Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: Fall 2005 Volume 42 Number 4, Page 144

Then... & Now
CURRY'S STORE, CEDAR HOLLOW

Page 144

“Henry Curry, a native of Ireland, kept store for many years in Cedar Hollow. It was located on the north side of Yellow Springs road just west of the dog-leg where St. Joseph's Church stood. During the first administration of President Grover Cleveland, Curry, a staunch Democrat, received authority to establish a post office in his store. The post office was named Tablet. According to local tradition, Curry appropriated the brand name off a box of crackers on his shelf. The post office opened in 1888, and he served as Postmaster for almost six years. Curry, a long time accounting warden at St. Peter's Church, never married. He sold his store in the fall of 1913 to Joseph Alleva and died less than a year later. During the Civil War he had served as a first lieutenant with Co. B, 8th Regiment, Delaware Infantry Volunteers.”

From Sue Andrews, “Old Houses and History of Devault and Cedar Hollow,” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 38, No. 2 (April 2000), p. 54.

It is not known when Curry arrived in America or when he first established his store in Cedar Hollow. At that time many post offices were in general stores and Curry was Postmaster there from 1888 to 1901. It may be found on the Cedar Hollow map on pages 124 and 125 of this issue as either #12 or #14. The map is of the late 1930s or early 1940s, so John Alleva's mother occupied it then and had her bread bakery there. The building is still standing at 2329 Yellow Springs Road and is still in the family. Dan Alleva, John's son, runs his auctioneering business there.

The image at the top left is called “3 Good Democrats.” The lower right corner of this image is a photograph from the Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society archives and shows, from left to right, Harry B. Schofield, owner of Schofield's store and post office in Paoli, Joshua Hibberd, and Henry Curry. Sue Andrews, artist, enhanced the photograph by drawing in the rest of Curry's store. Courtesy of Sue Andrews. The bottom photograph shows the building today and was taken in November 2005. Photograph by Joyce A. Post.