Wyer G. Sargent and Son General Store (BUS.2)
The Wyer G. Sargent and Son General Store, opened in this new building in 1874, was one of Wyer G. Sargent’s many business ventures.
Beginning in 1855, Sargentville had its own post office which was located in the earlier Sargent store building and George M. Sargent was the first post master. The post office building, on the right in the photo, was completed in 1892 and had multiple mail deliveries each day. A small office on the left of the store was a Custom House.
Interior of the store in 1929. L to R, Ernest Grindle, Walter Cousins, Henry Webb, Chandler Bowden. There was a large meeting hall, called Sargent Hall, on the third floor.
Wyer’s first store, in 1843, was on the downhill side of his home which is the white house in the center of this photo. In 1845 it moved to the building in the forefront that they called “the iron store” and in 1874 he opened the general store just beyond the brook at the bottom of the hill.
 Wyer’s home around 1870 after he raised it and added a second story. |
 Wyer Groves Sargent (1810-1900) |
 The general store sold just about everything, including fishing outfits, clam bait, lumber, coal, gasoline and paving blocks. |
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Before the advent of motorized vehicles Chandler Bowden would make deliveries from the Sargent Store in this carriage drawn by Bell, a beautiful horse that was 5 years old and weighed 1410 lbs. without a saddle.
There were two routes; one went by Walker’s Pond and the other to north Sedgwick along the Ridge Road. People knew he was coming and Grace Lymburner, for one, would always have homemade doughnuts and a cup of coffee for him when he arrived. Sometimes he would take his daughter Rebecca with him and she too enjoyed the doughnuts.1
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1 Personal communication with Rebecca Bowden Wanbaugh, 10/10/2014.