Jonah Thomas purchased the lot at 200 South Main from village founder Jonathan Wright in 1833 for $30 and built the front portion of the building as his home and a harness shop. As a member of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, Thomas was an ardent abolitionist and a conductor on the Underground Railroad, risking his life and property to escort runaway slaves on their flight to freedom. He sold the property in 1839 and moved across the street to 205 South Main Street. In 1875, James Merritt bought the building and opened a grocery and bakery. From 1890 to 1942, the building served as the Village Post Office.