Post Card from Dieter Friedrichsen's collection
Now (2004), Photo by Teddi
The first mention of a store in Salt Point was, that in 1833 Anthony G. Badgley sold all his property, including “the stock of goods in his store” to James Losee and William Heermance. Mr. Badgley had purchased the property in 1825, which would indicate that a store had existed here prior to 1833, possibly as early as 1825.
It changed ownership four times before Dr. Gilbert Pearsall purchased it in 1850 for $500. In this General Store, every imaginable item was sold or bartered, such as all kind of sugars, cloth, liquors, tobacco, candy, stationery, newspapers, hardware and other items, which the predominantly farming oriented folks in Salt Point could not grow or make themselves. Dr. Pearsall sold the store in 1864 to Platt G. Van Vliet for $1000, who then sold it to Elmer Van Vliet in 1868. It changed hands again in 1874, when John Coons bought “the store and lot” for $3500, and had his son, Calvin Coons, run the store for him.
Alexander De La Vergne married Abigail Coons. and in 1898 bought the property and continued the store. At his death in 1913, his son Charles became proprietor, and in 1919 Charles’ brother Paul came into the business. The motto of the store was “Alex De La Vergne’s Sons – The Store with a Welcome”. In 1946 Charles De La Vergne turned his share of the business over to his son, Charles Meredith De La Vergne, who continued the store in partnership with his uncle Paul. Meredith retired in 1973, the store became known as “P.J.’s Point Grocery” and still operates under new ownership today.
The store also served as the Salt Point Post Office, with Anthony G. Badgley being the first Post Master, appointed in 1829. Other store owners, also serving as Post Masters were Gilbert T. Pearsall, Elmer Van Vliet, John Coons, Calvin Coons and Charles De La Vergne, who was appointed on January 19, 1915. Since then, Harry C. Ostrander, Evangeline O. Porter, William E. Roder, Elizabeth Barton, John Roberts and Karen Pitcher have served as Post Masters. The current Post Master is David King, appointed on March 10, 2001.
Information provided by Dieter Friedrichsen