Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

340 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1SS6.
was a wood-colored building facing Main street. Here Jonathan Bliss
had his law office, and it may be added that here Oliver B. Morris
followed his profession ; still later it resounded to the shoemaker's
hammer of Elijah Blake, In a room on the first story Ralph Snow,
silversmith, had worked. Col. Thomas Dwight, Colonel Worthington,
John Hooker, and Jonathan Dwight joined forces and started a gin
distillery on Main street (near Cross street) in 1792, there being a
malt-house in the meadow in the rear. This was subsequently removed
south of the present West Central street. But these business matters
belong more properly to the record of the nineteenth century.
The Dwight store, immediately after the Revolution, was by no
means the leading mercantile establishment. Smith & Sheldon Avere
doing a thriving business nearly opposite the court-house (about the
site of the Chicopee bank) . Their stock ranged from broadcloths to
shoe buckles, and from crockery and firelocks to rum and French candy.
Thej" took flour, beef, pork, and country produce in pay. The Smith
of this firm was Col. William Smith, his residence being farther up
the street (Main and Bridge). Charles Sheldon, his partner, built the
Henry Fuller house on Elm street. Colonel Smith was a revolution-
ary officer. His residence and barn were built b}' Thomas Hunt,
of Stockbridge, Smith securing it in 1787. Sheldon seems to have
taken the business finally, while Smith set up for himself on the
east side of the street. There was another firm, J. M. Burt & Co.,
second door south of the court-house ; and Harris & Hunt was still
another firm during the Revolution, but in 1784 the partnership was
dissolved, and Thomas Hunt set up for himself, first door north of the
court-house. He was an importer of English goods, like all of his
competitors ; but probably none of them did a business larger than
that of Justin Ely, of West Springfield, which at that time had a
larger population than the parent town. Women often crossed over
the river in order to shop at Ely's store. One of Ely's clerks, Jona-
than Hunt, of California, who married one of Dr. Osgood's
daughters, is still living.