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The Preparation
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a grist mill near the store and later a lumber yard.

These conveniences for the farmers to get grocery and drygoods supplies, and to turn into flour their wheat, and supply building materials, made the Gillingham Store "at the Corners" a centre not only for the village but all the surrounding townships. It supplied everything for the farm and the household, stoves, agricultural implements, hardware, clothing for women, men and boys.

The farmers brought in their poultry, eggs and butter, their pork, potatoes and apples, their wheat and oats, and traded them for harrows and harness, muslin and silk, soap and tobacco, powder and shot.

Gillingham's supplies came from Philadelphia, and thither he hauled the accumulated produce and sold it to the country produce dealers there for cash. Generally the wagons were driven to Morrisville or Bristol, where the miscellaneous cargo was transferred to a sailboat and carried to Philadelphia.

Gillingham's business was considerable, as shown by his books. One winter, for example, nineteen hogsheads of sugar were