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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Historic Businesses of the
Tri-Counties
Local Business History Section
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008
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Do You Know that you can search just the
Business
pages of the site by using the Business button in the
Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current
What's New Page? You will also find extensive business information
in the Directory section. |
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History of Shepard's Store in Mosherville, Wells Township,
Bradford County, Pennsylvania
As told to Harold Shepard by his mother, Elsie LUCKEY Shepard. Submitted
by Shirley Smith
After Charles Wilson (C.W.) Shepard, son of Nathan and Jane CASE
Shepard who were successful farmers in Wells Township, received his discharge
from Company A 207 Regiment of Pennsylvania in 1865, he rejoined his family
on the farm.
In 1885, C.W. and his wife, Ethlin Wilson Shepard, opened the general
merchandise store in Wells. Besides groceries, the store carried hardware,
clothing, and general farm supplies.
When C.W. died in 1890, his widow, Ethlin, continued the business
until their son, Louis Wilson (L.W.) Shepard became of age to manage the
store.
L.W. and his wife, Elsie Luckey Shepard, operated the business until
1929, when health problems prevented L.W. to continue.
The store was leased to John G. (Scuffy) Davis for a short time.
To support her family of four children, Elsie resumed the operation of
the store, with the help of the family: daughters, Helen (Sweet), Julia
(Holton), and sons, Charles, and Harold, and L.W., when his health would
allow.
Elsie, not only carried on the business, but was very active in community
activities, extremely interested in the church, serving on the school board,
and being the first called if someone was ill or dying.
| When Charles Louis Shepard (Elsie & L.W.’s son) was discharged
from the Army in 1945, he joined his Mother in the family store. In 1984,
when Charles died, the store was sold to its present owners, Richard (Rick)
and Jenny Wright. Charles and Rick were good friends. Rick had worked in
the store while he was going to school.
Photo at right by Joyce M. Tice 31 DEC 2003. Shirley will send some
old ones soon. |
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Along with the general merchandise, the store sold ice. The ice house
was located behind the Shepard family home, located on the upper side of
the road from the store. When electricity came to Wells (Mosherville) in
1930, demand for ice was greatly reduced and the ice house was closed.
Much of the ice came from a pond on the Roy Steven’s farm, located just
outside Mosherville toward Daggett. It should be noted, that the store
remained under ownership of the Shepard family for one year less than a
century.
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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