Tlie Old Stores and the Post-Office of Groton. 197
decease, April 14, 1826, bequeathed to style of the firm being Woods and Bout- it nearly five thousand dollars. well. Mr. Woods died on January 12,
After Mr. Brazer's death the store 1841; and he was succeeded by his
was moved across the street, where it surviving partner, who carried on the
still remains, forming the ell of Gerrish's store for a long time, even while
block. The post-ofiice was in the north holding the highest executive position
end of it, during Mr. Butler's term as in the State. The post-office was in
postmaster. About this time the son, this building during the years 1839
William Farwell Brazer, built a store and 1840. For the past twenty- five
nearly opposite to the Academy, which years it has been occupied by various
he kept during some years. It was firms, and now is kept by D. H. Shat-
made finally into a dwelling-house, and tuck and Company,
occupied by the late Jeremiah Kilburn, During the last war with England,
whose family still own it. Eliphalet Wheeler had a store where
James Brazer's house was built on Miss Betsey Capell, in more modern the site of one burnt down during the times, kept a haberdasher's shop. It winter season a year or two previously, is situated opposite to the Common, There was no fire-engine then in town, and now used as a dwelling-house, and the neighbors had to fight the She was the daughter of John Capell, flames, as best they could, with snow who owoied the sawmill and gristmill, as well as water. At that time Loammi which formerly stood near the present Baldwin, Jr., a graduate of Harvard site of the Tileston and HoUingsworth College in the class of 1800, was a paper-mills, on the Great Road, north law-student in Timothy Bigelow's office, of the village. Afterward Wheeler and He had a natural taste for mechanics; his brother, Abner, took Major Thomas and he was so impressed with the need Gardner's store, where he was followed of an engine that with his own hands by Park and Woods, Park and Potter, he constructed the first one the town Potter and Gerrish, and lastly by Charles ever had. This identical machine, now Gerrish, who has kept it for more than kno%vn as Torrent, No. i, is still service- thirty years. It is said that this build- able after a use of more than eighty ing will soon give way to modern im- years, and will throw a stream of water provements.
over the highest roof in the village. It Near the beginning of the present was made in Jonathan Loring's shop, century there were three military corn- then opposite to Mr. Boynton's black- panics in town; the Artillery company, smith shop, where the iron work was commanded at one time by Captain done. The tub is of copper, and bears James Lewis; the North company by the date of 1802. Mr. Baldwin, soon Captain Jonas Gilson; and the South after this time, gave up the profession company by Captain Abel Tarbell. of law, and became, like his father, a Two of these officers were soon pro- distinguished civil engineer. moted in the regimental service: Cap-
The brick store, opposite to the tain Tarbell to a colonelcy, and Captain High School, was built about the year Lewis to a majorate. Captain Gilson 1836, by Henry Woods, for his own resigned, and was succeeded by Cap- place of business, and afterward kept tain Noah Shattuck. They had their by him and George S. Boutwell, the spring and fall training- days, when they
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