Rupert, Vt.; historical and descriptive, 1761-1898, Part 9

Author: Hibbard, George Sayre
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Rutland, Vt., Tuttle
Number of Pages: 432


USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Rupert > Rupert, Vt.; historical and descriptive, 1761-1898 > Part 9


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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PERKINS, JOHN, son of John B. and Betsey (Hay) Perkins ; married Lottie; daughter of Abner Richards, and is a farmer, in Baltimore, Vt.


RISING, S. M., son of Simeon and Jane (Montgomery) Rising, 1843; member 14th Vt. Inf., 1862-3; clerk for J. W. Simons, Rupert, 1865; to W. Pawlet in 1866, and partner with M. V. B. Pratt, general merchants, eight years. Has been largely engaged in the manufacture of roofing slate since 1877; represented Pawlet in the Legis- lature of 1892; married Charlotte Rickey, of W. Rupert, in 1872. Children : Laura, Simeon M.


ROBERTS, BROOKS W., son of Erastus and Elizabeth (Bardwell) Roberts, 1852. Married Alice Wescott of Fair . Haven, 1879; farmer in Fair Haven six years from 1881; livery and grocery five years; burned out in 1892 and started in business in Albany same year; now Baker & Roberts, wholesale fruit dealers and commission mer- chants. Children of Roberts: Philips, Abigail, Melvern.


SHAW, JESSIE, was a son of Jesse who lived on the McArthur place. Jesse, Jr. went to California, many years ago and resided at Santa Barbara (I think) that State. He visited here and vicinity in 1878, remaining some time on account of business matters.


SHAW, ROBERT, 1815; son of Jonathan and Betsey (Vance) Shaw. A farmer in Galway, N. Y., where he died in 1887; married Lucy Radford of same. Children: Ed- ward, Robert, James, George, Philip, Eliza, Sarah.


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SHAW, HENRY, 1825; brother of Robert; married Margaret Porter of Hebron and resides in Poultney. Daughters: Minnie (Mrs. John Marshall), Etta (Mrs. George Parro).


SHAW, MYRON, 1822; brother of Robert; married Helen Carver of Pawlet, and a farmer in that town ; died in 1891. A son, Willard, married Mary Williams. .


SHAW, JOHN, 1836; brother of Robert; married Jen- nie Underhill of Kingsbury and resides in Salem; meat market. Children: Charles, Jennie, Willie. The latter died at 15.


SEELEY, JUSTUS, about 1812; married Sarah, daugh- ter of Deacon Titus Sheldon, and settled in the western part of New York about 1845, removing soon after to Wisconsin where he resided until 1885, when he removed to Iowa, where he died in 1890. Mrs. Seeley died in 1895; visited here in 1884. Children: George, Calvin, Emily, Esther, Lottie, Sarah, Myra.


SHELDON, HENRY C., son of Dr. Henry and his first wife, Elizabeth Harris of Canaan, N. H., 1825; to Troy in 1848, and two years a druggists' clerk. Was a drug- gist, doing business in the same store thirty-five years, 1850 to 1885. Since retiring from business, Mr. Sheldon resided some years at Madison, Wis., and now divides his time between Troy and Dorset. Married, in 1855, Loraine Waters of Troy, who died in 1882. Children: George H., of Rock Island, Ill. ; Bessie,. a teacher in Minneapolis ; Hattie (Mrs. A. W. Harrington, Jr.,) of Troy, and Harry W., in the office of Van Alstyne & Harrington, Troy.


SHELDON, ARTHUR H., brother of Henry C., 1832; attended school in the brick school house summer and winter until the age of eleven, then in winter only until seventeen ; J. H. Guild, David S. Sheldon, John Phelps and Wm. E. Sheldon being among his teachers. At the age of seventeen, apprenticed in an iron foundry at Brock- port, N. Y., where he remained two and a half years.


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Settled at North Chelmsford, Mass., in 1852, where he followed the business of a founder until 1892, when he retired. Married, in 1856, Sarah Swett of N. Chelmsford. Children : Charles H., Ada, Clementine, Alice. Charles died in Taunton, in 1895, aged 37. The daughters are married. Mr. Sheldon is a deacon of the Congregational Church, and its Sunday School Superintendent for twenty- five years; has been chairman of the board of assessors, member of the board of selectmen and commissioned a Justice of the Peace for the state of Massachusetts in 1892 by Gov. William E. Russell. Resides at North Chelms- ford.


SHELDON, STEPHEN S.,. son of. David and Jerusha (Smith) Sheldon, about 1803 ; graduate of Middlebury Col- lege ; bookkeeper, some years, for a firm at New York Mills, Oneida Co. Settled, as a farmer, at Brockport, Monroe Co., where he resided to within a few years of his death, which occurred. at. Greenville, Mich., in 1872. His last visit to Rupert was in 1864, at the death of his father. Mr. Sheldon married Lemira Harris, a sister of Mrs. Dr. Sheldon. Children: Shepherd L., Mary (Mrs Roby) of Detroit; Alfred, merchant, Jonesville, Wis .; Charles, a physician, of Madison.


SHELDON, SHEPHERD L., son of Stephen S., 1828; settled near Madison, Wis., 1854; dealer in all kinds of farm machinery; president of state agricultural society ; also that of Dane Co. First wife, Franc Belden ; a daugh- ter, Minnie; second, Anna Clark. Children : Georgiana, Harry. Since 1862, Mr. Sheldon has resided in Madison.


SHELDON, EDGAR, son of Simeon and Lois (Eastman) Sheldon, 1832; to Constantine, Mich., about 1855; mar- ried a lady of that place, who died within a few years. Married, at Rupert, in 1865, Mary, daughter of Julius Sheldon, and resides at Mankato, Minn. A daughter, Edith.


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SHELDON, SETH, brother of Edgar, about 1840; mem- ber of the 14th Vt. Inf., 1862-3. Settled in Wyoming Co., N. Y:, as a farmer, residing there about twenty years. Removed to Mich., where he died about 1892. Married, in 1867, Ella Starks of Wyoming.


SHELDON, KIRK, brother of Edgar, about 1842; to Constantine, Mich., about 1861, residing there some years. For the last twenty-five years or more, a merchant, at Portland, Oregon.


SHELDON, JOHN, brother of Edgar, 1844; attended Fort Edward Institute. Went "west" in 1868; about 1888, went to Colorado and engaged in mining. Died at Ouray, Col., in 1890.


SHELDON, HENRY C. AND THEODORE F., twin sons of Seth and Marina (Rising) Sheldon, 1844. Henry resided in Rupert and vicinity until about 1875. in farm- ing and speculating; a year in Poultney; Sheldon & Gibbs, meat. Went to the Pacific slope, living in several States, and settled at Los Angeles, Cal. Theodore went to Michigan in 1866, and clerked for Simons & Sheldon, Constantine; next a farmer in Missouri several years; next a merchant at Sherwood, and later the same at Ran- som, Mich., where he died, June, 1892; married Harriet Meacham, Nov., 1871. Children : George, Carrie.


SHELDON, MARK L., son of T. L. and Clarissa (Hop- kins) Sheldon, 1854; entered the National Bank of Salem in July, 1870, as clerk; became cashier in 1878, and held the position until the bank's charter expired in 1885. At the formation of the First National Bank of Salem, Mr. Sheldon was elected cashier, holding the position until the death of President Bancroft in 1886, when he was elected president, and holds the position at this time, 1898. He is also a director of the Glens Falls Insurance Company.


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SHELDON, ASAHEL, son of Isaac and Rebecca (Spear) Sheldon, 1809; settled in Hebron, where he was a pros- perous farmer; married Caroline Wilson, of Rupert. · Children : D. A., who lives on the homestead; Louisa (Mrs. Hadsell), and Theodosia (Mrs. Woodward). Mr. Sheldon died in 1893; his wife in 1887.


SHELDON, ISAAC, brother of Asahel, 1811; settled in Hebron, where he resided. until his death in 1853. Mar- ried Polly Munson, who died in 1898. A son, Charles, resides in Hebron.


SHELDON, W. H., son of Henry and Hannah (Nelson) Sheldon, 184S. Married Sarah Nelson of Hebron, in 1868; settled in Nebraska about 1882; thence to the State of Washington. A son, Arthur, about 1872.


SHELDON, AUGUSTUS, son of Enos, about 1832; went from here about 1853, and has been for years a merchant . at Independence, Ia.


SHELDON, E. H., son of William and Mary (Harvey) Sheldon, 1831. Married Maria, daughter of Simeon Sheldon, and settled In Constantine, Mich. He was very prosperous in business affairs for some years, but about 1870, he met with reverses that swept away his entire property. The last twenty years of his life were little known to his friends. He died in Chicago in 1898.


SHELDON, W.M., brother of E. H. They were grand- sons of Capt. Thomas Sheldon, who was a son of Judge David. William was the younger; he went west in early life, settling in Michigan. From inquiries made, I sup- pose him to be not living.


SHELDON, JOEL H., son of David F., 1811. Married Marcia, daughter of Sam. Farrar, and settled on the Pen- field place in Pawlet. For some years he dealt in clocks ; but the greater part of his life a farmer. He was success- ful in business affairs. Children : Helen (Mrs. Leach), Ann, Julia (Mrs. Wheeler), and George, who married Flora Bromley. Mr. Sheldon died in 1895.


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SHELDON, WM. B., brother of Joel H., 1818; was a merchant in Pawlet twenty years or more; removed to Fremont, Ohio, where he continued that business and now resides.


SHELDON, THADDEUS D., 1824; brother of .Joel H. He was in mercantile business in Pawlet, as clerk and principal, several years. Married a Miss Underhill, of East Rupert ; died 1855.


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SHERMAN, M. H., son of E. S. and Miranda (Warner) Sherman, 1853; graduate of Oswego Normal; principal of Hamilton (N. Y.) Academy at the age of 18; to Ari- zona in 1874, where he opened the first regular public school in the territory. First Superintendent of Public Instruction and author of the school laws of Arizona; Adjutant-General, two terms; leading promoter of the electric railway system of Los Angeles, and its official head for five years. Resides at Los Angeles.


SHERMAN, S. S., son of Sterling and Jane (Noble) Sherman, 1815. Married Eliza Dewey, of Philadelphia, and resides in Chicago. Children : Henry, Lizzie, Fred.


SHERMAN, H. O., brother of S. S., 1820. Married Huldah Ingersoll of Hebron, and resides in Chicago. Children : Jennie, Maria, Nettie (Mrs. Waterman), George, Jay and Theresa, who died in Rupert.


SHERMAN, O. B., brother of S. S., 1824; married Car- oline Porter, of Salem; lived in Iowa, and died at New Hampton in 1890. Children : none living.


SHERMAN, ENOCH, brother of S. S., 1826; married Lauretta Walton, of Waukesha, Wis., and resides at Eagle, that state. Children: Walter, William.


SHERMAN, JESSE S., brother of S. S., 1828; married Lucinda Woodard, of Hebron. A farmer in the town of Salem; now resides in the village. Children : S. S., Dan- iel, William, Cora (Mrs. Haskins), Emma (Mrs. Brown), Carrie (Mrs. Flack).


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SHERMAN, E. B., son of C. A. and Laura (Burton) Sherman, 1864. Lived a few years in Milwaukee; since 1891 a hardware merchant at Manchester Depot, Vt. Married Freda Matthes. Children: Charles B., S. S., Laura.


SHERMAN, MOREHOUSE, son of Seeley and Betsey (Phillips) Sherman, about 1809; was a mechanic, and re- sided in the J. Bonville house. Removed to Lowell, Mass., thence to Troy, thence to Whitehall, thence to Iowa. Married Julia, daughter of Roswell Flower, Sr. She was drowned in Boone River, Ia., about 1864. Mr. Sherman visited Rupert in 1870. Died in 1897, at Ft. Dodge, Ia. Children : Charles A., Cecilia (Mrs. Hall), Silliman.


SMITH, STEPHEN, son of Sylvester and Nancy (Har- mon) Smith, 1821 ; married Charlotte, daughter of Deacon Titus Sheldon, and resides at Belleville, Wis. A daugh- ter, Jennie (Mrs. - ) deceased.


SMITH, HENRY, brother of Stephen, 1826; married Fanny, daughter of John Wiseman, and resides in Pawlet. Children : Martin, Merritt, Hattie (Mrs. Rogers).


SMITH, DAVID R., brother of Stephen, 1834; married Mary, daughter of James Baldrige, and resides on the D. Fitch farm, Pawlet. Children: Eugene, who married Ida Viets, Minnie, Abbie (Mrs. Brown), Nettie (Mrs. Denio), Erma (Mrs. White), and Sadie. Mr. Smith is well and widely known as a superior cheese maker.


SMITH, HIRAM, son of Truman and grandson of Martin, 1797; married Polly Baldrige, and resided at Silver Creek, N. Y., until his death. His son, Daniel, visited here in 1897.


SMITH, DAVID, son of Thaddeus; married Betsey Downer. Resided some years in Hebron and later in Pawlet, where he died. A daughter Marcia (Mrs. War- ren Rice).


SCOTT, IRA H., son of Thomas J. and Charlotte (Towsley) Scott, 1855; learned telegraphy in the Rupert


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office ; worked a short time in Granville; going from there to Hinsdale, Mass., on the B. & A. R. R., as night ope- rator, in 1873. Died at Hinsdale in 1876.


SCOTT, H. D., brother of Ira H., 1862 ; married, 1882, Hattie Rayder of Poultney, and is a merchant in that vil- lage. Children : Lewis R., Emily, Harold A.


STEARNS, WM. SCOTT, son of Dr. John Scott and his wife, Elmena Conger of New York; Hebron, 1857. He was left an orphan and adopted by Wm. Stearns. Early showed great capacity in mathematics; studied sometime in the schools of Rutland. Married and settled in Kan- sas about 1885, as a civil engineer and surveyor. Died in N. C., in 1898, where had recently located, hop- ing to improve his health.


SYKES, HORACE, son of Milton; member of 14th Vt. ' Inf., 1862-3; married Delia Underhill and resides in Manchester ; farmer and speculator.


SYKES, BYRON, brother of Horace ; was for some years a grocer in Granville; recently removed to Brownsville, Vt. ; married Louisa Sykes.


SYKES, HENRY, brother of Horace, resides in Mo., and manufactures finished marble.


SYKES, SKIFF, about 1805; to Burlington in early manhood; thence to Montreal, where he long resided and became wealthy. His last years were spent at Chas. Whitcomb's, Salem, N. Y. Died about 1SS5.


THOMPSON, SHERMAN, son of David and brother of David, Jr., about 1827. Removed in early life to Chester- town, N. Y., where he has since resided .; a farmer.


THOMPSON, ISAAC, about 1830; reared in the home of Esq. David Sheldon; to the west in early manhood; sur- i veyor, land dealer and farmer. Resides at Houston, Minn.


· TRUMBULL, JOHN H., son of Alexander, 1845; to Rupert in boyhood; settled at West Pawlet in 1875; con-


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tractor, practical house builder and lumber dealer. Mar- ried Libbie Nelson of Hebron.


WADE, ELISHA, son of William and brother of Wil- lard; married Othelia, daughter of Capt. Enos Sheldon and settled at Belleville, Wis .; removed to Iowa where he died.


WISEMAN, MERRITT, son of John and Sarah (Bourn) Wiseman, 1832; married Eveline Gilman and removed to Minn. about 1860; died there about 1893.


WISEMAN, MILTON, brother of Merritt; married Ann Whedon and lived for a time on the farm now occupied by Seth Clark. Removed to Poultney, where he resided until his death in 1897; killed by the bursting of an emery wheel in a mill where he was working.


WISEMAN, MARCELLUS, brother of Merritt ; to Illinois, and married there, about 1866; returned to Rupert, re- maining two or more years; a carpenter, and worked on the Lake St. Catharine House in 1867. Owned the Lyman Farrar place, a short time. Removed to Minne- sota; thence to S. Dakota.


WAKELY, PRESTON, son of Isaac and Margaret (Fisher) Wakely, about 1842. After the death of his mother, lived with his uncles, her brothers; followed his father to Minn. : was in the army, during the Civil War; visited in Rupert, with his wife, in 1872; going from here to Glens Falls, where he resided a year or more. Present residence unknown.


WILSON, DAVID, son of Robert, 1870; married Mary, daughter of Merritt Farrar; butter maker; had charge of a factory at West Glover, Vt., four years.


WHEDON, OSCAR, A., son of John M. and Mary Eliza (Parker) Whedon, 1867. For several years was a butter maker, mainly in New Hampshire; now a farmer, in Sandwich, that state. Married Anna Mudgett.


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WOOD, EDWARD D., son of Rev. E. T. and Cecilia ( Palmer) Wood, 1849; to West Rutland about 1875; mar- ried Mary Goodspeed, of same, and since 1891 has resided in Rutland. Children: Nellie, Percy P.


WEAVER, VIRGIL, located in Troy as a physician, though not regularly studied or admitted. Died at Clar endon Springs.


. WRIGHT, CHARLES, 1805-75; an elder brother of the twins; resided in Ill., and a farmer. In Johnson's admin- istration held a position in the internal revenue service. Visited Rupert in 1871. Besides the three already named, four brothers and four sisters grew to the adult age, viz : Sherman, Calvin, Rial, Walter and Charlotte (Gardner), Jemima (Wilson), Mary (Chamberlin), Permela (Beebe).


BROWN, MARIA, 1825-77. She was an adopted daughter of David Brown, of West Rupert. Though denied the advantages of a higher education, by making good use of the opportunities within her reach, she was able to begin teaching when very young, and followed that vocation some years, mostly in the town of Salem ; she possessed literary abilities of a high order and was a contributor to several publications. During the Pierce administration, for about three years, she was postmis- tress at West Rupert, the office being in the house now the residence of Elisha Hurd; in this position she had as assistant, Judge A. E. Burton, then a youth of sixteen. In 1856, she married Daniel B. Cole, of Salem, taking up her residence in that village in 1857, where she continued to reside until her death. Mr. Cole was editor of the Salem Press, and his wife was a valuable assistant in its management. Unquestionably, she was one of the most gifted of Rupert's daughters.


BALDRIGE, HARRIET, daughter of Edward and Fide- lia (Smith) Baldrige, about 1835; her mother, who was a sister of Philo Smith, died when Harriet was an infant.


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The daughter was reared in the home of her mother's cousin, Mrs. David Sheldon. She began teaching at an early age, and continued that vocation for some years. About 1857 she went to the western part of N. Y. ; there she married and died soon after, probably about 1860.


JONES, LIBBIE, daughter of Ephraim, sister of Dr. F. P., 1837. Educated in the common and select schools of Rupert and Dorset; became a teacher and taught in Hebron, Manchester, Rupert, Dorset and Middletown. Married Linus H. Jennings about 1863; after her mar- riage resided in Orwell and Middletown, now in Gran- ville. Taught the Rupert Street school in 1861, and as one of her pupils, I hold her in grateful remembrance.


MCCALL, ELLEN I., daughter of Capt. Hugh Hebron, about 1833; resident of Rupert from about 1857 to 1879; · for some years a teacher in this and adjoining towns. Mar- ried Geo. A. McMillan, of Salem, in 1879, and resided in that town until 1885, when they removed to Hillsboro, near Macon, Ga.


PHELPS, ELIZA, daughter of Willis and Emma.(Un- derhill) Phelps, about 1844. Possessed musical talent of a high degree; attended St. Mary's convent at Hochelaga, near Montreal, one year; continued her studies in Boston where she resided fourteen years, and was a successful teacher. Died in Boston in 1883.


SCOTT, LAURA, sister of Ira H. ; resident of Shushan since 1880. She is proprietor of " The Ladies' Bazaar," in that village, which she has successfully managed some fifteen years.


SCOTT, KATE, sister of Ira H .; began teaching in Rupert in 1878; next taught in Shushan, and then, five or more years in Putnam Institute, Cambridge. For a number of years she has been teaching on Long Island, and is now principal of the school at Glenhead. In spite of the lack of early advantages, Miss Scott has won an honorable position in the ranks of the teaching profession.


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SHELDON, ANN, daughter of Esq. David, and sister of Stephen S., 1815; owned the first piano in town ; attended the academy at Bennington, taught by her brother, David S .; married in 1838, Rev. Harvey D. Kitchel; he was a graduate of Middlebury College in 1835, and its president 1866-73. His pastorates were Thomaston, Conn., 1838- 48; Detroit, 1848-64; Chicago, 1864-6. Mrs. Kitchel died at Detroit in 1858. Their children were: Harvey S., Yale, 1861, civil engineer, S. Bethlehem, Pa .; Corne- lius L., Yale, 1862 (Rev.), instructor in Greek, Yale Uni- versity; Courtney S., Yale, 1865, a lawyer, Milwaukee; Luther H., Yale, 1867, physician, Alden, Erie Co., N. Y. ; Farrand D., banker, East Liverpool, Ohio; Anna, died in infancy; Stanley R., Williams, 1876, lawyer, Minne- apolis. In their school days these brothers were frequent and well-known visitors in Rupert, especially Courtney and Luther H., or Hart.


SMITH, ANN ELIZA, daughter of Hiram, sister of Albert, about 1840; was one of the earliest music teach- ers of the town for the melodeon and organ, and very suc- cessful; organist of the Congregational Church for years, · and at the time of her removal to Troy in 1874; taught for a time in the public schools of that city. Resides at Brunswick, N. Y.


SYKES, LUCY, daughter of Milton, about 1843; to Brooklyn twenty-five years ago, or more, where she has had a successful career as a pianist and teacher of the piano. Resides in Brooklyn.


WEED, CHARLOTTE, daughter of Capt. James and Betsey (Flower) Weed, about 1838; taught the Rupert Street school, summer of 1858. About 1860, married Abel Haskins, a cotton manufacturer of Battenville, N. Y .; about 1870, they removed to Petersburg, Va., where they now reside.


KINNE, HELEN, daughter of Kenaz and Martha (Fuller) Kinne, about 1837; a teacher; to Detroit about


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1860, where she taught many years. Married Thomas Gregg, many years a policeman, and resides in Detroit. 1


MOORE, FRINDA, daughter of Dr. J. M. and Caroline (Ayres) Moore, 1866; married Henry H. Bowen, in 1886, who died in 1887; to Cambridge, Mass., in 1895, and soon after to Waltham, and is now proprietor of a milli- nery store in that city.


HULL, EMILY, Pawlet, about 1835. At about the age of ten years, she was given a home in the family of Stephen Taylor. This was her home until her marriage, about 1864, to a Mr. St. John, of Michigan. She resided there until her death in 1898.


BREWSTER, FRANCES, daughter of George and Jane (McCleary-Vance) Brewster, about 1842; educated in the common and select schools of this town and became a teacher; to Illinois about 1870, where she taught several years; married John Winn, who died about 1895. Chil- dren: Ruth B., Dora and Lora (twins), John J. Resides at Waltham, Il1.


MERCHANTS.


Who was the first merchant in town, or the date of, I am unable to say. As far as known, all stores have been located at the centers of population, as now existing. The earliest of which I have knowledge at Rupert Street, was a firm formed by Judge David Sheldon and Samuel Leav- itt; the store building standing on the grounds of C. F. Sheldon's residence. This was in the closing years of the century, but cannot say how long it continued. The next firm was Judge Sheldon and his sons, David and James, on the site of C. M. Sheldon's residence ; and here a store was maintained many years. After this firm, came Spaf-


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ford Hawley of Dorset, who was the last merchant on that site. On the site now occupied by the M. E. Church, a store was kept some years by Harris & Hubbard; the building being, now, the barn of Warren Ellsworth. The building, now the tenant house of C. F. Sheldon, was built by Myron Clark, who owned and operated a tan- nery on the grounds. There being for some time a shoe- maker's shop in it, and painted red, it was called the " Red Shop." Mr. Clark lived in the Loveland house, which he built. After the decline of the tannery, Virgil Weaver had a grocery in this building, for a short time. Passing into the hands of James T. Bates, he maintained a store here for several years, probably about 1843-S. Here, J. H. Guild was a clerk. After Mr. Bates' failure, a store was kept about a year by Horace Read of Pawlet, who was the last merchant in the "Red Shop." In 1850, Asher Loveland moved into the building, since known by his name, and soon opened a store, which, with two slight interruptions, was continued until his death, in 1874; and by his widow and. her brother, Win. Shaw, until Mr. Shaw's death, in 1896. Until 1850, all stores had been either at the "Corner" or at the upper end of the Street ; but the building of the railroad changed the trade center to the lower end. The first store here was built and kept by W. L. Kinne, about 1852. It is the building now known as the " old store," standing between the highway and the railroad. Asher Loveland was for a short time associated here with Mr. Kinne. E. H. Sheldon (Harvey) was clerk, and a short time proprietor. Dodge of Troy, at one time owned the goods, which were in charge of an agent. Thos. S. Beebe was proprieter one or two years. He was succeeded by John W. Simons, from Cohoes, who remained ten years, 1837-67. IIe was a thorough mer- chant and financially successful here. Removed to Con- stantine, Mich. He had as clerks, John Phelps, Sheldon Bliss and S. M. Rising. He was succeeded by James A. Sheldon ; first as salesman for his brother, Cyrus F., and later as proprietor. He occupied the store ten years,


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1867-77. J. A. Sheldon's clerks were F. A. Sheldon, Geo. S. Hibbard, Leroy Bushee. James A. Sheldon was succeeded by his nephew, Fred A., who occupied this building about one and one-half years. In 1878, a build- ing was erected next to and above the residence of W. L. Kinne, being a combination store and residence. W. H. Smith of Hebron was the master-builder. It was occu- pied by Fred A. Sheldon, same year. Since then the building near the railroad has been used as a store- house. In 1883, G. B. Sheldon became a partner with Fred A., forming the firm of F. A. Sheldon & Bro., which has continued to the present time. A store was opened in the Grange Building, which stands next to and below the old brick schoolhouse, now the blacksmith shop, in May, 1895. This store grew out of the forming here, in 1890. of a grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, its ownership and management being wholly confined to members of that order. It is termed the " Farmers' Exchange." T. D. Smith is managing direc- tor; Miss Belle McCall, clerk. These two stores do a large business in the various kinds of grain feed, sending it into all the adjoining towns. The millinery business being essentially mercantile, will be noticed here. Some- time in the fifties, Lucy Wakely was engaged in this busi- ness at her home, first in the Elwell house and later the L. Farrar house. Think there was no other here until 1885, when Mrs. F. A. Sheldon opened millinery rooms, and 1 has continued the business to the present time. In 1892, Miss Mary Sheldon engaged in it, at the residence of Ed- ward Sheldon, and has usually spent a part of each season at Dorset. I only know of one milliner here before Miss Wakely-Mrs. Josiah Harmon.




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