Can you help me with my house history?


Hello, my name is Tom Tompkins and I'm researching the history of the house in Shelburne, Vermont that I've lived in since 1961. It's an old place, built between 1852 and 1857 that has seen many owners through the years. The house itself isn't particularly exciting, but there used to be a store (first general, then liquor) on the property which was torn down about 1916. A Woodmen's Hall that had been added onto the back of the store ca. 1903 is still standing and celebrated its centennial (which is why I started this research).

Listed below are the owners and family members (that I'm aware of) who have lived here in the past as well as a few other folk who played a role. I'd be interested in hearing from you if one of those names listed appears to be a relative. I'm especially eager to get copies of old photographs of the folks mentioned and to hear any stories about their lives. Here's my contact information, presented as an image to discourage spammers:

contact information

You can use your browser's "search"/"find" function to find mention of a particular surname in this document (usually ctrl+F keys).


George W. Curry (1820-3/2/1890) and wife Rhoda (or Roda) A. (Ann? Page) Curry (1824?-1895?) purchased the property April 22,1852. George was son of Samual P. and Anna (Woodruff) Curry, and built a home and general store here, which he ran until his death. Lucinda Page Curry (died 3/25/1880) was Rhoda's sister. Lucinda was married to George's brother, Simon Curry (died 4/19/1878) who had the blacksmith shop down the road on the East side of the LaPlatte river. Their son, George E. Curry (also a blacksmith) died at age 34 just 5 days after his father.

Hiram Walker of Burlington, Vermont was deeded the store and most of the land November 7, 1893. Hiram was part of the wholesale grocery firm O.J. Walker and Bros. (Consisting of William M. Walker, Hiram Walker and Solomon Walker) and had formerly operated a tinware manufacturing business. I believe he lived in a pedimented gable greek revival house on Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont between roughly 1860 and 1880.

Hollis C. Woodworth and wife Nancy E. Woodworth bought the store and most of the land on September 28, 1895. I know nothing about the couple except that Mrs. Woodworth ran a millinery store in the Curry store building and later moved the business up the road.

Charles D. (Daniel) Chambers of Shelburne purchased the house and the tiny bit of surrounding land October 9, 1896. A daughter, Elsie H. Chambers had been born to Charles and Elsie H. Forbes Chambers on 1/25/1892. It's possible the wife had died prior to 1896, because there is record of him marrying Maria Kelly on 4/19/1899. Charles apparently worked for Norris Miller and lived over in Shelburne Village.

Thomas M. (Mark, May of 1874-1950) Thompson and wife Bernice H. (Helen, maiden name Merrihew, 1874-1906) Thompson purchased the store property and most of the land On February 7, 1898. Thereafter, in a deed dated August 8, 1898 the Thompsons purchased the house and remainder of the property. The Thompsons had been married on 4/27/1897 and at least two Thompson children were born during the ownership:
Mark Hiram Thomas Thompson (born 6/17/1898 died 6/14/1916)
Margarett Lenah Berenice (or Bernice) Thompson born 3/5/1900 died 9/19/1900)
Apparently known as "Tommy" Thompson, he ran a general store in the old Curry building. His occupation is listed as "merchant" in the 1900 census. This census also lists a 13-year old servant, Lucy Tupper (born November of 1886).

Sarah F. Percival bought the property September 23, 1901. She is related somehow to Philo D. Percival (1827-1907). My feeling is she was an elderly woman at this point.

Henry I. (Ira Hill) and wife Nellie B. (Belle) Goodsell purchased the property April 13, 1903. Mrs. Goodsell's full name was "Nellie Belle Peet Goodsell", so she apparently was a Peet relative in some manner (may have been a sister of George F. Peet - see below). The Goodsells may have built and run a store just up the road from this property.

George F. (Frederick) Peet was sold the property April 14, 1903. "Fred" was the son of Alson Peet (1826-1898) who had purchased a 214-acre farm in Shelburne and Charlotte in 1867. This farm, commonly known in recent times as the Palmer Farm, passed in succession to George, his daughter Lucy and husband Walter F. Palmer, then sons Loren Palmer and Raymond Palmer until owned ca. 2002 by Loren's son David Palmer. George (1854-1932) had married Clara Woodbridge Weed (1870-1948) on November 16, 1899. He had been married previously to Lois Orvis as there was a son Alson J. Peet (1880-1911) and daughters Lucy Eliza Peet (1878-1975?) and Maude M. Peet (1883-1901). Lucy married Walter Fonda Palmer on July 8, 1903 and eventually they resided just down the road until moving to Burlington ca. 1922. George Peet is listed as being a selectman in the annual town reports for the years 1902, 1903 and 1904. We understand he operated a liquor store or a saloon in the old Curry Store. The following children were born to the Peets during the time they owned the premises, but as they had the farm I cannot be certain they lived here the entire time:
Frederick Medad Norton was born on 12/1/1903.
Walter Anson (or Anson Walter) was born 3/21/1905 (died 1972)
Kenneth Woodbridge was born 5/8/1906
Alice Clara was born 8/28/1907 (died two days later)
According to an older resident, Elizabeth ("Libb") Ackey stayed with the Peets.

James Cowan and wife Agnes Cowan bought the property January 10th, 1911. Records indicate James had married Agnes Bridget Gill on April 20, 1909 (he'd married Mary McGrath (1865-1905) on 12/31/1894). The cemetary monument of George F. Peet's father, Alson F. Peet, also lists a William Cowan Jr. He had married Alice Peet on April 5, 1882 so there apparently was a relationship by marriage between the Peets and Cowans. I don't know a lot about James Cowan, but in the 1911 town report there is mention of him being paid for brooms for the Falls and Palmer schools and of two brooms and a pail, bought in March of 1909 for the Falls school. A daughter, Dorothy Ellen Cowan was born on March 8, 1912.

Alexander H.(?) Godette of Vergennes, VT purchased the property on April 3, 1912, he in turn selling it to Thomas Thompson on the same day (see earlier mention). This made the second time Thompson owned the property. His wife Berenice, who I understand was a sickly woman, had died in 1906 and he was now married to Alice L. (Louise) Bryson Thompson. According to records found on the Internet, this marriage occured 11/27/1907 when both resided in Wallingford, VT. On May 31, 1910 Thompson had purchased the adjoining property to the West (including some land behind the store up the road) from the Goodsells, so now he owned a sizeable piece. A daughter, Edith Lillian Thompson had been born on 8/4/1910.

Brothers Allan F. (Frederick) (March 1885-1950) and William H. (Henry) Bacon (July 1887-3/31/1940) bought this property and the store up the road on June 24, 1916. The brothers mortgaged the property to their father, contractor and builder Frederick Bacon (1/21/1861-9/4/1936). On this same date, Thompson sold the former Goodsell land between what the brothers bought (including a small parcel behind the store) to William's wife, Daisy W. (Whiteside) Bacon. William had married Daisy May Whiteside (1888-1963) on 6/12/1912 while Allan had married Flora Isabelle Thomas on 10/23/1906. A son, Robert A. Bacon was born 3/12/1917 to Allan and Daisy. The brothers operated the store up the road and in 1918 Robert deeded his share in both properties to Allan.

I understand the former store or Woodmen's Hall building was used for a time for the repair of automobiles by Howard Peterson and Fenwick Estey, probably prior to WWI but possibly as late as 1924.

Ralph E. Patnode and wife Ruth O. Patnode bought the place December 12, 1955 and owned it until 4/12/1961. Mr. Patnode operated a restaurant on Route 7 in Shelburne known as Ruth's and Ralph's and they had a monkey (or monkeys).