Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-03-16
THE OLD STORE
AT WEST BRATTLEBORO,
It's History for Nearly 100 Years
Notable Men who Were Its Proprietors
---Dinerent POstmasters --- Advertise
ments from the Reporter Of 1907.


ments from the Reporter Of 1902.
A writer has well said that the old store
at West Brattleboro, which was sold at auc-
tion recently to j. II. Pmmmer and is now
being moved to Esteyvile to form part
of new buildings, "has been silent wit
ness to many a sharp trade, alleged joke,
and heated political debate"
The history of the old store begins in
1896 when Benjamin Pratt of Brattle-
boro, yeoman, conveyed to Jonathan r.
Hale of Chesterfield, y. H., merchant, for
the consideration of % pounds, piece of
land in Brattleboro, and part of the land
on which said Benjamin Pratt then lived.
1t was bounded as follows: Beginning at a
stake and pile of stones II rods and 10
links from the \. w. corner of the meet
ing-house on a course north 4S' W., thence
y. 43 Z. - rods and 10 links to Whet-
stone brook, thence up said brook 3 rods
and : links, thence y. 81 Is w. rods to
a white ash stubble, thence S. 2So 45' w.
IA rods and ? links, thence S. So 40 f.
five rods to the place of beginning. The
deed bears date May 26, 1896. 1t seems
probable that the land was bought as a
site for the store. When the building was
erected the outside walls were filled with
fine sand, for the purpose of warmth and
solidity. Mr.. Hale afterward made sever
al additions to his original purchase, but
the deeds all give his residence as Chester
field, n. H., until he took a pew in the
Westinghouse of John Hopkins Nov. u,
1905, when he is recorded as being "of
Brattleboro."
When Mr.. Hale, on the 2Sth of Decem-
Der, 1907, conveyed the property to He
man RapUe of Iuilfor1 uaptlatnap ba
deed gives his place of residence as Brat
tleboro. The property is described as ly
ing on the northerly side of the road near
the Westinghouse, with the great store,
dwelling house, pearlash buildings, barn
and other buildings thereon. Heman
Bangs conveyed the same property, June
3, lS0S, to William Wyman and Daniel
Chapman of Keene, y. II. Daniel Ad-
ans, physician and author of Adams's Sc
ries of arithmetic, and Samuel Prentiss,
Esq, publisher of the Keene, y. H., SEN
tinel for many years, residents of Keene
and administrators of the estate of said
Wyman, conveyed the property May IA,
1913, to Francis GoOdhue and Phineas
Fisk of Brattleboro. Phineas Fisk con-
veyed his interest to Francis Goodhue
Aug. ,, 1914.
Mr.. Goodhue conveyed the property to
Calvin Harris of Guilford Nov. ,, 1916,
and Mr.. Harris in turn to Jonas Mann of
Brattleboro April Is, 1918. John Noyes
and Jonas Mann were partners under the
firm name of Noyes n Mann most of the
time that Mann owned the store. They oc-
| cupied the upper store in the hotel long
before Mann purchased the lower store,
| and certainly part of the time that Mr..
Hale occupied this store. In the Reporter,
printed at Brattleboro April I, 1907, We
! find their advertisement, announcing that
they were opening at their stores in Brat
| tleboro and Wilmington "a beautiful as
sortment OF seaSonable goods and too
many to particularze.' In the Reporter of
Oct. "A OF the same year they advertised
"New goods just arrived, upwards of 20
| puncheons of spirits, rum, brandy and Ge-
neya. Also a large supply of molasses,
| loaf and brown sugar and groceries"
John Noyes was for a time representa-
| tive in Congress from this district He
was the father of Mrs. Mead, mother of
Larkin G.. Mead the sculptor; of Horatio
! S. Noyes, for many years cashier of the
Bank of Brattleborough when its banking
house stood between what is now Mr.
| Clapps residence and the Congregational
church and was conducted under charter
!
Putney, a leader in the Perfectionist COM
munity of that town, which afterward be-
came the celebrated Oneida community OF
New York state. The elder Noyes built
and lived in the house now owned by Mr.
Clark Just south of the site of the old
academy.
Jonas Mann was brigader general, First
Regiment, first brigade, first division Of
the militia of the state. He built and
lived in the house now owned by Miss Su
san Clark.
Gen. Mann of Syracuse, Y. Y, convey
ed the property to Samuel and T,afayett,
Clark Dec. 20, 1925 Before Mr.. Clarl
bought this store he had a store in what i!
now the Adkins dwelling house, east O
the Baptist church. Timothy Adkins aft
erward had his hat store and shop in thu
same place, and in 1886 Timothy Adkin
and Chester II. Miller had a general store
there.
Samuel Clark was justice of the peac,
and held other town offices, represented
the town in the general assembly of tn,
state several sessions, was a member o
the governors council from this count,
and assistant Judge of Windham count,
court. Lafayette Clark, his son, also helC
the various town offices, represented tn
town several times in the general assembly
and was justice of the peace for NOR
than forty years, and town clerk eighteel
years, declining a reelection. The lat
Hon. Austin Birchard began his clerk
ship in this store and with this firm. God
frey Crosby, father of the late Hon. Ed
ward Crosby, was also at one time clerk il
this store, but with what firm is no
known.
S. and l.. Clark leased the store to Jo
than Howe May l, 1881, for 80 months
They conveyed the property to John
Gregory Dec. 20, 1888. In the spring of 1888
Mr.. Gregory received John W. Frost int
partnership, under the firm name of Gregg
ry q Frost. 1t was dissolved at the end G
the year, Mr.. Gregory continuing the busi
, ness, and Mr.. Frost and Roswell Goode
nough associated themselves together III
der the style of John w. Frost q Co., an
I began business at the other store in wha
was then the Stewart hotel.
John S. Gregory conveyed the propert
} to Ezra Baker March 6, 1886. Chester II
Miller was his partner, under the style c
Baker & Miller from the spring of 1873
, till Aug 10, 1910, when they dissolved an
Mr. Miller continued the business. San
uel p. Miller, Esq, of Newfane, who ha
since been county treasurer many years
c1arlr from Nav 1899 IN tho foil =