Caledonia County VT Archives History - Businesses .....Businesses Of Lyndon And Lyndonville 1891
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INDUSTRIES AND WEALTH OF LYNDON AND LYNDONVILLE.

   LYNDON is a pleasantly located town in Caledonia county, having a population
of about 2,433. It is located thirty-five miles north from Montpelier and seven
miles from St. Johnsbury. The town was organized on the 4th day of July, 1791,
and the first town officers were elected on that day. Daniel Cahoon, Jr., the
first settler deceased June 11, 1793, was the first person who died in the town.
There are three villages in the township, viz: Lyndon, Lyndon Center and
Lyndonville.

   The soil is a rich loam, free from stone, easy to cultivate and very
productive. Lyndon has two churches, viz.: the Congregational and Methodist both
having neat and attractive church edifices. It has two first-class hotels, an
excellent graded school and is also the site of Lyndon Academy, which was
erected by private home munificence, and supplied with good apparatus. This
institution has been a great credit to the town and many prominent men in all
parts of the country received their Academic course at this popular and well
managed institution.

   The Passumpsic River and its tributaries afford abundant water-power for the
operation of mills and machinery. About 60 rods north of the south line of the
town, the river has a descent of 65 feet in about thirty rods, these are known
as the "Great Falls," and the "Little Falls are one mile above and have a
descent of the bed of the river of about 20 feet. The "Great Falls" have a
capacity of operating an almost unlimited amount of machinery and the
Connecticut and Passumpsic River railroads that pass through the town afford
ready transit portation for manufactured or raw material. This water power has
been utilized to some exten and several flourishing manufacturing establishments
are located here.

   Lyndonville is a flourishing village in this township and has several
important manufacturing enterprises in successful operation. The car shops of
the Passumpsic railroad are located here. The dwelling houses are neat and tasty
with well-kept lawns about them, and the village is one of the most attractive'
of its size in the state. It has two churches, two first-class hotels and two
banks. Its inhabitants are industrious, well-educated and public spirited,
taking great pride in the success of any enterprise to build up the town.

   G. P. SPENCER, Monumental Works, Lyndon.—These marble works embrace a
patronage in which all classes are represented from the citizen of slender means
to the wealthiest and most influential residents. This extensive connection has
accrued to the establishment mainly from the thorough reliability of the
materials used, and from the excellence of the workmanship and the high,
artistic designs and finish by which the whole of the firm's productions are
characterized in a marked degree. Monuments, head-stones, tablets, statues and
other high class work are manufactured in every variety of style, at the lowest
possible prices, in granite, marble, stone, etc; and special designs to order
are also executed in a masterly manner, and always to the unqualified
satisfaction of patrons. The business received its inception at the hands of the
present proprietor, Mr. G. P. Spencer, in 1856, and the extensive demand now
constantly made upon the firm's resources, necessitates the regular employment
of three skilled operatives, whose work is all conducted under the close
personal care and supervision of Mr. Spencer himself. This gentleman brings to
bear upon the business a consummate skill and ripe experience of the trade; and
prior to his initiating the present very successful enterprise, he was for
several years in the same line at St. Johnsbury, Vt. He is a native of that
thriving place, and is the oldest member of the St. Johnsbury lodge of the Free
and Accepted Masons.

   J. L. WATCHIE, Choice Family Groceries, Boots, Shoes and Rubbers, Mathewson's
Block, Main Street, Lyndonville.—This place offers encouragement to retail
traders who serve its interests by supplying staple commodities at fair prices,
and who conduct their business with a due amount of knowledge, and with a fit
regard to integrity; and the completeness with which Mr. J. L. Watchie answered
to these requirements and supplements them by enterprise, energy, and a
commendable solicitude for the entire satisfaction of patrons in every
transaction, has been potent in adding year by year to the development of his
trade, since the inception of his 'enterprise in 1885. The commandingly located
store, which is 20x 40 feet in size, is especially well fitted up to meet the
necessities of the brisk business conducted, which embraces the supplying of
really choice and high grade family groceries of every description, and the
trading in boots, shoes and rubbers. In each department a stock is carried which
leaves nothing to be desired, no article of staple or fancy groceries being
omitted from the stock or permitted to go without constant replenishment, while
in footwear all popular makes, sizes, and leading grades, find full
representation; the prices charged in either case being such as will bear the
closest comparison with the best of other such establishments. Indeed, so
thoroughly is this understood that the connection of the house has become one of
very large proportions, and such as to tax the energies of the proprietor and
his three assistants. Mr. Watchie, who is a native of Canada, is identified with
the Masonic fraternity, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and
deservedly popular.

   D. M. SILSBY, Livery Stables, Lyndonville.—The largest livery stable in the
town, and unquestionably one of the most popular in his section of the state, is
that of Mr. D. M. Silsby, which during the five years that it has been' under
the conscientious direction of its experienced founder, has well merited the
high estimation in which it is held on all hands, and in reference to each of
its departments. The well founded stables, so arranged as to comply with the
most exacting demands of advanced sanitarians,, light, airy, and well
ventilated, and kept clean and sweet in a style that elicits the unqualified
satisfaction of the most critical of patrons, and offer excellent accommodation
for the boarding of a large number of horses, in addition to the sixteen fine
animals owned by the firm, and the numerous others that are temporarily
accommodated from day to day. The vehicles for hire are, in their appointments,
fully in keeping with all other features of the establishment, which is known as
one where the equine race are well groomed and liberally and judiciously fed,
two grooms and stablemen being regularly employed. Mr. D. M. Silsby was born in
Luenberg, Vt., and is widely and favorably known throughout this neighborhood.

   AARON TWOMBLY, Dry, Fancy, and Gents' Furnishing Goods.—Lyndonville is well
provided for in the matter of dry, fancy and gents' furnishing goods, quite a
number of its traders making this one of their departments, but there are few
who in any real sense make it their specialty, and none which the firm of Mr.
Aaron Twombly will consent, or could reasonably be asked to acknowledge as
rivals in either the completeness with which the trade is represented at its
establishment, in the choiceness of the goods displayed in its handsome show
windows or carried in bulk, or in the great inducements it is able to offer to
purchasers of high grade goods such as collars, white and colored shirts,
underwear, silk and cambric handkerchiefs, etc. They also carry a fine line of
clothing and boots and shoes in great variety and. indeed in every description
of goods that go to make up a complete gents' outfitting emporium. The business
was founded in 1875, and the store, 30x 40 feet in size, is fitted up in a style
fully in character with the high grades of goods handled. A continuance and an
increase of this liberal support is encouraged and promoted by the giving of
high money value, and a sedulous watchfulness in order to meet and provide for
the exact wishes of patrons, a work in which the principal is ably assisted by
two trained employees, who, with him, give courteous attention to all who visit
the establishment.

   F. B. SNELLING, Photographer, Lyndonville.—A great and valued accession to
the town is that of the extensive, well equipped, and ably directed photograph
gallery of Mr. F. B. Snelling, founded in 1890; the largest establishment of its
kind in this section. The gallery, studio, and developing apartments include
four rooms, the former being sumptuously furnished, and the latter provided with
all the latest appliances for the pursuit of the art in its various
ramifications under the most favorable conditions, such as conduce to the
highest grade of work at strictly moderate figures. All branches of the
photographic art are represented, inclusive of the production of carte de
visite, cabinet and enlarged portraits in plain or water-colors; pastels,
crayons, landscape and other pictures, and the exponency of the artistic
profession is of so high an order that a very large share of the work of the
vicinity falls to the house, the proprietor being assisted by two expert
helpers, but always performing the more responsible and difficult labors
personally. Mr. F. B. Snelling, who was formerly in business in Massachusetts,
was born in Vermont, and is well known and highly respected in this town and
vicinity.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

INDUSTRIES AND WEALTH OF THE PRINCIPAL POINTS IN VERMONT,
BEING
BURLINGTON, WINOOSKI, RUTLAND, WEST RUTLAND, BRANDON, FAIR HAVEN, POULTNEY,
CASTLETON, ST. ALBANS, SWANTON, ENOSBURG FALLS, BRATTLEBORO, BELLOWS FALLS,
MONTPELIER, BARRE, WATERBURY, ST. JOHNSBURY, LYNDONVILLE, LYNDON, HARDWICK,
BENNINGTON, SPRINGFIELD, WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERGENNES, MIDDLEBURY, NORTHFIELD
AND MORRISVILLE.

1891.

PUBLISHED BY
AMERICAN PUBLISHING AND ENGRAVING CO.,
(ELEVATORS.)
Nos. 149 AND 151 CHURCH STREET, NEW YORK.


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