12 Lafountain Street
Lafountain Street, with the rest of Burlington’s Old North End, was developed in the mid-nineteenth century to accommodate the rapidly growing population of workers, many of whom were Irish and French Canadian immigrants, workers in the city’s lumber industry, mills, and other commercial enterprises. Actually, one might say that the roots of Lafountain Street were set in 1833 when the Lafontaine family arrived from Canada. North Street, at the time, ran through a pine forest. Mr. Weston and George Shaw, a lawyer, owned most of the land north of North Street, and the LaFontaine’s first home was a small one on North Street where Lafountain Street now starts. Between 1855 and 1860, Shaw and Weston laid out Lafountain Street, naming it after the LaFontaine’s son, Alfred, who later settled in the brick house which is #9-11 Lafountain Street, across from #12.
The Vermont Historic Sites and Structures Survey of 1978 gives #12 a date of circa 1869, but Burlington Land records show a deed for the lot from William G. Shaw, son of George Shaw, to Bridget Moran, dated 20 April 1871. It is not known who built the house, a vernacular L- shaped style with front-facing gable and side porch. It retains its Wood clapboard siding and slate roof to the present day.
Bridget was apparently a widow. She is first listed in the 1870 census for Burlington as having been born in Ireland, being then 50. This does not match her death certificate, which gives her age as 75 in 1898. Her brief obituary, in the Free Press, notes that her only survivor an unmarried daughter, Maria, who had been living with her. Her burial place was Mount St. Joseph Cemetery on Archibald Street. However, present records show no sign of her grave. Further records for Bridget have been unusually sparse so far. St. Mary’s Church in Burlington records a marriage on September 30, 1848, between William Moran and Bridget Walsh, but there are no further records of the baptisms of children and no death record for William, so no proof that this is the right couple.
Bridget’s home, #12, appears on the Hopkins 1890 map of Burlington. She gave her daughter Maria possession of her property in 1896. After her mother’s death, Maria remained in the house for several years, renting out a section first to Philip Blondin, a carpenter, then to Edmond A. Bisson, a plumber with G.S. Blodgett, and finally to John O’Donahue, also a plumber with his own business. At this point Maria moved to 362 South Union, sharing a house with two other ladies until her death in 1911.
Starting in 1911, Edward Lavallee and his wife Emma were the new residents. He was a tailor with a shop at 4 North Champlain Street. This family owned the house for the longest period of any of the owners. Edward and Emma had been married for 20 years when they bought the house. They raised a family, and lived there for the rest of their lives.
By 1930 the tailor shop was at 80 Pearl Street. In 1949, Edward was still a tailor; he was also an assistant judge of the Chittenden County Court and a Street Commissioner. By 1956 Edward was retired; he died in 1960. His son, Albert O. Lavallee, wife Elsie, and his sister Emma were living at #12 after that.
James Brown Bought the house in 1981. He lived at 18 Lafountain and rented out #12. By the late 1980s Philip and Florence Higgins were owners and residents.
The deed of April 19, 1993 shows Rita M. Markley and Kathleen K. Farnham as the owners, then Alicia Jacobs in 1997, and Andrew D. Jones and Helen E. Rock in September of 2000. Records show renovations to the building during their ownership, maintaining its traditional appearance. They sold to the present owners, who, with other residents, are making the Old North End a lively community again.
Image credit: Redfin
REFERENCES
Burlington Land Records
Burlington City Directories, 1865 to 1990
Vermont Historic Sites and Structures Survey, 1978
Beers Map of Burlington VT, 1869
Hopkins Map of Burlington VT, 1890
Vital Statistics Records, Burlington VT
US Census records, 1870, 1880
Burlington Weekly Free Press, November 10, 1898, page 5
Barre Evening Telegram, April 23, 1900, LAST EDITION, 4 o’clock, Image 2
Historic Guide to Burlington Neighborhoods, Vol. I, dy David J. Blow, Chittenden County Historical Society: pp. 196-197.