Genealogy research is often a parade of dates—birth, marriage, death. But every so often, a detail jumps off the page and makes a person feel real.
One of those details in this line is simple: Augustus Tuttle owned a store.
A census snapshot: farmer in 1850#
In 1850, Augustus Tuttle appears in Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont, recorded as a farmer. That fits what you’d expect for a 20-year-old in mid-century Vermont: land, labor, seasons, and the kind of work that rarely leaves a paper trail beyond the census.
1857: a general store in Cavendish village#
Later evidence points to a shift from farming toward commerce. A biographical sketch of Oscar S. Tuttle (Augustus’s brother) states that in 1857 the brothers opened a general store in Cavendish village under the firm name “A. & O. S. Tuttle.”
A general store in 1850s Vermont wasn’t a specialty shop—it was the community’s supply chain. Even when we don’t yet have the original store ads or ledger books in hand, “general store” typically meant a wide range of practical goods: household staples, basic tools, cloth and notions, and whatever else people needed between trips to larger towns.
1863: the business moves to Holyoke and focuses on dry goods#
The same biographical account notes a second move: in the fall of 1863, the brothers relocated their business to Holyoke, Massachusetts and confined it to dry goods.
That phrase matters. In 19th-century terms, “dry goods” usually means textiles, clothing, and related wares—not groceries or hardware. In other words: the business appears to have shifted from “everything the town needs” (Cavendish) to a more specialized retail model (Holyoke).
A later advertising description for O. S. Tuttle in Holyoke reinforces the kind of merchandise being sold there—items like cloaks, suits, ladies’ underclothing, and “small wares,” with a Holyoke address on High Street. That may represent the later continuation of the Holyoke operation (possibly after the partnership changed), but it helps us understand what “dry goods” meant in practice.
The open questions (and why they’re fun)#
The core arc—farmer → Cavendish general store → Holyoke dry goods—is strong, but the best genealogy stories tighten when we add primary sources:
- What exactly did the Cavendish store sell (ads, ledgers, tax lists)?
- Where exactly was it located (map, deed, directory, lot description)?
- How long did the A. & O. S. Tuttle partnership last, and how did it evolve once in Holyoke?
Those questions are answerable—and the trail is likely sitting in city directories, newspapers, and local records.
Sources (genealogy-friendly)#
- 1850 U.S. census, Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont, entry for Augustus Tuttle (occupation: farmer).
- History of Windsor County, Vermont (1891), biographical sketch of Oscar S. Tuttle (states A. & O. S. Tuttle general store opened in Cavendish village in 1857; removed to Holyoke and focused on dry goods in fall 1863).
- Holyoke-era advertising/business listing for O. S. Tuttle (dry goods; High Street address; apparel and small wares).