Beyond The Company Store – One Property Many Uses 1890 to Present
John B Danyaw Home & Store
According to the 1982 UVM Historic Homes study this location’s first structure became the home of John Daniel in 1890. Land records show the first Danyaw family associated with the property was that of John B and Dora E Danyaw who purchased the property in 1914.
John first worked for H.C. Royce at the store in Sheldon Springs where he learned the retail trade. He left the Royce Store in 1923 to open his own store.
The State of Vermont issued beer licenses to him on 7/30/1935 and 5/1/1936.
This ad appeared in the Saint Albans Daily Messenger
January 22, 1937.
It validates the existence of both the Missisquoi Store
and the J.B. Danyaw store in Sheldon Springs.
John was well connected to wholesalers through
his employment by Royce at the Missisquoi Store.
Note other merchats you may be familiar with.
John and Dora leased the business for one year to Nelson Cantell on 11/17/1941.
It appears that the lease ended prior to the one year time
The Ray Danyaw Garage
On March 15, 1946, John B and Dora E. Danyaw deeded property to
Ray Danyaw for a filling station on then Main Street Sheldon Springs.
Land records and mortgage records point to a Socony gas station on t
he location with leases to J B. Danyaw and then to A C Stanley.
A C Stanley and his wife Virginia ran the store and gas pumps during this time.
James McFeeters in this photo stands in the doorway of the garage.
Ray Danyaw employed him at the time.
Don McFeeters of the Sheldon Historical Society donated this photo.
James is Don’s dad.
In this photo the original Danyaw store building appears to the left.
The property adjacent to their home and store exists today.
Todd Derry continues to use the building for his repair business.
Albert Doner, John’s Danyaw’s Father-in-law, owned a large grocery store in Sheldon Jct.
Due to Mr Donner’s failing health, John and Dora bought the store in Sheldon Jct. in 1942
and continued in that business until December 1962 when he sold the Junction business
to Clesson Laroche of Rice Hill.
After owning two stores for 5 years and leasing the Sheldon Springs store,
John and Dora deeded the Sheldon Springs property to Raymond J Dolan on April 10, 1947.
No mention of the continued existence of a store at this location exists.
The Danyaw name continues to reign in Sheldon with one daughter-in-law
previously waiting on customers in a local quick stop.
A grand daughter still clerks at the same store.
It seems as if retail blood runs in the family or Napoleon Danyaw
the patriarch who owned farm property adjacent to the Sheldon Poor Farm.
Raymond Dolan and a Restaurant?
Raymond J Dolan purchased this property from John B and Dora E Danyaw on April 9, 1947.
Although no “restaurant” appears during the Danyaw store years, the Burlington Free Press
report notes a failed land transaction between Raymond J Dolan and Ulric Berard
involving the dispute over the down payment on a restaurant in Sheldon.
The original transaction occurred on March 28, 1948 less than one year
after his purchase from the Danyaw family.
At some time between April 1947 and May 1949
a restaurant (The Sheldon Restaurnat) and (Jim’s)barber shop
begin doing business in this location.
The D’Agostino Era
After two years ownership Dolan sold out to Michael and Luella D’Agostino on April 19, 1949.
Both Michael and Luella appear on the form “Doing Business As” “Sheldon Restaurant” on May 1, 1949. T
he State of Vermont issued licenses for both class 1 and class 3 alcoholic beverages in both names on May 1, 1949.
The Burlington Free Press Friday May 6, 1949
“Sheldon Springs Restaurant, Barber Shop Under New Head – Sheldon Springs –
The restaurant and barber shop have been operating under new management since May 1.”
This begs the question of when and under whose management the restaurant began.
A change in the DBA from both parties to only Luella occurred on August 22, 1951.
On September 9, 1952 the couple deeded the property to Attorney John Kissane of St. Albans
who immediately deeded the property back to only Luella D’Agostino.
Luella apparently ran the “restaurant” bar until 1965 when the property transferred
to the ownership of Gordon Meader on July 13, 1965.
As a side note, Michael D’Agistino purchased land from the Missisquoi Corporation on September 25, 1958
where he constructed the existing U S Post Office. He served as Post Master at Sheldon Springs from
10/13/1951 until 6/3/1977.
Mike was noted by others to be a man of considerable size about 6 5 and 250 pounds who had been a former wrestler.
They also add “Yes” this was a restaurant as well as a bar but little food was consumer on the weekend.
Mike operated the “Cribbage” tournaments out of the American Legion in Enosburg Falls but after a
falling out with them he moved his allegiance to Sheldon Springs were he built a
Legion group of considerable size. Although the numbers have shrunk the post continues
to this day with Doug Corwell at the helm
Although not strictly a “retail” store the post office did indeed serve as a “business” and “social”
conduit for the community. Often until the 1950s the postal facility resided in a store.
Gordon Meader 1965 to 1973
According to sources, Gordon was a wild youth and disturbing adult.
He had a number of accidents and traffic violations.
His obit shows him as 54 when he died and retired from the MPP.
He lived in Sheldon Springs for 35 years prior to his death.
He was a WWII veteran and a member of the American Legion.
The Burlington Free Press March 15, 1960
Burlington Free Press Oct 7, 1957
“Gordon Meader, 35, of Sheldon Springs, was charged with breach of peace.
Meader pleaded guilty and was given a 30-day suspended jail term.
He was order to pay a court cost of $12.85.”
The Burlington Free Press July 14, 1958
“A 1957 sedan owned and operated by Kenneth Barkyoumb, 31, of RFD1,
was struck in the rear by a 1955 sedan owned and operated by Gordon Meader, 38,
of Sheldon Springs. Officers reported that Barkyoumb was turning
into his driveway at the time of the collision.”
The Burlington Free Press May 24, 1960 “Gordon Meader, 41, Sheldon pleaded guilty t
o violation of the law of the road.
Meader paid a fine of $10 and costs of $5.10
The Burlington Free Press Feb 1, 1966 “Gordon R Meader, 46, of Sheldon,
pleaded innocent to careless and negligent driving with accident resulting
and was released on $100 bail.”
Bethel Baranik 1973 to 2006
Bethel Baranik returned the structure to its original purpose as a boarding house
and apartment building when she purchased it from Gordon Meader on May 12, 1973
only a short few days prior to Mr. Meader’s sudden death due to a heart attack on July 22, 1973.
The Warranty Deed uniquely refers to her as a “widow” The mortgage taken by Bethel with
the Howard Bank of Enosburg was discharged on March 5, 1987.
Her obituary reads in part, “Bethel Stowe was born in
Berkshire, VT on May 5, 1929 … and married George Baranik
on August 12, 1955. In 1962 she became a widow with 5 children
at the age of 33. Bethel was a stay at home mom and a landlord up to her death.”
Land records show that on July 28, 2006 she willed the property
to her two sons Jeffery and Richard. In as much as this property
ceased being a retail business we ceased following the line of ownership.