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History of North Adams.



STORES, TRADING AND BARTER,
CHAPTER IV.

Among the men of this town who were implicated in Shay’s rebellion, in 1786-7, and were pardoned on giving up their arms and taking the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth, were Joshua Read and Trulove Brewster, traders.

As nearly as can now be ascertained, Joshua Read was a trader at Adams, and probably Trulove Brewster, also. Read was born on a farm in Cheshire. They are alluded to as the only traders mentioned in the town records prior to 1800, and if they are mentioned as culprits, that only proves their opponents were the strogest. If Shays had succeeded, his movement would have been a "glorious revolution." There was undoubted1v in this region strong sympathy felt for the insurrection, and some of the "first men" were engaged in it.

The first store ever kept within the limits of North Adams, though outside of what are considered village limits, was by Marshall Jones. He commenced in 1793, in a shop previously occupied by Christopher Penniman as a cabinet shop. Penniman was one of the apprentices who came here from Boston with a Mr. Veazie, before 1789. The shop stood a few rods west of Isreal Jones’ house, now Mrs. Harrison’s. After a few months Mr. Jones removed to a building which stood near Daniel Wells’ present residence, and remained there about two years. His father built the house on Robinson hill, with a store near it, opposite Main street bridge, and the son removed down into the village and continued in trade for several years, until he left town. He had kept store about a year when Chad Brown commenced. The house has undergone some alterations since Mr. Jones’ time. The store was of a red color, and was torn down some few years ago.

A couple of men — names and date unknown — came this village and opened the first store for the sale of dry goods near the Main street bridge. They did not keep a large stock nor continue business more than a month or two. The Williamstown traders kept a better variety and undersold them. In very early times people walked from this place to Williamstown to purchase groceries or teas. Though the roads were terribly rough, and the river had to be forded more than once, the stalwart boys (and frequently the girls) of those days did not shrink from the trip. Indeed, they enjoyed it. Bounding, health made severe exercise to our ancestors a pastime. The trade of this town also went to Lanesboro to some extent. Oliver Parker, Sr., brought grain one season from Greenfield on horseback, by an Indian path over Hoosac mountain, and a part of it was carried to Williamstown to be ground at the “Krigger mills,” fording the river three times to get there. These mills had a great reputation.

The first store for the sale of groceries in this village was kept by William Farrand, near his house. He hauled the goods from Boston by ox-teams, and therefore kept but a limited stock, perhaps one or two loads. He sold a bushel of salt to Captain Shippee of Clarksburg for $10! To say that a man was “not worth the salt for his porridge” could not be considered in those times a very severe slur, especially if he ate porridge with a wood-chopper’s appetite, for the salt was the most expensive ingredient.

Sutton & Wells, in 1795, opened and kept a store for the sale of merchandise, in a shop-like building near or adjoining the Corliss House, now the site of the Richmond House.

Marshall Jones, in 1800, having returned to town, built the house and store (now standing) on the 11111 west of Main street bridge. This building, is now converted into a tenement house. Mr. Jones kept store there for several years. The building is still substantial looking.

had Brown sold goods in a small building located about on the corner of Bank and Main streets. Mr. Brown was a man of fair capacity, and was elected Town Clerk in 1802, which office he held for four years. He finally removed to South Adams, which was then the larger and more thriving, settlement, and supposed to afford the best field for Yankee shrewdness in bargaining.

A grocery store was kept where the J. H. Adams block now stands, on Main street.

Dr. James Cummings, in 1803, built a house, with store in front, and sold general merchandise on the site of the building, east of L. W. White’s jewelry store. This store was afterward occupied by





Edited and adapted from the original by Laurel O’Donnell
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