The first knowledge we can ascertain relative to merchants and traders in Goffstown speaks of Samuel Blodget opening a store in Goffstown a short time subsequent to 1765. Potter's "History of Manchester" says: "That after the opening of the store he exchanged his merchandise for pot and pearl ashes, lumber and furs." His lumber he sold at Haverhill and Newbury, and his pot and pearl ashes and furs he shipped to London. His main manufactory was at Haverhill, Mass., and in addition to this he had potash works at Hampstead, Goffstown and New Boston. A short time after this, or about the commencement of the eighteenth century, Robert McGregor was engaged in trade at Amoskeag, as was also Robert Hall.

There were centain [certain] locations in Goffstown that were somewhat central, or on the main lines of travel, and stores began to flourish at these central points about 1800. For the purposes of this article I will try and trace in as complete manner as possible the merchants, traders or storekeepers, as they were termed, realizing that the record will be somewhat incomplete at best.

In the westerly part of the town, on the northerly side of the Mast Road, near the present residence of Henry E. Colby in Parker's Village, there was once a store, and the building is a portion of Mrs. David A. Parker's residence. William Parker was next in trade in Parker's Village, in the store building now standing, where he continued until his death in 1839. After his decease the business was carried on by his sons, John M. and David A. Parker, until the spring of 1872, when they closed the store and removed the stock to the village.

At Goffstown Village Capt. John Smith, about 1800, began building quite extensively, constructing the house where Eliphalet Richards now lives; a commodious store standing on site of the present residence of Mrs. Joseph Whittemore; a dwelling-house on the southerly side of the river and easterly side of the Mast Road, near the Dow Bridge; a cottage house where the Paige Block now stands; a dwelling-house and tannery now owned by Nesmith Brothers, near the depot; the cottage house owned by Lucy I. Perley and Parker Brothers store.

He engaged in trade on the southerly side of the river in the before mentioned store, where he remained during his years of activity. His store upon the northerly side of the river he generally rented to other merchants. Upon the southerly side of the river James and Jonathan Aiken were in trade for a number of years. William Whittle conducted a store in the building now owned by Robert M. Gordon standing on South Mast Street, which was located on the site of the present residence of John W. Sargent. Here he remained until about 1850, when he sold to Benjamin F. Blaisdell, and removed to Manchester. Benjamin F. Blaisdell was succeeded by David Hawse, who closed his business in 1857.

In 1873, Thaddeus W. Richards built the store building on the southerly side of the river near the bridge, and engaged in trade in the same with Jesse E. Junkins, under the firm name of Richards and Junkins. In a short time he disposed of his interest to Charles R. McCollom, and after a year's time Junkins and McCollom sold to T. W. Richards and George P. Hadley, and Mr. Hadley subsequently purchased the business and continued in same until 1880. Mr. Junkins in the meantime purchased the building on the opposite side of the street, and engaged in trade for a few years.

In 1890, William H. Dubois began trade in this building, where he continued six years, when his stock was disposed of. The building was subsequently occupied as a meat market by Warren B. Richards, Fred Dubois and by Hopkins and Co., followed by John B. Carraway in the meat and grocery business, and others until 1916, when the building was occupied by Arthur E. Pattee, meat and groceries, Charles C. Moore, grain.

In 1874, Charles A. Whipple erected the building now owned and occupied by Otis F. Sumner, and leased the same for various purposes. In 1878, Mr. Sumner engaged in the apothecary and drug business in this building, where he has since continued. He later purchased the building, occupying the same in addition to his drug store as a telephone office, residence, and for four terms a post-office.

In 1888, Henry H. Johnson and Walter L. Sargent erected a building on Church Street, which has since been known as Union Market, in which they began trade and continued until the death of Mr. Johnson in 1893. Mr. Sargent conducted the business for a few years and then disposed of his stock in trade to a syndicate known as the Union Market, which carried on the business until 1907. This building has since been occupied, a portion of the time, by Marshall & Co.

In 1891, Edwin A. Blaisdell purchased of the Goffstown Congregational Society the vestry, and converted the same into a post-office department, and dry-goods store. After the expiration of his term of office as postmaster, he occupied the lower story as a dry-goods store until 1917, when he sold his stock to Hough & Co., and, in 1918, they disposed of the same and removed from town.

In 1895, Herbert E. Poore and William H. Colby erected the building on Main Street which for several years bore the name of Poore & Colby Block. In this building Messrs. Poore and Colby engaged in the grocery business; the second story was used as a dwelling, and the third for Masonic Hall, banquet room, etc. They continued in trade for about two years, when Mr. Colby disposed of his interest to Harry H. Bowen, and the firm of Poore & Bowen existed until 1905, when they disposed of their stock in trade to W. W. Porritt & Co., who remained in trade until 1915, when he disposed of the same to Arthur E. Pattee. Mr. Pattee remained until 1916, when the building was purchased by A. M. Jenks and Son.

Upon the northerly side of the river, in the store now owned by Parker Bros., the principal occupants have been George Ela, Barr & Cushing, Cushing & Robie, Cushing & Hadley, E. M. Hinkley, and George w. Richards, J. S. and D. S. Carr, and G. Byron, who died in 1872. After the decease of Mr. Moore, J. M. and D. A. Parker purchased the stock in trade, and conducted the business for a time, and then the firm was changed to Parker & Co., Charles S. and William A. Parker, partners. Subsequently William A. Parker retired form the firm, and Henry W. Parker succeeded him, and the firm name was Parker Bros. Henry W. Parker was succeeded by his brother, Frank A. Parker, who interest was afterwards purchased by William F. Parker, and the firm became Parker & Son. Charles S. Parker senior partner, later disposed of his interest to his son, Harry S. Parker, and the firm once more assumed the name of Parker Bros., as it now exists.

Upon the easterly side of the street, where the soldiers' monument now stands, Eliphalet Richards was early in trade, and then Richards and Whittier. Upon the retirement of Mr. Whittier the sign read: E. and C. Richards (Eliphalet and Calvin), and later although perhaps not in exact chronological order, the store was occupied by Thomas and Benjamin Lord, Warren S. Richards, Col. John Gregg, and finally the building was rented for various purposes, prominent among which was the upper story to the Masons; the lower story was used as a tin shop, apothecary store, tonsorial rooms, bakery, etc. For some years, Shirley M. Johnson was the proprietor of an apothecary and drug store in the Central Block, and continued in business until the same was destroyed by fire.

In 1850, Philo H. Pattee was in trade in the present Knights of Phythias building. In 1858 the building owned by John B. Woodbury and Co. was entirely remodelled and rearranged as it now exists. About this time Henry D. Carr formed a co-partnership with Philo H. Pattee, under the firm name of Pattee and Carr, and continued business until the early sixties, when Col. John Gregg of New Boston moved to Goffstown and purchased the goods, remaining in trade for a few years. About 1868, the firm of Woodbury and Story engaged in trade in the building, which was followed by A. Story and Co., Samuel Upton, E. L. Bryant and Charles L. Dodge.

In 1874, E. H. Colby purchased the schoolhouse and lot of District No. 13, and constructed the present brick house or block, where the schoolhouse stood. The lower story of the same was used for mercantile purposes for a few years by Mrs. E. H. Colby, and later by Charles E. French, and the upper story as a dwelling, and finally the entire building was converted into a double tenement dwelling-house.

June 1, 1869, George M. Story came to Goffstown from Hopkinton and engaged in the livery business at the hotel stable, where he conducted a livery and sale stable, and also dealt in carriages and sleighs. Here he remained one year, and removed his business to the building which stood where the public library now stands. April 26, 1878, he purchased the Goffstown wood and express business, teaming the shop wood from Goffstown to Manchester, and transporting express in return. This business he disposed of October 1, 1894, to W. P. Paige, and purchased in 1900 of John W. Story, the wholesale and retail business of dealing in shingles, clapboards, dressed lumber, finish, etc., in which he is at present engaged.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century, Philip Jones moved to Goffstown from Kingston, and settled upon what has since been known as the Robert Ayer place in the Tibbetts Hill district, and very soon after engaged in trade; his store was a small building standing upon the southerly side of the present house.

About 1809, two of his sons, Philip, Jr., and James, were in trade in a building which stood a short distance west of the present residence of Edwin Flanders, at Grasmere, and in 1828, Shubael T. Jones and Seth Kendrick Jones, sons of Joseph, were in trade in Amoskeag; how long before or after is a matter of uncertainty.

In 1802, Joshua Dustin was in trade in a building east of what was known as Poor's Store at Grasmere, where John Merrill's family live; he was succeeded by Gideon Flanders, and Gideon by his brother James, who conducted the business until his decease in 1825, and after his decease Gideon returned and continued until about 1835, when he sold out to John Taggart.

In the Poor store Leonard Kimball was in trade in 1832, and his occupation of the building appears to be of short duration, since in 1834 he was followed by Levi Sargent. About 1837 Maj. George Poor assumed the management, and the store was conducted by the Poor family for a number of years. Major Poor was succeeded by his son Eliphalet, Eliphalet by Alfred, Alfred by his sons, George B. and Edgar, and they in turn by Frank and Horace Jones. The store building was eventually purchased by B. F. Greer, who occupied the same for mercantile purposes until 1906, disposing of his goods to the present occupant, John W. Tarr.

Upon the southerly side of the river at Grasmere in 1810, Moses Poor was in trade where Charles George afterwards lived, the house now owned by Sarah George, and judging by an old account book did quite a flourishing business.

David A. Bunton was in trade in 1832 in the house where John Greer now lives. In 1870, George Henry began trade on the northerly side of the river, in his dwelling-house, and continued in business his lifetime, and at his decease the plant was purchased by William Hammond, who has since continued the business.

At Amoskeag Col. Daniel Farmer had a store at the corner, at what is now known as the Colby place. The brick store at Amoskeag was built by the Jones brothers, Seth Kendrick, Shubael T. and Joseph. Seth K. and Shubael T. met with financial reverses; Walter and Joseph succeeded them, and subsequently the store was occupied for a time by Seth Quimby, while Samuel Quimby and Hall were in trade down nearer the river.

Among the other merchants and business men of Amoskeag were Darwin J. Daniels, who at one time did a flourishing business; Joseph B. Quimby & Co. and John Allison. H. B. Claflin once lived at Amoskeag, and here first obtained his business ideas, subsequently going to New York and becoming, for one of his time, extremely wealthy.

So important a place was Amoskeag that the first circus that ever exhibited within the confines of the city of Manchester was on the plains on the Dunbarton Road.

About 1870, Thomas Stevens began the storage and delivery of ice in Goffstown Village upon a small scale, and after his decease and as the business increased W. P. Paige constructed a house and began the storage of ice upon a much larger scale. Mr. Paige was succeeded by Charles G. Barnard, who still further increased the business by the construction of a house upon the bank of the river, and afterwards upon the Whittle Brook, near the residence of James Holden, where the business is now conducted by Edward M. Hart.

The coal business has for many years been an important trade in Goffstown; Charles G. Barnard, Edward W. Goodwin, Selwin T. Martin, Willis A. Martin and Benjamin F. Greer at Grasmere have been among the most prominent.

Alfred Story was a dealer in shingles, clapboards and dressed lumber, and at his decease his son John W. conducted the same until 1900, when he disposed of the same to George M. Story.

Among the other merchants engaged in various lines of business at different times in Goffstown we principally mention Robert M. Gordon, flour and grain, on the north side of the river; Charles C. Moore in the same business on the south side; John F. Vance at the Blaisdell Mill; Henry H. Smith, shoes, etc., Frank E. Paige, dry-goods, both in Paige block; Mrs. Swett and Roswell Davis in Whipple's block; Warren B. Richards; Fred Dubois; John B. Carraway, Charles S. and Samuel H. Balch, meat and provisions in Green's block; Ira Harvey on the Mast Road; Alfred J. Levesque at the limit.