Elijah B. Sherman, co. C, 9th regt .; James T. Shepstone, co. F, 6th regt .; James Sheridan, co. M, I Ith regt .; Frank Shoro, co. H, 5th regt .; Joseph Shoro, 2d bat .; Dorwin A. Smalley, co. B, 7th regt .; Claudius B. Smith, 2d, chap .; Rice Soper, 2d bat .; Eli H. Stearns, Francis Tatro, co. B, 7th regt .; Moses Tatro, jr., Peter A. Tatro, co. F, 6th regt .; John Thomas, co. B, 7th regt .; Napoleon Throw, co. H, 5th regt .; Stephen P. Trumbull, co. B, 7th regt .; Andrew Vassar, Francis Vedell, co. C, 10th regt .; James Welch, Ezra P. West, Patrick Whalon, co. H, 5th regt .; John Welch, co. B, 7th regt .; Patrick White, 2d bat .; Eugene Willams, cav .; Francis E. Williams, co. B, 9th regt .; John Wander, Joseph Wander, co. H, 5th regt.
Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers and subse- quent calls. Volunteers for three years : Niran Buckland, 3d bat .; Elias Del- pha, co. H, 5th regt .; Franklin Ducharm, 7th regt .; Albert E. Fales, co. H,
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TOWN OF BRANDON.
5th regt .; John H. Fitzgerald, co. F, IIth regt .; Levi Gilder, co. A, 5th regt .; William A. Gregory, co. F, 5th regt .; H. A. Hawley, U. S. A .; Lewis Larock, Joseph Mayhew, 2d bat .; Joseph Montay, co. B, 7th regt .; Jennis Plude, Lewis Plude, 2d bat .; William Simes, 3d bat .; Patrick Walsh, co. B, 11th regt.
Volunteers for one year : Henry Lessor, Edward Naylor, James Reed, Daniel Scanlan, 2d battery.
Volunteers re-enlisted: Oliver Bourden, co. B, 7th regt .; Frederick W. Brill, co. H, 5th regt .; Andrew Brothers, co. B, 7th regt .; James G. B. Clark, co. H, 2d s. s. ; George H. Cramer, Thomas Everett, 7th, n. c. s. ; Gasper A. Fales, co. K, 3d regt .; Charles A. Ford, co. H, 5th regt .; Hadley P. Ford, co. G, 2d regt .; Frank L. Goodnough, co. H, 5th regt .; John Goodroad, co. K, 7th regt .; Charles F. Greenleaf, co. K, 2d regt .; Eugene A. Griswold, co. H, 5th regt. ; Edwin B. Hendry, co. B, 7th regt .; William P. Howard, co. H, 5th regt .; Mat- thew Hussey, co. C, 6th regt .; Mont M. Johnson, William P. Kimberly, Henry Lessor, co. H, 5th regt .; John Naylor, Thomas Noonan, co. G, 5th regt .; Will- iam H. Pitts, co. B, 7th regt .; Robert Pratt, co. H, 5th regt .; Samuel Rennie, co. B, 7th regt .; Francis Tatro, John Thomas, co. B, 7th regt .; John Wander, Joseph Wander, co. H, 5th regt.
Micellaneous, not credited by name : Six men.
Volunteers for nine months: James M. Bartlett, Hiram S. Battles, William L. Belknap, Edgar J. Bliss, Robert Cahee, jr., Jason K. Campbell, Edwin G. Carr, Lathrop J. Cloyes, Herbert D. Crooks, Henry C. Cross, Henry H Cull, George Dana, William Dunlap, Nathan B. Dutton, Henry M. Dyer, Albert Fales, Delano F. Goodrich, Samuel H. Green, Elbridge H. Griswold, Samuel T. Grover, Oliver B. Howland, Josephus Jackson, Willard S. Johnson, Ira Langdon, jr., Newell S. Lord, David J. Lyon, Azro Meacham, Wyman H. Merritt, Gilbert C. Metcalf, Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, Daniel R. Putnam, Wilbur F. Page, Frank J. Quinn, David T. Rowell, Carver W. Smalley, Lorison Smith, Thomas J. Truss, William Walker, Johnson Wescott, Frank Winslow, Hiram E. Worden.
Furnished under draft. Paid commutation : Henry H. Bartlett, Edgar L. Carlisle, Nathan W. Churchill, Freeman Cull, James H. Fish, Joseph Howland, Henry E. Hunt, William Kelly, James Knapp, Marcellus Landon, William Lillie, Alanson D. Paine, George H. Plumbley, John F. Potwin, David W. Prime, Alvinso D. Thomas. Procured substitute : Henry D. Briggs, Hayden P. Carlisle, L. V. R. Goodell, Charles D. Pitts.
Population statistics : 1791, 637 ; 1800, 1076; 1810, 1375; 1820, 1495 ; 1830, 1946; 1840, 2194; 1850, 2835 ; 1860, 3077 ; 1870, 3571; 1880, 3280.
The present officers of the town of Brandon, elected March 3, 1885, are as follows : Moderator of meeting was Walter P. Wheeler ; town clerk, George Briggs ; treasurer, Walter F. Scott; selectmen (Charles W. Briggs, chosen and excused), John L. Barker, Fred H. Farrington, Josiah W. Symonds ; overseer
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
of the poor, T. A. Richardson ; constable and collector of taxes, T. A. Rich- ardson ; Ist lister, E. J. Ormsbee, 2d lister, Ozro Meacham, 3d lister, S. E. Seager ; Ist auditor, D. C. Brown, 2d auditor, C. H. Holbrook, 3d auditor, C. W. Briggs; town agent, W. P. Wheeler ; trustee of public money, N. H. Ed- dy ; Ist fence viewer, J. S. Stafford, 2d fence viewer, W. P. Wheeler, 3d fence viewer, J. M. Casaran ; superintendent of schools, C. M. Winslow ; sextons, George Todd, R. Thomas.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
The village of Brandon, it seems, began to be regarded as a village not far from 1790, although the houses were of the primitive kind, and were nearly all surrounded by stumps, for several years into the present century. The pro- prietors, who planned the erection of a considerable village in the town, located it on the hill north of the present village, at the upper end of what is now Pros- pect street, and embracing the lands now comprising Mr. Conant's farm and garden ; each proprietor, in the division of lots, reserved an acre for himself. But, as can be plainly seen, their hopes of building a village on that site were never realized; on the contrary, settlements began to thicken west of the creek, and until the starting of the Conant furnace on the east side, nearly all the business of the place was transacted over the river. After 1820 the busi- ness activity began to be transferred. The early industries of the village have necessarily been more or less included in the general part of this chapter, while the prominent professional men of the past receive mention in the medical and legal chapters of this work, and the sketches of present physicians and lawyers appear in subsequent pages of this chapter.
Post- Office .- The first post-office, as has been stated, was in the old tavern of Abraham Gilbert, on the Stage Road, nearly two miles east of the present village. Abraham Gilbert was the first postmaster, and must have received his appointment about 1790. He held the office until his death in November, 1807, when it was given to Walter Sessions. The mail in those days did not amount to as much for the whole town as it does now for every large business house in the place. The office was removed to the village about the year 1813 and given to John Conant, whereupon Sessions and his followers raised a hue and cry because it was taken so far away from the business part of the town. The mail used to come from Rutland and Middlebury by coach. Mr. Conant kept the office in his store west of the site of Mr. James Hastings's house. Seth Keeler followed Mr. Conant about 1830. He was followed by Aaron Ketcham, and he in turn by Walcott H. Keeler. Keeler's successor was Edward Jackson, who remained in the position longest of all the postmas- ters excepting Mr. Conant. About the year 1858 he was superseded by J. E. Higgins. George W. Parmenter next received the appointment, and held it five or six years, being followed by John L. Knight, the last incumbent under
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TOWN OF BRANDON.
a Republican administration. The present postmaster, Dudley C. Brown, re- ceived his appointment on the 28th of July, 1885, and was commissioned on the 4th of August following.
Mercantile Interests. - The names of some of the early merchants having been already given, it is deemed best now to trace back the present mercantile interests of the village to their origin. The oldest mercantile establishment now in Brandon is the general store of Frank R. Button, in the west part of the village. The building now occupied by him was erected by his father, Ira Button, in 1827. Ira Button and his younger brother, Nathan, conducted the store together six or eight years, when Nathan withdrew and Ira continued alone until his death in 1863, with the exception of about a year following 1850, during which his eldest son, William D. Button, was associated with him. The present proprietor has kept the store ever since 1863.
Previous to 1827 Ira Button was well known here as a merchant of prom- inence. He began first about 1820, and between that year and 1827 was part of the time in partnership with Mr. Hodges. He also had a distillery in the brick building under the hill on the west bank of the creek in the village, but on becoming convinced that he was engaged in an evil business, relinquished it. D. & A. Collins ran a store also from 1823 to 1850, on the site now cov- ered by the Baptist church, and Collins's was the store of Edward Jackson and Aaron Ketcham, who conducted business under the firm name of " Jackson & Ketcham."
The business next entitled, chronologically, to mention is the drug store of F. N. Manchester, which was brought into existence in 1842, by Dr. Volney Ross. In 1850 Dr. Ross was succeeded by Dr. C. L. Case, who conducted the business without a partner until about 1870. At that time he associated J. R. Cheney with himself. About five years afterwards C. A. Mott succeeded to Dr. Case's interest, Cheney having withdrawn before that. After the lapse of about two years, Mr. Mott sold out to C. S. Boynton, who continued the store alone two or three years, and until Mr. Manchester came in with him. They remained together about five years, since when Mr. Manchester has been the sole proprietor.
Of the three mercantile interests still alive in town, the hardware business of Briggs Brothers comes next in the order of establishment ; Wesley Morrill having laid the foundation as early as 1844, and continued until January 1, 1868, when the present proprietors, C. W. & F. E. Briggs bought him out.
The dry goods and grocery store of C. H. Ross & Co. had its origin in the enterprise of Dr. Volney Ross, 1 who started it in 1850, in company with his brother, under the firm style of V. & E. Ross. In 1860 Dr. Ross bought out his brother and associated with himself his son-in-law, Charles D. Pitts. This
1 Dr. Ross was born in Shrewsbury, Vt., June 12, 1814. He came to Brandon in 1837, after being graduated from the Castleton Medical College, and practiced here about five years.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
relation subsisted until about 1868, when Dr. Ross was followed by his son Charles H. Ross, the firm name remaining as before - " Ross & Pitts." On the Ist of April, 1837, N. T. Sprague, at that time at the head of the scale works here, acquired an interest in the business, and the firm name was changed to Ross, Pitts & Co. In just three years Mr. Sprague withdrew, leaving a vacancy which was filled by I. W. Copeland, another son-in-law of Dr. Ross. The next and last change occurred in September, 1879, when Dr. Ross became successor to Mr. Copeland, and the firm title acquired its present form of C. H. Ross & Co. The business has been conducted in the present building ever since its institution in 1850. Z. Clark began dealing in tobacco and cigars in the hotel building now called the Douglas House in 1852, and remained there until 1860. For the next five years he had his stock in Burlington, and then removed to the Simonds block in Brandon. He came into his present location April 1, 1882. N. H. Eddy began the sale of boots and shoes here in 1858, and carried on the business alone until April, 1880, when his present partner, N. H. Hazeltine, was first associated with him. Ozro Meacham & Son, Charles O. Meacham (clothing and gents' furnishing goods), went into partnership in April, 1882. The business was established in 1861 by the senior member of the present firm. Ozro Meacham has been dealer in general merchandise in Brandon from 1855. He came into his present quarters about 1867. In 1861, too, Robert Forbes started a drug store in Brandon which he carried on alone until 1876; then George A. Crossman became his partner, and the firm name adopted was Forbes & Crossman. Mr. Crossman, who is now the sole pro- prietor of the business, purchased Mr. Forbes's interest in 1879. Charles C. Slason, dealer in books, stationery, wall-paper, music, etc., began here first in 1862 and continued until 1869. He then removed to Michigan but soon re- turned to Brandon, and in March, 1874, opened the present store. His only partner was the Rev. William Ford, who was with him from about 1862 to 1864. The general store of A. F. Smith, on the west side, was opened in March, 1863, by the present proprietor and Amasa Collins. In 1865 Mr. Smith bought out his partner and soon after associated with himself Charles D. Collins. They traded about a year under the firm name of Smith & Collins. After carrying on the business alone for another year, C. D. Collins returned and remained in the firm about two years. This relation was then dissolved by the withdrawal of Mr. Collins, and Mr. Smith has been since then the sole proprietor. There was a store burned on this spot in 1846, which at that time was owned, but not kept, by David M. June. The origin of the hardware and tinware store and shop of Stafford & Phelps, dates back to April 1, 1863, and was the result of Mr. J. S. Stafford's enterprise, who began by dealing in stoves, tinware and ordinary hardware, and soon afterward added to his stock iron and steel, agri- cultural implements, etc. Mr. Stafford was without a partner the first year, and then became associated with his brother, W. H Stafford. This relation
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