The Penning Store
&
Chesterfield Center Post Office
A recent discovery in the Chesterfield Historical Society archives was the draft of an article dated April 12, 1970, about the Penning Store and Post Office. It was intended for the Keene Sentinel and written by Mrs. George H. Joslin of Spofford. She wrote as follows:
On May 2nd, Paul M. Penning of Chesterfield will close its doors as a general store after operating for forty years. The closing will take place in the form of an auction of all his merchandise in the evening by auctioneer Paul Lawton. The Chesterfield Post Office will continue to operate in the same building. The closing of the Penning store marks the closing of a general store that has operated continuously for one hundred and eighty-eight years, and a landmark to all who have passed by its doors.
A store was first built on this location by John Pierce* in 1782. Twenty-nine different managers had operated this store when in 1847 it was leveled by fire, the owner being Asa Marsh. He constructed the present stone building in 1849. This building was first occupied by his two sons, John L.A. and Fred W. (Marsh) and since by Henry O. Coolidge, James M. Herrick, Romanzo C. Cressey, Murry Davis, Larkin Farr, James H. Goodrich II, Dennis Farmer, Melvin and Edward Harvey, Burton Thatcher, Ellon Safford, Care and Nellie Hill, Floyd Fuller, who still lives in town. In 1930, Fuller sold it to Paul Penning.
Mrs. Penning, who the past year was elected Postmaster on Paul’s retirement, will continue as Postmaster as of now, in same building, as she "does not care to operate a store..."
*John Pierce (1743 - 1812) was a Captain in the Chesterfield Militia and a participant in the Battle of Bennington. He was the father of Ezekiel Pierce, builder and founding proprietor of the now Stone House Tavern Museum.
Chesterfield Center Post Office Sign
(Made by Paul M. Penning for Ethel Mills.
It hangs in the CHS building's foyer)
Note signage above coach.
Photo by Paul M. Penning
(Possibly taken during Old Home Days.)
(Courtesy of Peter Mitchell)
Some Notable Chesterfield Center Stone Store Managers:
The Marsh brothers, John L.A and Fred W. Marsh, were nephews of Charles Marsh, co-founder of Jordan, Marsh & Co. Although John returned to farming, Frederick opened a store in Chester Depot, VT.
Henry O. Coolidge II was a merchant who besides being postmaster for eight years (non-consecutively) was town clerk, selectman, and town representative before moving to Keene in 1869. There, he continued a successful political career.
Romanzo Cressey became a member of the firm “Perry & Cressey” of Brattleboro, dealers of boots and shoes. He was Postmaster from 1868 - 73.
Murry Davis was a farmer, Justice of the Peace, selectman, and an 1881 Representative to the State Legislature. He was Postmaster from 1873 - 75.
James H. Goodrich II was a blacksmith, manufacturer of lumber, a surveyor, selectman, and town representative in the State Legislature. He was Postmaster from 1875 - 1881.
Edward Hermon Harvey was a meat merchant and brother to Mrs. Agnes Stone, Chief Justice Harlan Stone’s wife.
Burt Thatcher was a farmer; his picture appears on the Blacksmith Sign that is in front of the CHS building.
Paul M. Penning, besides being Postmaster and owner/operator of the Penning Store, was selectman from 1933 into the 1970s. An avid photographer, part of his vast collection of Chesterfield photos were gifted to CHS and appear frequently on our Facebook page and in Bits of History.
Chesterfield's First Postmaster
Ebenezer Harvey (1728 - 1810) was appointed the first postmaster of Chesterfield in 1802 and held the office till his death in 1810. He was definitely a man of strong convictions. According to The History of Chesterfield by O. F. Randall, in June 1777, Harvey was accused by Chesterfield's Committee of Safety of being "inimical to the Liberties of the American States". This resulted in him appearing before the "Court of Enquiry" in Keene where he was found guilty. He was fined and confined to his farm by "Bond, until some other Court or Authority could set him free". This would require an "Oath of Loyalty to the American States". In the documents sent to the NH Court in Exeter, it appears Loyalist Harvey had not taken the oath by Dec 13, 1777. If or when he took the oath is unknown, but he remained in Chesterfield. In 1782, he was chosen to be on the Chesterfield town committee that submitted revisions to the NH State Constitution Convention. He also was elected one of the Town's selectmen at the March 5, 1783 town meeting, and again selectmen in 1803.
During the turmoil of the NH Land Grant Controversy, Harvey was an ardent supporter of the "Pro-Vermont Party" and took an Oath of Allegiance to Vermont. He was so adamant in his support for Chesterfield splitting from New Hampshire and joining Vermont, that he was a delegate to the Convention in Walpole on November 15, 1780. It was held to address the process of unification with Vermont. Meanwhile in Exeter, the split was so contentious that an army of 1,000 men was raised to force the return of the seventeen towns east of the Connecticut River that had seceded. The turmoil came to a legal end as a result of Vermont's request for statehood. Vermont would be required to accept the Connecticut River as its eastern boundary. This was acknowledged on Feb. 23, 1782, by the Assembly of Vermont and jurisdiction of the seventeen towns, including Chesterfield, was returned to New Hampshire.
