Yale University Library 39002003172930 ni«n' riiii#mniW|jL?K4i ^1^,. t J' ^ '1 WlljlBaF*,^ ^¦4 r OTIUftSINE UTERIS ™RS EST, b^ ^ The Homes of our Ancestors IN STONINGTON, CONN. BY GRACE DENISON WHEELER SALEM, MASS. Newcomb & G-auss, Peintebs. 1903. Copyright 190S BY G-BACE Denison Wiieelek. ens' Coby ^ TO WITH MANY PLEASANT MEMOEIES OF TWILIGHT TALKS AND MID-DAY DEIVES AMONG THE HILLS AND VALP:S op STONINGTON. PREFACE. All my life, I have heard and enjoyed the incidents and anecdotes, connected with the old houses referred to within this book, and believing that others would appreciate them also, I have endeavored to arrange them for publication, and most sincerely thank all the friends who have so kindly helped to make this work possible. I trust all errors and omissions will be pardoned, and that it will prove acceptable, as it is intended to be a companion book to my father's " History of Stonington," which was devoid of illustrations. Geace Denison Wheeler. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Page Birthplace of the author, Frontispiece Thomas Stanton house, 2 The Thomas Miner house, 6 Road Meeting-house, 9 The Tavern house, 19 Church parlors, 26 The Baker house, 28 Mr. Charles S. Noyes house, 29 Joseph ISToyes house, 30 Dr. Jonathan Gray house, 32 Thomas Palmer house, 33 Gate's house, 34 Dudley Brown house, 36 Woodbridge house, 37 The Moss homestead, 39 Peleg Denison house, 40 The Gallup house, 41 The Co^Dp house, 42 Home of the Stanton Bros., 44 Dean Mills, 47 Alec Palmer house, 54 Grist mill, 56 The Fanning house, 57 The Eobert Denison house, 58 Darius Denison house, 69 Ambrose Miner house, 60 Cayanaugh house, 62 The Geo. Denison homestead, 65 Chimney of Benadam Gal- lup's house, 66 The Joshua Brown house, 67 White Hall, 68 Mrs. Lucy Stanton Wheeler's residence, 69 Col. Nathan Wheeler house, 70 Stephen Avery house, 71 Ebenezer Williams house, 72 Nathaniel Williams house, 73 Thomas Williams house, 74 Eichard Hempstead house, 75 The Martin White house, 76 Page Kellogg house, 77 The Eldredge house, 78 Gen. John Gallup house, 79 The Bennett house, 80 The Clift house, 81 Hyde mansion, 82 Elijah Williams' house, 84 Chester house, 85 Amos AVilliams hotel, 86 Enoch Burrows house, 87 Dr. Maiming house, 88 Christopher Leeds house, 89 The Lewis house, 90 Prentice Williams house, 91 Dea. Eleazer Wiili^^s house, 93 Stanton Williams house, 95 Beebe Denison house, 97 John Denison homestead, 98 Henry N. Palmer's residence,100 Judge Gilbert Collins' resi dence, past and present, 102 The Nat Noyes house, 104 Samuel Doughty house, 106 Grandison barn, 107 Capt. Alex Palmer place, 109 Dr. William Hyde house, 110 Polly Breed house. 111 William Terrett house, 1 11 Samuel Trumbull house, 112 Capt. Lodowick Niles house, 114 Dea. Fellows house, 115 Jabish Holmes house, 116 The Cobb house, 117 Joseph Wright house, 119 The Fanning house, 120 Capt. Amos Palmer house, 121 Col. Oliver Smith house, 124 Capt. Edm'd Fanning house, 128 Dr. Lord's hall, 129 Aunt Mary Howe's house, 130 Col. Joseph Smith home stead, 132 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Eells house, 133 Samuel Denison house, 134 The Eodman house, 136 Zebulon Stanton hotise, 137 Elder Swan's house, 138 Elder Elihu Chesebrough house, 139 Dudley Palmer house, 140 Billings Burtch house, 141 Thomas Burtch house, 142 Eichard Eldred house, 143 Ashbey house, 143 Nathaniel Miner house, 144 Acors Sheffield, or Capt. Ben Pendleton's house, 145 Amos Sheffield house, 145 The Morrill house, 147 Capt. Jesse Beebe house, 148 Fairbrother house, 149 Phelps' house, 150 The Waldron house, 151 John Denison house, 152 Joshua Haley house, 153 Thomas Ash house, 164 Eev. Ira Hart homestead, 155 Dr. Charles Phelps house, 158 York place, 160 Mount Pleasant, 162 Crary house, 163 Samuel Wheeler house, 164 Elisha Williams house, 166 Lester Wheeler house, 168 George Culver house, 169 Wheeler school house, 170 Hyde Place, 174 Paul Wheeler homestead, 176 Perez Wheeler house, 177 Maj. Gen. Wm. Williams house, 179 Clement Miner house, 180 Home of Judge Richard A. Wheeler, 183 The Jonathan Wheeler homestead, 187 High barn, 189 Clark Davis house, 190 Page Putnam house, 194 Joseph Smith house, 195 Col. Amos Chesebrough homestead, 197 Miner Noyes house, 200 Squire Joseph Noyes house, 201 Epbraim Williams Place, 203 James Noyes house, 206 Capt. Thos. Noyes mansion, 206 The old home of Dea. John Noyes, 208 Samuel Stanton house, 209 Eev. Nathaniel Eells house, 211 Adam States, or Wentworth place, 213 Samuel Palmer house, 214 The Ehodes mansion, 215 Col. ^Vm. Eandall house, 218 Keiiyon house, 221 Stephen Babcock place, 222 Joshua Gardner house, 223 Briggs Jeffords house, 224 The Jimmy Noyes homestead, 226 The Helmn's house, 227 The Sheffield house, 227 Dr. A^'m. Eobinson house, 228 Thomas Noyes house, 229 Paul Babcock place, 230 Old Bradford house, 232 The Davis homestead, 233 AA'illiam Stanton house, 234 Thomas Stanton's home stead. 235 Lemuel Palmer's home, 236 Baldwin house, 239 The Fish place. 240 Dr. Nathan Palmer's home, 242 James Babcock homestead, 243 Harry Hinckley house, 246 King David Chesebrough's estate, 246 Samuel Stanton house, 248 The birthplace of Capt. Charles P. Williams, 249 Elias Chesebrough house, 251 Ezra Chesebrough house, 262 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Old Homesteads sacred to all that can Gladden or sadden the heart of man, Over whose thresholds of oak and stone Life and death have come and gone. — Whittier. When our ancestors came to Stonington to live, they certainly chose the most beautiful places in the whole town to locate themselves, at Pa wcatuck Rock, Wequetequock and Quiambaug Cove, Mystic and Quaquataug. We notice they settled usual ly on land near the water and for very gooA reasons : in the ¦water was fish of many kinds, while on the shore, clams could be found and above the water were sea-gulls and wild ducks. On the low land near by could be cut the marsh hay for their cattle which they had brought with them, as we see by the deed to Walter Palmer from ex-Gov. Haynes in 1653. We know that the landscape did not present the same appearance then, that it does now, but the same sun threw its lights and shadows over hill and valley and brightened the sparkling waters or darkened them as the clouds passed over. The same wind blew its gentle zephyrs in summer and gales in winter. The ebb and flow of the tide, seemingly controlled by the moon, was watched then as now at Wequetequock Cove, where William Chese brough, blacksmith and gunsmith in the summer of 1649, built the first house in Stonington, not far from the present residence of Mr. Irtis Maine, on the west bank and overlooking the Cove, and brought his wife and four sons there to live. There is no record left of the style or appearance of this house, but it was probably a log house as were most of those of the early settlers. 1 ^ OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Some years after, frame houses were built of heavy oak timbers, half a yard wide, the rafters were much larger than those of our modern houses and the sides of the houses were covered with oak clapboards, smoothed with a shaving knife. Within, only the sides of the rooms, which were about seven feet high, Avere plastered. The floor Avas of oak plank. The windows consisted of two small frames, set with diamond shaped panes, fastened by hinges, that Avere secured to the side of the house. The outer doors Avere of double oaken plank with spikes driven into them and fastened at night by heavy Avooden bars Avhich rendered secure the inmates through the night. THOMAS STANTON HOUSE. Mr. Thomas Stanton obtained land at Pawcatuck in 1650 and built his trading-house or store there in 1651 and his house before 1657, in a beautiful spot near the river, but a short dis tance from the present home of Mr. Charles Eandall, where now by the road-side can be seen two grand old elm trees. After a few years he rebuilt it in the same place (Avith perhaps some of the same Avood), which stood there till a short time since. I am indebted to ^frs. Harriet Stanton for the following sketch of her ancestor's dwelling place.— "The frame of this house OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 3 was largely of oak, with windoAV frames of sassafras. It was built in two .sections, the west side being added a genera tion or so later. It was two stories in the main part with a steep roof and fronted to the south, the lower story was seven feet in height and the upper story six feet. On the north side was a lean-to some fifteen feet wide, which extended on the east or earliest built portion including the chimney, its roof being a continuation of that on the main building and sloping low down to the top of the door and window on the north side. From the center rose the large chimney, ten or twelve feet square at the base, Avith fire-places on the sides and rear. South of the chimney was the front entry, Avhich, including the stair way, was about ten by twelve feet. Doors on either side opened into the front rooms ; these doors as well as the outer ones were surmounted by open spaces carved in the wood in scroll pai>- tern and provided with swinging shutters ^or cold weather. The outer door was very large and heavy and was fastened by a AVOoden latch of adequate proportions. Stairs on the left, led by two turns or landings, which were divided from corner to corner, to a passage over the entry below, from which at the right and left, doors opened into the east and west chambers and these rooms were of the same size as the rooms on the first floor. The upper entry was lighted by a window in the center, over the front door. Open stairs of oak led to the garret above, which was lighted by a window in each end. The front stairs were of pine, as well as the balustrade, which was fashioned by hand work. The windows were large and high and the panes of glass, small. Including the garret, there were six rooms in the main structure. The west room, above and below was lighted by four windoAvs, two at the south and two at the west. The east room, which was not so large, had one window to the south and a door and window at the east beloAV, and three windows in the room above. All these rooms were pro vided with ample fire-places. The kitchen occupied the west end of the lean-to with doors opening into the east front room 4 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. and out doors at the north, with one Avindow also to the north. On the west side was an open stairway, made in ladder shape, Avhich led to the room above ; this room occupied the space of the kitchen, bedroom and pantry below and the roof slanted down to the floor on the north side, it had a fire-place and Avas the domain of the blacks. In the floor of this lean-to was a trap door, leading by steps to a square excavation ; in this place valuables of the family Avere stored for safety at various times ; once in the time of King Philip's Avar in 1675, and the back-logs were placed over the opening to conceal it. East of the kitchen was a square bedroom opening out of the front room, with one Avindow to the east, and back of this bedroom Avas a buttery (a dark room Avith shelves). There Avere also closets in both front rooms, made by the slope of the chimney Avith the upper part in open buffet style. The fire-places Avere deep caverns, the jamb and back being at right angles to each other and the hearth stones. In the sides of the living room, hanging on spikes, driven into pieces of Avood, built into the structure for that purpose, Avere the long-handled frying pans, the pot hooks, the boring iron, the branding iron, the long iron peel, the roast ing hook, the fire pan, the scoop-shaped fire shovel, Avith a trivet or two. The stout slice and tongs leaned against the jambs in front; in the best room, these were surmounted Avith brass to match the fire dogs or andirons and Avere accompanied bj- a bellows. In the living room all these Avere of iron. In one end of the fire-place Avas the oven, its mouth flush Avith the back of the fire-place and closed with an iron door. In this nook, when the oven was not in use, stood a square oaken block or bench, on which the children could sit and study the catechism and spelling book by the light of the fire, or Avatch the stars through the square tower above their heads, their vieAV unob structed, save by theblack, shiny lug-pole and its great trammel, or in their season its burden of hams and fletches of pork and venison, hanging to be cured in the smoke. The mantle tree in the living-room was a huge beam of oak while in the front OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 5 room and chambers was a pine shelf and panel work of the same wood ; behind these were small closets, in which Avas stored the choice crockery ware, peAvter and silver, brought from England. In these rooms fires were seldom built except at Aveddings, funerals and state occasions. Here lived generation after generation in a direct line from the first settlement until about 1883, Avhenthe old house, much decayed, was taken down to make room for a new road which was laid out to pass directly over its site." Thomas Stanton's son Thomas, with his wife, who was the daughter of Capt. George Denison by his first wife Bridget Thompson, also lived here and his daughter Dorothy Stanton grew up in this old house, which was quite near to their "Trading House," the only commercial place in the Avhole region. She became acquainted with a young man named Nicholas Lynde, Avho Avas supercargo of a vessel which traded along this coast, and they were married in 1696. While on a voyage to the West.Indies he died, in 1703, and after a little time Mrs. Lynde with her two children Avent to live with their grandfather. Col. Joseph Lynde in Charlestown, Mass., and there the mother married second, John Trerice, in 1708, a AvidoAver forty years older than herself ; after his death she married Samuel Frink Sr., of Stonington, and had one child, William, born in 1711. Mr. Frink dying in 1713, she married again in 1718 her cousin, Robert Denison, and lived at Montville, Ct. Their oldest child they named George Denison after their distinguished grand father, Capt. George, and the daughter was named Dorothy. Mrs. Denison lived until she was 105 years old. In 1652, Mr. Thomas Miner built his house on the east bank of Wequetequock Cove, just a little distance north of the old Fish house, now OAAmed by the Road Cong. Society. In this same house Mr. Walter Palmer came to live in 1653, as his daughter Grace had married Mr. ]\Iiner. There is nothing uoav to show the site of this house, except a slight depression in the ground. Soon after Mr. Palmer came here to live, Mr. Miner 1%^ , 'JC,-.. IIIF. 'IIIOMAS MINER PLACE IN QUIAMBAUG. " By permission of Sidney H. Miner and George D. Stanton, publisliers of the Tliomas Miner Diary." OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 7 moved to Quiambaug and built a new house, facing the south, just east of the present residence of Mr. Cornelius Miner and near the blue Avaters of this Cove; a little hollow in the ground and a few old stone steps, Avith a long row of lilacs which are said to have been brought from England, are the only marks left of the old home of Thomas Miner which was situated on land purchased of Gary Latham of New London. Captain John Gallup chose the east side of Sicanemus or Mystic River, on which to build his house in 1654, quite near the Dea. Warren Lewis house, between Greenmanville and the cemetery. Capt. Gallup's house was double, two stories in front and one in the rear. It faced the south and had a slanting roof. The walls were of heavy timbers and the fcAv windows were small, high and narrow. The great chimney was in the center, with fire-places opening into three large rooms on the first floor, and four upon the second. The second story projected beyond the lower, and deep cellars were below the house for storing the winter provisions. The mortar was made of moss mixed with clay, while some of the other old houses had the cellar mor tared with sea-weed mixed with oyster shells. Captain George Denison went inland a little, but yet where he could overlook the water, and built his house in 1654 a little west of the present old Denison house occupied now by Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Ford. This first house was built of logs, after wards he built a larger one, called the Mansion House and gave it to his son William, whose son George built the present one. Capt. George built a palisaded fort west of this house (parts of which can still be seen), Avhere he mustered in the volunteers who went under his command to the famous swamp fight in 1676. He was also Provost-Marshal of the forces east of the river Thames, who pursued the Narragansett and Wampanaug Indians, defeated them, and brought the Indian Chief, Canonchet to Anguilla in Stonington, who after refusing to make peace with the English, which was offered him, was shot by order of the officer in command just west of Anguilla, near the old 8 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Indian burying ground, which is still protected with apple trees and bushes, which have grown and encircled the graves on this hillside. Here, also. Major John Mason held his council of war and after consulting with Oneco and other Indian Chiefs, decided upon the mode of attack on the Pequots, at ]\Iystic Hill, which site is now well marked by a statue representing Captain Mason in his soldier's attire. The following is a copy of a letter sent by Capt. George Denison to his first wife, Bridget Thompson, in 1640. It is an ordinance, my dear, divine Which God unto the sons of men makes shine Even marriage is that whereof I speak And unto you my mind therein I beak In Paradise, of Adam, God did tell To be alone, for man, would not be well He in His wisdom thought it right To bring a w^oman into Adam's sight A helper that for him might be most mete And comfort him by her doing discreet I of that stock am sprung, I mean from him And also of that tree I am a limb A branch though young, yet do I think it good That God's great vows by man be not Avithstood Alone I am, an helper I would find Which might giA^e satisfaction to my mind The party that doth satisfy the same Is Mistress Bridget Thompson by her name. God having drawn my affections unto thee My heart's desire is thine may be to me Thus with my blottings though I trouble you Yet pass these by because I know not how Though they at this time should much better be For love it is the first have been to thee And 1 could wish that they much better were Therefore I pray accept them as they are So hoping my desire 1 shall obtain Your own true lover I, George Denison by name From my father's house in Roxbury To Miss Bridget Thompson, Stonington, 1640. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 9 Captain Robert Park's house, built by him in 1655, was on the Avestern slope of Quaquataug Hill, commanding a grand view of hill and valley and the winding water of Mystic River. Mr. John ShaAv came to Pawcatuck about this same time but it is not known where he built his house. His son afterwards lived at Taugwonk, where Mr. Latham Miner once lived. ROAD MEETING-nOUSE. Within a few years Josiah Witter, John Searles, Edmund Fanning, James York and still others, came to Stonington and settled, till in 1668 there Avere forty-three heads of families in town. The little cluster of houses at the Road, with the Church and schoolhouse, is a gentle reminder of those early days, when in 1667 the planters of the toAvn appointed a committee to lay out Home Lots for each inhabitant. These lots contained tAvelve 10 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. acres each and were situated upon each side of the ministry land which was on Agreement Hill, where the Road Meeting house now stands, (called so because the first road that was travelled in this town passed through the town plat and by the old Meeting House on Agreement Hill Avhere all the town gatherings were held and public meetings transacted.) The present structure was built in 1829 and is unchanged except that the high, mahogany, circular pulpit has been re placed by a modern platform and desk. The first pulpit was supported by slender, wooden pillars and Avas so high that chairs could be placed underneath. It Avas reached by stairs on either side, and back of the minister were long, crimson, satin damask curtains, draped away and held in place by heavy cord and tassels of the same color. The large cushion, on which the Bible rested, was also draped Avith the same material and heavy tassels hung from the corners. About 1855, this pulpit and draperies were removed and a large solid pulpit took its place, which remained till the gift of the present one by Mrs. Charles S. Hull. Swinging baize doors fill the places of the former Avooden ones. A simple chandelier is suspended from the ceiling and a furnace affords warmth instead of the two large stoves with their long pipes which used to extend the en tire length of the room. The pews are high, painted white Avith cherry railings at the top and closed by doors which are fastened by small Avooden buttons. Either side of the pulpit are the doors to the body of the church, entering which, you face the congregation and upon seating yourself, find the minister is be fore you. In plain sight of all hangs the State motto, " He who transplanteth still sustains," while above the pulpit is a velvet tablet with the three dates thereon, 1657, 1674 and 1874. The first represents the earliest religious service in the town at the house of Walter Palmer in Wequetequock by the Rev. William Thompson of Braintree, Mass. (brother-in-law of Capt. George Denison), who at the time Avas a missionary to the Pequot Indians. Afterwards the planters built a meeting house a little south- OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 11 west of Mr. Henry M. Palmer's house on Montauk Avenue. It Avas raised May 16th, 1661, and in September the Commissioners of the United Colonies attended religious worship there, led by Capt. John Mason. It is not known how large the house was, or its style, but probably it was a small building, for six years after the toAvn records a vote that was passed to repair it and make it more comfortable. Several ministers taught here till in 1664, when Mr. James Noyes of Newbury, Mass., accepted the invitation to become their Gospel preaching minister and re mained till his death in 1719. He w^as paid at first, a salary of ^50 currency (or 1166.66) annually, and it Avas agreed to give liberally toAvards building him a house, which was situated between Anguilla and Noyes Brook, Avhere the present red house stands. We can draw upon our imagination to the utmost in making a mental picture of this new home and its surroundings, but it is only known that the house was large, two stories in front and one in the rear. The distance to his first church, on Montauk Ave. Avas nearly five miles and we can almost see him on a Sunday morn ing, setting forth on horseback, AAdth his fair young bride, Dor othy Stanton, on a pillion behind him, for their ride across the hills and valleys, on what was then an Indian path, till the road was laid out in 1669 from Pawcatuck Bridge to the Ferry, and after the solemn and impressive religious service turning their horse's head to the east and riding back, when the shadows be gan to lenghten (for then the meeting lasted most of the day), to this first parsonage in the town, standing at that time, in al most a forest, and seeming quite unlike the pleasant, country fields and roads where now commodious houses, barns and many modern improvements can be seen, upon a drive through this same locality. After a time, Mr. Noyes had the use of the ministry land and his salary Avas raised to £100 with several grants of land. During his pastorate here of 55 years and 6 months, he baptized 1176 persons. He was a distinguished preacher and was one of the founders of Yale College. The 12 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. old Church records speak thus of him, " He lived much desired and died much lamented." In 1670 the inhabitants having de cided to build a new meeting-house, met and looked over the ministry land (500 acres of which had been set apart by the town and 200 laid out about Agreement Hill for the support of the ministry). After several meetings they unanimously agreed upon a location for the new house, and then went back to the old meeting-house and voted, " That the new meeting house shall for time to come, be set up and stand, without re moving, upon Agreement Hill." At that time the hill was covered with heavy timber, which was removed by voluntary labor, and the house built by subscriptions of timber, planking, shingles, nails and labor of men and teams. The meeting-house was raised Jan., 1673, and a church formally organized June 3rd, 1674, Avith only nine persons enrolled as members, viz., Mr. James Noyes, who lived at Anguilla, Mr. Thomas Stanton and son, Thomas Jr., Avho lived at Pawcatuck Rock, JNIr. Nathaniel Chesebrough, lived opposite the Phelps place, Mi: Thomas Miner at Quiambaug, Mr. Nehemiah Palmer lived with his father, Walter, at Wequetequock, Mr. Ephriam Miner, who lived north of Mr. Sanford Billings' house, Mr. Moses Palmer, who lived on the east side of Wequetequock Cove, below the Road Society land, which house has been taken doAAm Avithin the last thirty years, and Mr. Thomas Wheeler, who lived at Col. James F. Brown's in the old Wheeler house. It is not known when this church was finished or dedicated,. but i-eligious services were held in the summer of 1673 in this building, which stood a feAV rods west of the present meeting-house at the Road. It was built by Israel Smith, the cost of labor being £51. There is no plan of this building on record, except the dimensions, Avhich were 40 ft. long, 22 ft. wide, and 14 ft. posts from joint to joint. There were no slips or pews, except for the deacons, magistrates and minister's family ; benches Avere used by the people, and a committee was appointed to seat them, according to their notions of propriety, but this did not last long, OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 13 as the next year the town voted " To have the floor of the house and of the gallery assigned to the inhabitants for pews." The inside of the house was never lathed or plastered, or the out side painted or adorned Avith a steeple. After the pews were built, the space between them and the gallery Avas ceiled. In those days, meeting-houses were built Avithout stoves or fire-places and must have been uncomfortably cold in winter,but for the little f oot-Avarmer of iron, with door to open, showing a pan in which hot coals were placed. This was carried to meeting and passed from one part of the slip to the other, to lessen in some degree the intense cold. In 1690 the town voted " To build near the church a small house, fourteen feet square, with seven feet posts and fire-place for Mr. Noyes to Avarm himself in cold Aveather, between meetings," for then there was morning and afternoon service and many, besides the minister, remained over till afternoon. At this time, one can but imagine that many pleasant and cordial greetings were exchanged and matters that were not strictly religious were discussed. This early custom of expressing hearty interest in one another has lingered even to the present time, when after service a very babel of tongues is heard in the hall and a joj'ous laugh does not shock the ears of pastor or people. The men gather in little groups between the church and sheds, while hearty hand shakes evince their good Avill towards each other. In 1717, the society had so extended and the population in creased to such an extent, that the old meeting-house Avas too small to accommodate all the people, so they voted to divide the toAvn into two societies (the east and west), but no definite action was taken till 1726, when a vote Avas carried to build a new meeting-house at the center of the town, or Putnam's Cor ners, sixty-one persons favoring that location, but many others preferring the old site at Agreement HilV there arose heated discussions and each society commenced preparations for build ing their neAv meeting-houses. The land on which the house at the Center stood was given by Mr. Elihu Chesebrough, 14 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. April 18th, 1728, and under date of Jan. ye 2nd, 1730, is a list Avhich shows, " What particular men gave towards building this house." Capt. Thomas Noyes gave £60, Mrs. Noyes, his mother gave £20, Deacon Noyes, £50, Justice Palmer, £70, Deacon Palmer, £40, Capt. Palmer, £30, Mr. Joseph Miner, £50, Insign Breed, £20, Samuel Hinckley, £26, Stephen Richardson, £25, William Stanton, £35, WiUiam Bell, £10, Nathan Chesebrough, £40, and his mother, £10, Elihu Chesebrough, besides the land, £40, Lieut. Samuel Chesebrough, £35, Mrs. Grace Palmer, £70, John Denison, £20. Total— £589. This house at the Center was larger than the other. It was unpainted and had no steeple. There Avere three outside doors and two tiers of galleries, one above the other, and an immense sounding board above the speaker's head. The eight seats in front of the pulpit were each four feet long, forty-one pews were nearly square and those all around the sides were divided from the center ones by the alley which Avas four feet wide. The main alley or aisle Avas five feet Avide. This house was finished in 1740, and it Avas here that the famous George Whitefield preached the afternoon of July 16th, 1747, and so many people came to hear him that he left the house and spoke to them from a platform erected under the shade of a large elm tree near the church, which is still standing, and the children of the Revolution have placed a placard upon it Avith this historic event inscribed thereon. This church remained here till 1786 when it was taken doAvn and removed to Stonington Borough and rebuilt near the late residence of jNIr. Horace N. Trumbull. It was then painted and called the White meeting house. The new meeting-house, begun at the Road in 1729, was not finished for ten years. It stood a little farther to the south- Avest than the present one and faced the south. It was built of pine, white Avood and cedar, Avas never painted and had no steeple. The inside Avas ceiled but never lathed or plastered ; fhe Avindows, two above and beloAV, on the north and south OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 15 sides, and three above and below, on the east and west sides, were small and had small panes of glass. There were three outside doors, the east and west ones were narrow, but the south door was double and opened into the main body of the house, directly under the high pulpit which faced the north and was seven or eight feet from the floor, reached by steps leading up on either side. Like the Center Church, a large wooden sounding-board was suspended above the minister's head, so that his voice could be heard in all parts of the house. The two long seats just in front of the pulpit had backs and were used by the magistrates and deacons. The, body of the house had six large, high, square pews, with uncushioned seats on three sides but none on the side facing the pulpit, and some times high backed chairs were placed in them also. These pews opened without doors into the two broad aisles, which run the length of the building, and on either side of these were four pews of the same style, except that the two which adjoined the short aisle from the east and west entrances, had doors. In plain view of all in the house were the stairs on either side of the pulpit, leading up into the gallery, which extended around three sides, the choir occupying the north side; facing the min ister, though sometimes they sat all around the gallery, the men on one side and the women on the other. In those days no music was heard except the tuning fork or pitch pipe used by Mr. Zebulon Chesebrough to start the tunes, and the voices from all over the house, led by the choir, sang the words, which were lined off by the minister or leader. Usually two lines were read at a time and then sung, thus the melody was carried along. There were many sweet singers in that old church, some of whose names have been told to the children of the present generation. We see among the men. Uncle Zebbe Chesebrough, Mr. John Dean and Mr. Jesse Dean, while on the other side were Miss Debby Denison (the beauty of Quiambaug), Mary Palmer, Mary Stanton, Mr. Zebbe Chese brough's daughter, with her heavy contralto voice, and that sweet 16 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. singer Phannee Dean, who came with ber brother, Jesse, and a large number of goodly young people from Dean's Mills, which was then the business center of the town. At this time few carriages were owned in town, so the people came to meeting on horseback, or on foot, and on a pleasant Sun day morning many young^men and maidens could be seen walk ing and carrying their best shoes, to put on just before arriving at the door, while the travel-stained ones were safely hid aAvay behind some friendly rock or tree, to be put on again after meeting, for the journey homeward. For about forty years these two societies acted wholly independent of each other, Mr. Ebenezer Rossiter having been the pastor at the time of the di vision, continued to preach in the First or West Church in that society, and Rev. Nathaniel Eells became the pastor of the First or East Church in that society and so continued till Mr. Rossi- ter's death, when in a short time both societies called INIr. Eells to become their minister, so after a separation of thirty-four 3'ears, they were again re-united with Mr. Eells preaching alter nately for six months in each meeting-house for several years. In 1782 the church on Agreement Hill having stood for about forty years, needed repairs and it Avas voted " that it be cov ered, have new doors and windows, and a committee Avas ap pointed to make the repairs, and if necessary to sell the East meeting-house to make repairs on the West one at Agreement Hill, but it was afterwards voted to repair it by subscription, so the old house Avas thoroughly renovated inside and out, under the supervision of Mr. Gilbert Fanning. As the toAvn gave the land on Avhich the church stood, it had the right to hold the King's Court and the Magistrate's Court in the meet ing-house from the time the first church Avas built till 1828,. when arrangements were made with the town authorities to build the basement of the present building for town purposes and the society to build the meeting-house for religious pur. poses alone, which use has been faithfully adhered to, as the town meetings are yet held in the basement. Mr. Henry Smith OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 17 took the contract to build and erected the present house, using some of the timbers a^d posts which Avere in the old church ; these can still be seen on the east and Avest sides of this build ing. The Road Church is still the center of happy influences and many a son and daughter gone into other church homes ecalls with joy and pride, this dear old mother church, Avhich has for her motto, " He who transplanteth still sustains." He who transplanted has sustained This Church through centuries. And saints, tho' dead, yet speak to us. In holy memories. He who transplanted still sustains. Upon Agreement Hill, His children, who are striving here To do his holy will. He who transplanted will sustain For ages yet to come, * Till many a faithful one shall hear The plaudit of "Well Done." CHAPTER TWO. AVlio saith, " I am a farmer," doth proclaim A noble calling with an humble name. Nearly all the early planters who came here sprang from the better classes, and a large proportion of them from the landed gentry of England, and could trace their descent backward through a line of knights and gentlemen, and manj' had occupa tions other than to till the soil, but when they were once here, they soon learned from the necessity of the case to labor with their hands and cultivate their lands, for laborers were few, and as they had no money to procure carpenters, blacksmiths, shoe makers and weavers, it was plain that they must do this Avork themselves, so the very men, who were m.agistrates, governors and sons of governors, became stone-cutters, plied the shuttle or labored in the fleld, and were proud to do it, and Ston ington Avas no exception, for almost their first legal act was to meet and lay out " home lots " of 12 acres each for every in habitant, about the site of their new meeting-house, extending as far east as Stoney Brook and south to Fellows Mill, now be longing to Sylvia and Vargus. One tier was located north and the remainder west and south of the ministry land. The title to these ".home lots " was obtained by lottery on condition that if built upon AAithin six months and inhabited, tbe title Avould be complete, except that each one must reside on his lot two years before he could sell it, and then he must first offer it to the town and be refused before he could sell it, with good title, to any one. It is not knoAvn how many of these home lots were built upon, but even noAV the old family names are handed IS OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 19 down to the seventh and eight generations, and some of the old houses are standing yet which were built there about 1700. Only a few years ago the old Tavern Avas taken down Avhich stood across the road from the church. It was supposed to have been built about the middle of 1700 by Mr. Daniel Collins, and Avas a large, double, wood-colored house, with roof sloping nearly down to the ground at the reai', and two stories in front. Being built in this manner, they were exempt from taxation by the king, as all double two story houses had a tax imposed upon THE TAVERN HOUSE. them. At the west corner of this house, in plain vicAv from the road, hung a swinging sign, ornamented by the figure of an Indian and having the word Tavern thereon. As you entered the front door, the stairs to go above and below were in plain sight. At the right was the great east room, which was the favorite resort for friends upon the Sabbath day, before meeting begun, or Avhen any gathering Avas held at the Road, to meet and visit Avith each other or discuss matters of interest. At the rear of the room, with' a small bedroom at either end, was the long kitchen, while in a large room upstairs, occasionally dances were held. At the 20 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. left of the front door, was a smaller room Avith a fire-place in it and Avindows at the south and Avest sides, Avhich was called the " Bar Room." On the north side of this room, was the counter running east and Avest, completely shutting off the nar- •row room Avhere Avas kept the jugs of West India rum, sugar, tea and decanters of various kinds of liquors. A red-painted door, suspended from the ceiling, Avas lifted or closed at will by the person behind the counter, and it was supported by tAvo long, narroAV sticks, arranged to hold it in position. In those days even the minister and people regaled themselves and no one was considered hospitable, who did not offer to his guest some good rum, home made wine or cider. This Tavern was kept for years by Lieut. Daniel CoUinS) who was in the Revolutionary War ; at another time by Mr. Dean Gallup, again by a Mr. Rowse who was a tailor, and also by Mr. Gilbert Collins and Mr. Justin Denison. About 1835 by Mr. Nathan S. Noyes, and even then travellers were kept over night and the bar Avas sustained. Later, Mr. Frank Pen dleton kept it as a Tavern (whose descendants live in Pennsyl vania). At the time of the September gale the roof was blown off into the garden, but being replaced it Avas afterAvards occu pied by many different families. Receiving no special care, it fell gradually into decay, and was at last used as a barn and finally taken down by Mr. Charles S. Noyes about 1892, as he had purchased the property some years before. About the " Road," in those early times, Avere several stores, one at the west of the "Tavern " where various goods were kept for sale, and a little further to the east was another, while near the house of Mr. Thomas Palmer, was still another ; all of these were real old-fashioned country stores with a variety of every thing one would need, as then the present villages which are about us were not in existence, and the people Avere largely supplied from these country stores, strange as it now seems. I here insert a letter from the pen of one of Stonington's in habitants of a century ago, who lived at the farm noAV occupied by Dea. B. Frank Williams, near Mystic, Ct. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 21 My Dear Julia, a letter from your father informs me that you have fled from the heat, dust and turmoil of city life to make your Saratoga sojourn in the Stoney land of Stonington, and so there in that fairy region of rich men, pretty girls and early marriages, smooth fields, stone walls, and rural dwellings, brown bread, baked beans, whortleberries, fresh fish and honey, you, for a time are lux uriating, perhaps in the shade of some of those noble old Button- balls, Oaks and Chestnuts, the very trees under which 1 used to sit in days of yore, and build those airy castles of future happiness unalloyed, which in the rosy days of youth, untaught by time's changeful hand, have in all ages, been wont to build, but which in no age will ever be fully realized. Stonington is indeed a happy land, the land of my birth, a pleasant land that 1 shall always love, and the idea of your being there has carried my thoughts back into the past, and brought vividly to mind the events of my early daysj that it seems but yesterday that 1 was a wild, romping, schoolgirl, the very personification of mischief. Ah ! well do 1 remember my roguery everywhere, especially at school, and how my patient teachers bore with me during all those trying years, but looking all the A\'hile as if they deemed the task of teaching me a severe ordeal. I often think of the lessons of wisdom as well as the deep interest which some of them manifested for my wel^re, and 1 feel an affectionate regard for these best of friends, one of whom, Judge Fish, 1 hope you have had the pleasure of seeing, while in Ston ington. How much 1 wish I might have been there with you to point out the many points of interest, which you would pass by unheeded. Take, if you please, the road from your boarding place (now Mr-. Eugene Palmer's) to the head of Mystic. Observe first the view either side from the top of the hill, at the head of the Point road. Then as you descend the hill, see those fancifully shaped rocks and stones of various shapes and sizes, some oval, some oblong, others triangular and pyramidal, often enclosed by a thickly set hedge of whortle-berry bushes laden with that delicious fruit, or the fragrant bayberry or tallow bush (for you must know that tallow grows on bushes in that prolific region), again you may seethe tall, prim- looking, sweet-scented, sweet fern, or maybe one of nature's most beautiful wild beauties, the little four leaved pink rose, so abundant in fairy lands. At the base of the hill see that rude old bridge over that little stream of clear water which lags so lazily along among its glisten ing pebbles, then hiding itself away in the bushy lot beyond. Then there is the numerous stalked shaped barberry, clad in its own beautiful green, its long slender stems bending gracefully beneath the weight of their bright, crimson clusters, and then in groups, hedges, or perhaps singly, see the feathery formed blackberry, so 22 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. closely set with dark, curly, hard-surfaced leaves and profusion of thimble-shaped berries, so sweet, so delicious, while ever and anon, the unaspiring dewberry, creeps over dilapidated fences, tills up gaps in stone walls, trails around illshapen sharp stones, Avhich ought not to be so near the wayside, thus trying to conceal the seem ing negligence of man as well as the danger to Avhich the careless rider is ever exposed. Then there used to be an old red house, where somebody lived, also a small brown house where a family lived whose children were so judiciously trained by a good mother to habits of industry, neat ness, order and economy, that all the children married Avell, and were happily settled in life. Not far distant was a large, old-fash ioned white house, shaded by some large old trees, and distinguished as the residence of a true-hearted widower, one who was said to have declined all overtures from the ladies to enter a second time into matrimony, a widowed daughter, a granddaughter and tAvo bachelor sons, the latter kept a store nearby (near the Thomas Palmer house) where at all times might be found rum, raisins and ribbons, crockery, calico, codfish, silks, saroenetts, sugars and shawls with the usual et ceteras. On each side are corn patches, cow pastures interspersed with great rocks and stones, about which the wild morning glory has woven itself into beautiful net work, while here and there are A^arious little arbors formed of cast-off brushwood and decayed bushes, overrun by the splendid iAy A\'hich by its brilliant green in summer and varying shades in autumn, ever adds so much beauty to the landscape. And yonder, in sullen dwarfishness, stand numerous shrub oaks peeping crabbishly down upon the sterile earth as if to reproach their miserly mother for their uncouth deformity. Then hither and thither are countless heaps of loose stones, placed either to commemorate the Avealth and industry of the owner, or as proper and conA''enient abodes for rep tiles, A little farther on is the line of decaying old poplars, stretch ing their bare, stiff limbs heavenward with here and there little tufts of bright, fresh leaves, which remind one of pleasant, youth ful feelings in the hearts of aged friends, and over the wall are di vers young ones growing rankly at random, their little supple limbs dancing in the slight breeze, and looking saucily up at their aged sires seeming to say, " Old gray beards, don't you Avish you could get over here and trip the fantastic toe as Ave do ? " Then on the opposite side is a square, neat looking, little Avhite house, fronted Avith a few handsome trees, some nicely trimmed shrubs and a care fully trained Avoodbine, and occupied by several maiden ladies, all very tall, very prim, very good and if still living must be very old. Next is that celebrated Tavern, Avhere all classes, ages and sexes used to stop on Sunday mornings to " fix " before entering church and these were novel scenes. This crazy old hostelry sets flat upon OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 23 the north side of the road, stretching its broad, shingled sides towards the four points of the compass as far as its stiff old, tim bers would permit, looking for all the world as if trying to grasp as much of terra firma as possible. Then the earth all around apparently striving to get uppermost (as dirt will sometimes) had climbed several inches up the decaying shingles, giving the house an appearance of sometime making a final exit into the cellar. At the front door lay a large, uiiA^^rought, flat stone of irregular shape, so deeply inverted into the earth as to bring its surface just even with it. This was the door stone, and from this we stepped into the house. Ten or twelve feet from the door and nearly in front, stood a horse block, composed of three huge stones with a rough post at each side; here, the ladies mounted, dismounted and hung their horses. Just in range of this, and about the same distance from the door was the old family well, with its long sweep and pole, its' backload of stone, its old, leaky, rusty- hooped bucket, its ancient brown board curb, skewed into a rhomboid and a long Avatering trough on one side. From this fountain, the horses and the people were watered. The west end of the house was ornamented with a long horse shed furnished with sundry pegs, nails, rings and hooks for hitching and a deep manger, which the hungrv animals, for want of something more palatable to eat, had knawed into points, squares, scallops and parallelograms. The little space stretching out be tween the house and the street was thickly dotted with rock heads, protruding just far enough to stub everybody's toes and to spoil everybody's shoes. The opposite side of the street was bounded by an apology for a wall, several very infirm old poplars and another horse block. In the rear of the house stood the usual out buildings, a bam, crib, shed, pig-sty and hen house. These were all in the very highest state of dilapidation. Every shingle seemed vibrating upon a headless nail, the boards all loose and askew, the doors ajar, warped and without fastenings, and so exceedingly sensitive had these old inanimates become that even the commonest little breeze would throw them into a regular fit of hysteria ; and there they would stand writhing, creaking and wheezing, groaning and moan ing so piteously that one could not refrain from fancying them to be in the last agonies of decay. On one side of the barnyard always stood (on that sweet day of rest) the old black mare, a perfect Canadian in form, with un- cropped mane and tail, in which could be found every variety of shade from a dingy yellow, down to a rich black, and both profusely decorated with straws and burs ; poor, patient old creature, probably her chief ornaments had never been properly dressed since she possessed them. Ah ! you cannot imagine how pensively resigned she used to look, wondering the while, 1 presume, why she could 24 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. not be cared for, carded and combed and fixed up like other horses for Sunday. On the other side was the cross-looking yellow cow, with her ugly staring eyes, with one horn turned nearly straight up and the other about as straight downward, a strange object she was indeed. A certain wag once remarked " That old yellow cow was conveniently equipped because she could hook both heaven and earth out of her way with the same push." In the distance and about the area, grew numerous cragged diminutive trees and bushes, Avhich in accordance with the Scriptural injunction, ought for their unfruitfulness to have been hewn down long before and cast into the fire. Around the fences, higgledy piggledy, lay carts and lad ders, plows and wagons, poles and pails, minus parts and many a dis torted limb, types of faithful service in their country's cause. About the sink drain and in the little savory pools issuing therefrom were various specimens of old boots and shoes, broken crockery, tin and glassware, horsehair, broomcorn and chips. East of the house was the garden containing rather a parsi monious complement of vegetables, but a perfect feast of rocks, burdocks, pigweeds, grasses and nettles, and whatever else in that line the patron might choose to call for. On the sunniest side of this neglected spot, as it were, directly out of the wall had sprung up a thick hedge of cinnamon rose bushes, which despite the thous and and one obstacles there presented, grew and flourished and blos somed most vigorously. At one end of this most beautiful rose hedge, quite a liberal bit of terra firma was devoted to " posies " which glittered and gleamed with many of the gayest and most beautiful hues ever seen in a country fiower garden. Then at the least imaginable distance from this little nook and by way of making just the sweetest variety in the world, our very fanciful landlord had located his pigsty, occupied by three slab-sided, lop-eared, lan tern-jawed, speckled pigs, possessing scarce more of avoirdupois than was absolutely necessary to retain their bones within their bristly coverings. The chief delight of these sweet creatures seemed to be fighting and squealing, at the same time looking so hungry that we could never divest ourselves of the apprehension that too near an approach might subject us to a deplorable fate. In passing from this scene of beauty, deformity and danger we always had a gratuitous peep into the buttery, before whose little, brown, latticed, uncurtained window, there ever and anon stood one great pan of milk, which seemed to be a kind of general bathiug tub for all the bugs and flies in that neighborhood, and an affecting sight indeed it was to see these poor insects ; some like Cassius and Caesar the creamy Tiber buffeting with lusty sinews ; some with feeble effort and anxious eye, vainly striving to attain the shore ; others in agonizing despair sinking to rise no more, while others fast in the stocks had yielded up the ghost, and there lay solemnly OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 25 and silently admonishing all other bugs and flies never to trespass upon their neighbor's milkpans, but the charitable hostess used to say " That a few bugs and flies only made milk and cream the sweeter. ' Now this accidental discovery in the flymongering de partment was but the morning twilight of the neatness which dazzled the eyes of those who chose to make a more minute survey of the culinary proceedings in that selfsame Road-side Tavern. Here we are on the front side again and yonder across the way, unprotected from the gales of Heaven by tree, shrub or vine, stands the old Church upon that little eminence of perfect sterility ; within, without and around, all was an exact personification of barrenness. The church then had no porch, but one great barny door opened directly into the one and only apartment. The pulpit of ancient date, the pews uncarpeted, unstooled, bookless and fanless were squarB and sufficiently large to accommodate some twelve or fifteen persons. No cushions were there, we sat softly upon the smooth side of pine boards. Two flights of stairs in the southeast and southwest corners served to transport the singers and other high- minded ones to the upper regions. The bannisters of these aerial passages were open, which was positively pleasing to the ladies es pecially when they chanced to be late and were obliged to ascend in face of the audience. Not a particle of paint or varnish had ever dimmed the woody luster of this venerable edifice, internally or ex ternally ; no, the neutral beauty of the original was there. In sum mer a July or August sun would pour its sultry rays so unsparingly through those great, uublinded windows, that very little extension of the imagination was required to fancy ourselves in New Granada, for a dazzling glare seemed to come in at every window, and our boundary on the four sides one entire blaze, but in winter, we were decideflly cool, and the few present in one sense collected, there was no fire or even conveniences for one, not a single ray of warmth, save the little emerging from the pale hues of a wintry sun, as they fitfully struggled through the bright frost work upon the window panes. The door of the church being secured only by a latch, per mitted the public to enter whenever they chose. The ground all about wore nearly the same aspect in summer as in winter, the grass brown, dry and crisp ; the few dwarf weeds and shrubs by the fence side looking as if they had been bitten by an early frost or had been recently visited by Pharaoh's locust legions ; scarcely a green thing could be seen, and yet it was not unusual on a Sunday morning to find a flock of sheep, in single solemn file making various perambula tions about these sacred premises, but why they were there, no mortal could tell, unless perhaps as a kind of Botany Bay punishment for some act of disloyalty to their rightful sovereign. An amusing story used to be told about a truant wind blowing open the church door, and some sheep going in, and holding several nightly conferences. 26 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. A few paces east of the church and in the same lot upon a ledge of rocks, there used to be and of course now is (the foundation being upon a rock) a schoolhouse, which in convenience and architecture was a genuine old settler, but it is, however, a memorable place to me for the first singing school I ever attended was in that house, and there too dawned the morning of my teaching career. A little way south stood Uncle Graves' Cottage, where some people called to " fix " Sunday mornings, before entering church instead of going to the Tavern. And with a few family matters this letter closes to be continued in other letters, but they cannot noAV be found, much W^' '*f- «>^^M_ M^mcs;^ W^aBBK z-^z"^ " iTiii *^^'~n luir l^*^W">gW^ CHURCH PARLORS. to our regret, for the intention of the writer was to carry one to the village of Mystic, and doubtless much would have been learned of the old houses and their occupants, which now Avill ever remain a closed door. This letter is signed by Miss Grace Stanton, written in 1852 of the memories of her youth here, making this description nearly a hundred years old as she Avas born in 1800. The present church parlors, a little east of the church, was formerly a gambrel roof, half house, probably built by one of OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 27 Rev. James Noyes' sons. It was occupied by many different families, and many of them were Noyes, all descen dents of our first minister, the Rev. James. About sevent3^-flve }'ears ago Mr. John D. Noyes sold it to Mr. Nathan Noyes, who married the daughter of Edward Sparger of NeAvport. They bad a large family of children and lived here and in seA-eral other houses near the church. Mr. Noyes Avas both witty and keen, and many humorous stories are accredited to him. Among them, that one day his minister. Rev. Ira Hart, while walking through the Avoods going to the Dean's Mills, lost his way, but happening to come upon Mr. Noyes, who Avas chopping his fire wood, Mr. Hart enquired of him, " If he could tell him where he was ? " to which Mr. Noyes facetiously replied, "Yes, sir, you are on the north side of a white oak tree," Avhich answer, we can imagine, provoked much merriment. After a time Mr. Noyes and wife moved to Mount Pleasant. Here, also, lived Aunt Hannah Graves, quiet and alone, the last of her family, and after her death, it was purchased by Miss Emma A. Smith, who gave it to the 1st Congregational Society, and by gifts of money and articles from the many friends of the church and descendants of the old members, and by the sale of souvenir spoons, enough was raised to entirely remodel it inside and out, so it is now used for entertainments and social gatherings con nected with the church. • Just south of this house, a small house was built in 1694 for Rev. James Noyes to warm himself, betAveeu meetings ; this was afterwards made into a school house. East of this house, for a long time, stood a variety store where ev^eiything from good cloth to small wares was sold. This store faced the road and had its half door and large show AvindoAvs with their small panes of glass. It was kept for a time by Mr. Nathan Wheeler, who lived for a while a fcAv rods below, in the old Avood-colored house now standing, with the date 1777 showing distinctly in the stone chimney, which is in plain sight from tbe road on the west side of the house, now owned and occupied by almost the last of the Pequot tribe. 28 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. East of where the old Tavern stood is a house set Avithin a pleasant yard, and shaded by some flne old elms, which though added to and renovated several times was originally built about 1730, by Mr. Elias Babcock, a laAvyer, who after a time moved to Pawcatuck and sold the house to the Hobarts. The surviA'or of this family was Aunt Fanny, who lived for years alone in this house, except for a large cat which usually sat contentedly purring in the sunshine Avhich streamed over the blight striped carpet, which was on the floor of her keeping room, having THE BAKER HOUSE. been made by her own hands, and the flre on the hearth Avith Aunt Fanny sitting complacently before it, in her large figured gown, with a broad ruffled cap on her head, Avas a picture of cheerful contentment Avhich once seen was not soon forgotten. She was a grand type of the New England woman of a century ago, ahvays a faithful attendant at church, where in her pew, near the pulpit, she could be plainly seen by all, and the size and shape of her old style bonnet proved veiy impressive to the children, who Avere fond of her, and nearly every Sabbath afternoon, some of them visited her or remained over from OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 29 church services to atteud the concert Avhich Avas held every month, on the Sunday evening nearest the full moon. This place is noAV oAvned by IMr. Charles S. Noyes, and has been much improved by him. Following this road to the east but a short distance, used to stand a house, built in 1750, in Avhich Mr. Enoch Stanton lived who married Waity Dyer. He was a silversmith and had his shop here, but was killed at the massacre of Fort Griswold, and on April 8th, 1783, his widoAv sent the folloAving order to Capt. MR. CHARLES S. NOYES HOUSE. William Latham, " Sir, please to send me by the bearer hereof, Mr. Zebulon Stanton, the sum of Fifty pounds of my deceased husband^(Lieut. Enoch Stanton's) wages for his service in Fort Griswold and his receipt shall discharge you from the same." Signed Wait Stanton. Mrs. Stanton sold this house after a time, and it was taken down about 1800, and became the prop erty of Elder Elihu Chesebrough, who rebuilt it east of the Borough of Stonington. Mr. Amos Gallup also had his blacksmith shop just east of this house, when he began housekeeping at the Road, and a 30 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. little recess on the north side, in the highway, marks the spot, while further up the road, nearly opposite the church, has been found debris from another old blacksmith shop, where at some earlier time horses were shod. But a short distance east of this Stanton ground, stands the house built about 1710 by Edward Denison and his son John, whose flrst Avife, Anna, Avas drowned in the well, which can now be seen by the roadside, southeast of the house as you are driving along the highway. This house is still in good order JOSEPH NOYES HOUSE. and bids fair to stand a hundred jears longer, although now nearly two hundred years old. It is a large double house, fac ing the south, the east side berng broader than the Avest, Avhich has only one window at the south, Avhile on the right of the front door, the room is large and square with tAvo windoAvs at the south. In this room, is the old fashioued corner cupboard, Avhich Avas enclosed by a circular bar, one half of Avhich was movable and allowed the bar tender to pass back and forth as he served his customers. The entire upper story on the west side Avas once a dancing hall, with a SAvinging partition OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 31 in the middle which could be fastened up at will, and the hooks are still in the ceiling, although the partition has been made stationary. Mr. Denison sold this house and a small lot of land in 1760, to Col. Gfles Russell of Wethersfield. He was a graduate of Yale College and a laAvyer, being admitted to the bar in Hartford, Ct. Soon after he came to Stonington, he was appointed Captain of a company of fifty-five Conn, and R. I. men in the expedition, against Havana under Admiral Pococke and Lord Albermarle, of whom only sixteen men reached home alive. He was married soon after his return, to Prudence Stan ton, and Avhen his laAV business increased, he built a lean-to on the east side of this house for an office, and aftervA'ards increased it to its present size. In 1763 he was appointed Tavern Keeper there, and continued so till he entered the Army of the Ameri can Revolution as Lieut. Col. in the 3rd Battalion, Wadsworth Brigade, Avhich was raised in 1776 to reinforce Washington at New York. He was also in the French and^Indian War, and died from effects of service in 1779, and is buried in the Road Cemetery, where the Society of the Children of the Revolution have placed a bronze marker at his grave. Col. Russell's house was afterwards bought by Mr. James Noyes, whose son. Uncle John, used it as the Town and Probate Office, of which he was the Clerk, for forty-tAvo years. At his death, the office was removed to the village of Stonington. Later this place became the property of Mr. Edmund S. Noyes, and is now occupied by his widow and son Joseph Noyes. Nearly opposite is a gate which leads down an old path to one of the oldest houses in town, oAvned by Dr. Jonathan Gray in 1720. He it Avas, whose services Avere required inthe homes of our grandfathers,, when blood letting and leeching were the order of the day, and the family doctor Avas the personal friend and confidant of the household. It is still tenantable, and is owned by one of his descendants, Mr. Henry Clay Stanton. Quite near to this house was another called " the house on the Rocks " where Blind Jesse Dewgy lived, Avho was the beneficiary 32 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. of all his friends and neighbors, especially during the winter season. At one time he Avas presented with a barrel of flour, by a benevolent gentleman, Mr. Charles Phelps, and it was placed on a long table in his small room, Avhere removing the, head of the barrel, as it lay on its side, about one third of the flour came pushing out in great Avhite drifts, which nearly coa^- ered the table Avhere Mother DcAvey Avas mixing her biscuit ready for the Tin Baker Avhich stood before the fire; having a caller, she told him Avhat one of her neighbors had said to her, DR. JONATHAN GRAY HOUSE. that Mr. Phelps had given it only for the name, when Uncle Jesse spoke up, saying, " I don't care if he did, it tastes just as good." A little noi'theast of Stoney Brook, Avhere it crosses the road, stands the Thomas Palmer house, Avhich Avas built in 1720, by Rev. Ebenezer Rossiter, who had been given some eight or ten acres of land by Mr. Samuel Chesebrough, upon which he erected this house which is now standing, well protected by trees before the door and a flne avenue of rock- maples, leading up to the mansion which is a large two-story house with the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 33 sloping roof at the rear ; few of this style of houses are now left stashing about here. It is well preserved, and as you stand upon the broad stone step before the front door, your eye rests upon the iron knocker, Avhich has sent so many expectant thrills through the occupants of this house in the past one hundred and seventy years. The iron door handle is set in a spade shape of iron above and below, and lifting the latch will disclose to vicAV a hall and fine old winding staircase, which carries you by several turns to the third story. The wainscot- THOMAS PALMER HOUSE. ing in the west room, the summer beams and deep cornice bear evidence of the grandeur of this old house in days gone by. Mr. Rossiter, not being able to pay for this house, sold it back to Mr. Chesebrough, who in turn sold it to Mr. Thomas Palmer, v/hose son afterwards owned it, and it is still in the Palmer name. After Mr. Rossiter left here, he bought land of Mr. John Dean, about a quarter of a mile west of the church, and built another house, which he occupied, and after a time he erected a small schoolhouse nearby, where he fitted students for college. He died here in 1762. Later on, in this same house. 34 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. occurred a double wedding, when Nancy and Lois, only daughters of the young widoAv of Ethan Denison, married Nathan Noyes and Joseph Griswold one beautiful Sunday morning, and began their Avedded life, one in Stonington and the other in Coleraine, Mass. These four lived many happy years, and Avith their children and grandchildren celebrated their golden wedding, but not being able physically to join each other on that day, messages of affection and congratulation were exchanged by electricity. This house from AA'hich they were CATO S HOUSE.- married was taken doAvn about 1850, and another stands on its site, now occupied by Mr. Jesse D. Noyes. Rev. Ebenezer Rossiter's daughter, Hannah, married Mr. John Hilliard, Avho owned the land and also a house a short distance south of the church Avhere ^Ir. Frank Noyes- resided for a time, and where now his son, Mr. Frank Noyes, makes his summer home. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard had no children, and after his wife's death he married Ann Potter, Avho survived him and married, second, Lieut. Daniel Collins, the keeper of the Tavern near here for a long time. This Mr. Hilliard gaA^e the land for OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 35 the Road Cemetery, AA'hich has recently been beautified by the erection of a family mausoleum for jNIr. Gilbert Collins, great grandson of this Lieut. Daniel Collins. Another of ^Ir. Rossiter's daughters, Alary, married Thomas Palmer, and began housekeeping a short distance below her sister, Hannah, in a house built long before the Revolution by himself, where he carried his bride, Avho only lived a few short years. This Avood-colored house with its old stone chimney, showing on the outside tho entire length, as you come up the hill from the west, is still standing in a fair state of preserva tion and owned by the Palmer family. It is now known as Cato's house, having been occupied by one of Mr. Palmer's slaves, who was also a negro soldier of the Revolutionary war. He and his wife Flora occupied this house till their death. The story is told of Cato that when he was married. Rev. Mr. Hart was called in to perform the ceremony, and aiter its conclusion, and refreshments had been served, Cato said to the minister, " Mr. Hart, I want to seeyou round behind this door a minute ? " Following him, Mr. Hart said, "What do you want, Cato?" " Why I want to know how much you are going to ax me for this job ? " " Oh ! " said Mr. Hart, " I guess about a dollar." " Cheap enough, Marsa Hart," Cato replied, "I'll give you all my custom." On the other side of the road is the Mint house, fast going to ruin. Here was where Rose lived alone with her little daughter. She was a negro woman for whom the church cared, and here her friends for miles around met at stated times and had a quilting for her benefit. These were merry occasions, and an outdoor picnic supper Avas served under the trees, as the house was far too small to even admit the quilting frames, hav ing only one small room above and below. It was supposed to have been built by Mr. Noyes Palmer some time in the latter part of 1700 — as Mint, or Mintus, Palmer was one of his slaves. Within a short distance south of here, were several old houses. The first at the right was where Robert Milley lived, Avho was 36 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. a good miisician and played the violin for the country dances. During the summer season he was a A^ender of wild fruits and berries. At the left was the old house, Avhich Benjamin Searle owned and sold to Katherine Angler (tailoress) in 1743, and she sold it later to Symonds Whipple, while below here a feAv rods, the old, low, gambrel roof Hancox house stood close to the road. A short distance to the north, Avhere the road curves abruptly from the Avest, stands the EdAvard Hallam house built by the great-great-grandson of tbe first John Hallam, in the iyfpi '.' DUDLEY BROWN HOUSE. early part of 1700 as a half, one story, low house, but it has been added to and improved, making it now seem comparatively modern. Here, later, Mr. James Norman, an Englishman, lived, and he was the first one to play the' " bass-viol " in the Road Meet ing-house. This place afterwards belonged to many different , people, and is noAv owned by Mr. Dudley Brown. Just a little west of the church stands the Woodbridge house, a low story-and-a-half edifice, with the front roof built gambrel and , slanting in the rear, with little dormer windows which OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 37 have been built in recently. The house is snugly ensconced amid surrounding trees in an old style garden, where still abound the old-fashioned flowers so dear to the heart of every child of nature. As it stands upon a corner, in four directions can be seen the passers-by, and many a merry tale is told of the various families who have lived under this old rooftree. This house was built by Mr. Joseph Page, early in 1700. He was born iu Watertown, Mass., in 1679, and came to Stonington and married the daughter of Capt. Joseph Saxton, who lived WOODBRIDGE HOUSE. west of Anguilla Brook nearly opposite the neAv quarry, Avhich was opened a few years ago. The site of this house is still found by an old double-faced Avall on the south side of the road. Capt. Saxton kept an Ordinary or Tavern here, which was considered by travellers better than any other for miles along the road. In 1776, Mr. William Woodbridge came to live at the Page house. He was son of Dr. Dudley Woodbridge, and was con sidered a great man of his day. He married Zerviah Williams, and having no children of his own he left by Avill in 1825 a 88 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. thousand dollars to the Road Church and society, if they would raise another thousand, which they did. His Avife's Avill was made famous by being Avritten by the noted Aaron Burr. After Mr. Woodbridge's death this place became the property of Mr. Thomas Noyes, and is now owned by Mr. James A. Lord. Opposite the Woodbridge place, is a deep cavit}-, which marks the spot of an old, old house once occupied by iMr. Eleazer Wheeler and familj^ and just across and east of this, in the Society lot, a house formerly stood, where noAv can be seen a large clump of lilacs, some stones and a slight depression in the earth. Here Mr. Francis No^'es Avas born, Avhen his parents lived in this house. It being situated so near the church, it proved A^eiy conA^enient when the spring house-cleaning time came, and the church received its share of attention ; Avater was heated here, and all needful utensils Avere found to cany on this Avork. Not far from here, but a little east of Mr. Lord's house, Avas at one time a large buihling, Avhich Avas used as a store house, but it has been taken down Avithin the last century and carried to Stonington Borough. Now journeying up the road Ave turn at the corner and liiiss under an arch of drooping elm trees, past the old place of Rev. Mr. Rossiter's, Avhere now another house stands, and on un til we come to the Dea. Jo. Denison house, standing upon a little eminence. It is a broad, double house, A^'ith the chimney in the middle, but no rooms in the rear, except in the three ells. This house was built in 1730, during the life of Mr. Denison's first Avife, Avho was instrumental in decorating the large Avest keeping-room with the beautiful entablature which is found there now ; also the panel Avork over the fire-place and the deep cupboards Avith their glass doors can be seen. Mrs. Denison Avas Mrs. Content (Hewitt) Russell, Avidow of the first ordained minister at North Stonington. This house is peculiar iu many respects, having been added to and formerl}" used by two families. The dark passageways and six garrets, full of old time clothing, letters, and all things dear to the heart of OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 89 childhood, makes it an ideal playroom, and so it has been used by the little children who for j-ears have been in this family. Two of the four outside doors open directly into the garden, where are found little beds of old-fashioned flowers, phlox, nasturtiums, pansies, poppies, tulips, climbing roses and trailing vines, once tended by loving hands. The old porch at the back of the house draped with trailing grape vines remains the same ; the bench upon Avhich to dry the milk pans ; the gnarled and THE MOSS HOMESTEAD. knotted dry branch firmly imbedded in the ground, Avhere the milk pails Avere hung to dry and air; the baskets and pails which in the autumn Avere heaped with fruit ; the grindstone and little three-legged stool; the half slat door put in to keep the babies from falling out on the hard stone steps, all make the picture complete. On the north side in the upper story is the arched AvindoAv Avith small panes of glass, almost an oriel window, set betAveen two portions of the house, which 40 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. project upon either side. All these remain to the present day to testify of other lives and former happy days. Mr. Zebbe Chesebrough and family lived here when he was choristervat the Road Church. Afterwards Dea. Denison's grandson, Amos, lived here with his family, and his daughter, Caroline, married Mr. William C. Moss. This family were here for years, and still own it though many of them are noAv residents of West ern States. Just north, on a little hill, stands a large, double white house. PELEG DENISON HOUSE. with cherry trees before the door, which Avas built by Dea. Jo. Denison's son, Peleg, in 1775. He married Dr. Jonathan Gray's daughter, Mary. It Avas afterwards owned by j\Ir. SA'lvester Wallworth, and later on by Mv. George W. Noyes, Avho rented it for years to Mr. Uriah Harvey, and it is noAV OAvned by that family. A little further up the hill, apart from the road, stands the ancient Gallup house built about 1700 by Symonds Whipple's son, William, who married Mary Gallup. ]Mr. Symonds him self lived a little north of the David Stanton house. The Whip- OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 41 pies came from Ipswich, Mass., and Symonds' father was Cy prian, who married Dorothy Symonds, daughter of Samuel, who at one time was Deputy Governor to the Colony. This two story half house is quaint in style with the north side of the roof sloping to the very windows of the flrst floor. The little leanto was attached, and until very recently it has preserved its original appearance in all respects. Amos Gallup built the blacksmith shop, which used to stand just below the hill at the west, and the story has been handed down to the present gen- THE GALLUP HOUSE. eration, of the great snow storm on Dec. 25th, 1811, when not being able to get a horse to the shop, because of the banks and huffe drifts of suoav, be Avas taken into the kitchen, and his shoes were fltted by the great fire on the hearth. The Gallups Avere noted as good story tellers and very fond of a joke ; the later generation who occupied this house are re membered yet ; two brothers and two sisters lived here in har mony for nearly a century; one sat in darkness for many years, but with true spiritual vision she lived her life in the light of God. When her young friends came to see her which they 42 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. always delighted to do, she Avould rise carefully from her chair, Avhere she always sat near her bureau, and reaching up her beautiful hand, would place it tenderly, first upon their shoulder, and then up to the crown of their head, exclaiming, " Why, how much you have grown ! " Her father was great grandson pJWBT^^^V-'F ¦ :- \ ¦- ¦- ^^ -to,^: ¦.'t.^ri|»ric-fe- Mk V * ^^"^ . ^y -•,,;, w^^ .-•;s^^*-i, ¦^^- \ A ..^^*i^9.-^ w ^HbGKlc^.J<-' K^r^^SMi mm^ ¦** L..^^m M T 4 I 11 .S'*- "¦^be made to the tinder-box, steel and flint, or a messenger sent to the nearest neighbor for a shovel full of live coals. So we see the necessity for carefully securing this all important back-log. Within these large fire places, Avere often placed benches for the comfort of the delicate, and the dye tub was also kept where it would not freeze, and on this the old darkey servant would sit, as much at home as anybody. The rooms are all large and have the corner posts covered ; the entry was originally small, with the stairs going up against the chimney, turning on themselves, but it was all altered by Dr. George E. Palmer. In trying to make some alterations in the cellar the corner stone was accidentally knocked out, endangering the whole house, so that it had to be taken down and the vacuum which was left, attracted many onlookers. Standing as high as it does, this house has many marks of the bombardment in 1816; one shell struck the roof and went through to the cellar and was taken out by the fire patrol before it did any more dam age. It also Avent through Grandma Palmer's china closet, where she kept all her precious India china, and what had not been sent away was ground to powder. The ceiling still shows the results, as the plastering never has stayed up properly since. Captain Amos was sitting in his front door the afternoon of the attack, when a cannon ball struck a stone wall to the south and the stones flew iu every direction, breaking out almost all of the window panes on that side, and there are pieces of stone noAv in several of the panels of the doors, imbedded by the force of the shot that Avent past the old gentleman, out through tho door, tbe wind of it almost upsetting him, aud being spent, fell across the street. When it was cool enough he went over and picked it up, and took it down to the Battery on the Point, OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 123 and asked if he might send it back Avith his compliments to the British, as it had done him a hundred dollars' Avorth of damage, so they put it in the old eighteen pounder, and let him fire it off ; he saAV it strike one of the barges and then went home satisfied. Captain Amos was a prominent man of his time, and filled many important offices in the town. He Avas chairman of the committee of safety, and the letter which he Avrote to the Secretary of AVar was most highly complimented as being so accurate and concise. He had a large family of sons and daughters, and the old house was ahvaj'S noted for its hospi tality and good cheer, through the past century. One of the amusing events which took place in it, in Dr. Palmer's time, was the marriage of an old negro, named Cuff, to one of the house servants. Mr. Gurdon Trumbull, Justice of the Peace, married tbem, and many of the friends and neigh bors of the family were invited to the festivities and to see the fun ; by the time Captain Gurdon got through ftie old darkey did not know whether he was married or what had happened to him ; he was so confused between the wit of the Justice and the good cheer offered the guests, and was glad to beat a retreat, followed by his blooming bride. It was an event long spoken of and laughed over by the participants. In the south parlor have been many notable Aveddings, one of which was quite an affair ; that of Captain Charles Phelps to Miss Ann Hammond, a niece of Dr. Geo. E. Palmer; the wedding was a great event for those days, and in after years the bride often pointed with pleasure to the spot where she stood to have the knot tied. iMany dis tinguished persons have been entertained in this old home stead, among others. Major and Mrs. Whistler and their tAvo boys, since so famous as artists (cousins of Mr. Donald Stanton, who has so kindly drawn the pen and ink sketches here in cluded), and when Alajor Whistler Avent to Russia to build the St. Petersburg and jMoscow railroad, he left his family here with Dr. Palmer until he could send for them to join him. In later days it was the scene of mauy gay and happy times, 124 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. and its old-fashioned tea party in 1857, tbe first of its kind, is still remembered Avith pleasure by those who were entertained or took part in it. The whole countryside was ransacked for old-fashioned things, furniture, pictures and spinning wheels ; even the supper was composed of all the old-time dishes that are now mostly a thing of the past ; some of the guests came on pillions, some in ox-carts with high-backed chairs for seats, and it is safe to say they all had a good time. Stonington Avas at COL. OLIVER SMITH HOUSE. its best in those days, and its many pretty girls is one of its proudest traditions. In one of the grates in this house Avas burnt the first hard coal brought to this viflage ; it was con signed to Captain Francis Amy, but his chimney hadn't enough draft, or for some reason he could not make it burn, and Avas so disgusted with it that he sold it to Dr. Palmer, who used it successfully. Dr. Palmer lived here and kept up the family traditions of hospitality and good cheer ; he Avas also one of the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. , 125 leading physicians, and held many positions of trust in both Borough and town, dying in 1868. Across the street, and a little above, is the Col. Oliver Smith house, a low, story and a half, with its gambrel roof and dormer windows. It was built by him in the spring of 1761, when he moved here from Groton, Ct., where he was born and lived in the first house which Avas built there in 1653. Col. Smith was a fine looking man, fully six feet tall. He was a ship builder, and carried on quite an extensive trade with the West Indies. His wife was a descendant of Captain George Denison, and they had a family of sixteen children of whom one was named for George Washington, Avho used to call upon Col. Smith, and was there soon after the birth of this son. Another son, Ed ward, who married " King " David Chesebrough's granddaugh ter, Elizabeth Grant, lived on the corner of Water and Wall streets, about where the Ocean Bank now stands. His son, Alexander, married, and lived in this house of his grandfather's on Main Street, now owned by the Collins family. Col. Smith OAvned a few slaves, one of whom was Venture, whose history, printed in 1798 and related by himself, is very interesting, and is in part as follows : he was an African slave, brought into this country at eight years of age, wholly desti tute of education, but became the owner of himself and wife and several children. He accumulated considerable property, and was a man of striking ingenuity and good sense. He was born in Guinea, in 1729, his father being Prince of a tribe hav ing three wives, as polygamy was common in that countr}-. Venture was the oldest child, and was named Broteer; his an cestors were very large and strong and measured six feet tall. On account of his father marrying his third Avife without the consent of his first and second, his mother left him, taking her three children with her. Broteer, being five years old, walked by her side, while she carried one on her back and the other in her arms. As long as they travelled they ate of the fruits of the land, and after Avalking for five days, she left Bro- 126 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. teer with a rich farmer, who put him to tending sheep; after being there a year, his father sent for him and brought him home, and soon after their country Avas invaded by a numerous army of 6000 men, and although they paid -great sums of money and gave them many cattle and sheep to leave them in peace, Avhich they had had for many years, the old King had to surrender and the Avomen and children Avere haltered and led to camp. Then they tortured his father to make him tell where his money was, but he refused, and finally died. Immediately after, they marched all the prisoners to the sea, and Broteer was made waiter to the leader of the company. On the march they overcame and took possession of eveiy tribe they encountered, until, as they neared the sea, Avith strength and provision nearly spent, an enemy attacked them, took all prisoners and put them in the castle for market. Soon after the leader took Broteer and several others in a canoe and roAved to a vessel belonging to Rhode Island, commanded by Captain CoUingwood, with Thomas ^lumford as mate. The steward of the vessel was one Robertson Mumford, who bought Broteer for four gallons of rum and a piece of calico, and called him Venture, on account of his having purchased him with his own private venture ; thus he came by his name. All the slaves bought for this A'essel's cargo were 260. They sailed for Barbadoes, and small-pox breaking out, sixty died before they reached port, so they sold all the rest to the planters there, except Venture and three others. These sailed to Rhode Island, and he went to his Master's home on Fisher's Island, where he was employed mostly in the house carding wool and other household duties for four years, and then other and harder tasks were put upon him, all of Avhich he performed faithfully, and his history contains mauy events of his life there, both interesting and heartrending. After being there thirteen years, and being twenty-tAvo years old, he married Meg, a slaAO of ^Ir. iMumford's, and at the close of that year he Avas sold to IMr. Thomas Stanton, 2nd, Avho resided iu Stonington and avIio OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 127 married Sarah Chesebrough first, and second, Mrs. Sarah Hil liard Fish; thus Venture was separated from his wife and daughter. He had earned considerable money in various ways, and about a year and a half later, Mr. Stanton purchased his Avife and child for him at £700 old tenor, but not long after they had a falling out with their mistress, Avhich occasioned so much dissatisfaction that he Avas sold to Mr. Hempstead Miner of Stonington for £56, Avho soon decided to sell him ; so Ven ture buried his little hoard of money in the road over Avhich Mr. Stanton passed daily, and Mr. Miner carried him to Hart ford and offered him for sale, but finally pawned him for £10 to Mr. Daniel Edwards, Avho after finding him honest and trusty, as his waiter, furnished him with a horse to return to his wife and children, who Avere at Mr. Stanton's. They not bping pleased to see him. Venture immediately went to Col. Oliver Smith's ; Mr. Miner had not settled Avith Mr. Stanton for him, but had given Col. Smith a bill of sale before his re turn from Hartford. When these men met to decide which should hold him, as Venture Avished to live Avith Col. Smith, it was agreed that he should, and he took upon himself, the name of Venture Smith. He had always been very anxious to pur chase his freedom, so Col. Smith consented and Venture took his little hoard of money out of its hiding-place in the ground and paid it over to him, and by doing extra work (although one quarter of this extra he paid over to Col. Smith), in five years he had earned his freedom money, £71, 2 s. AA-hich he paid Col. Smith, who then liberated him although it lacked £13, 18 s. of the full sum of his redemption. He soon after left Col. Smith's and sold all of his possessions in Stonington and went to Long Island. Mr. Thomas Stanton still owned his Avife and tAvo children, Solomon and Cuff, but Venture purchased them and his oldest child Llannah, also three colored men ; Avith these he had in later years varied experiences of grief and disappointment. At sixty- nine years he was broken doAvn Avith anxiety and trials, his eye- 128 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. sight was impaired so that two of his grandchildren had to lead him about. He had been a wonderfully strong man, standing six feet, one and a half inches in his stockings, and being able to carry a barrel of molasses on his shoulders for two miles. He could lift a tierce of salt holding seven bushels and carry it several rods ; also on the Davis farm can be seen the " Venture stone," which was easily carried several yards by him, but which noAv requires the united effort of tAvo ordinary men to lift. In many respects Venture was a wonderful man. He owned a capt. EDMUND FANNING HOUSE. house and several acres of land in Stonington. On Long Is land he bought a house and two farms. After he went to East Haddam, he worked for Timothy Chapman and Abel Bingham and bought sixteen acres more of land on which he built a house. He owned twenty boats, went fishing, clamming, raised Avatermelons and in every way acquired property. He was tem perate, honest and industrious, and Avorked more hours in his life than many men who live to be a hundred years old. He was buried at East Haddam, where he died. On this same Main Street in the village, which Avas laid out OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 129 from Stonington Harbor to the Town of Preston in 1752, a lit tle above Col. Smith's house on the other side of the street, is an old gambrel-roofed house, Avhich has been improved and modernized by its present owner, Mr. Davis, so that the front of the house does not show its age ; but passing through the gate and going aiound to the rear, you see the little leanto AAdth the tall chimney- and the sloping roof Avhich easily distin- guishes_the house of more than a century from the modern one. Here, as nearly as can be told by the oldest inhabitant, Capt. Edmund Fanning lived in this large, old-fashioned, double DR. lord's HALL. house, with great rooms on either side of the small hallway, the stairs going up against the chimney and turning on themselves. It has the high wooden mantels and the large stone chimneyliT the center, with its huge ovens. Captain Fanning was a ship builder, and in 1822 built the Hydraspy and Almyra. Dr. Lord's Hall was made by Dr. Lord during a great revival when dancing was prohibited by "the powers that were" in order that the young people might have a place where they could trip the light fantastic toe, if they so wished ; he tore out the inside of the second story of this house and put in a new spring 130 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. floor and flxed it for a hall, the whole length of the building, Mr. Frank B. Noyes's mother often told him she had been there to dancing school, as a girl, with many others of her time. It was used for this purpose for many years until modern ones took its place. The flrst Stonington Band used to 'meet here to practice, and to such good effect that its music is yet remem bered with pleasure, by those who heard it. The instruments were hung around the walls and when the Episcopalians in 1847 hired it for their first services while tbe church was being built, they Avere left hanging as the band left them after their AU.NT MARY HOWE HOUSE. practice on Saturday nights, and with their gay ribbons they made quite an effective background. This hall, having served its purpose, has since been turned into tenements and much al tered from its original shape ; it still stands on the corner of Main and Plarmony Sts. Dr. Lord's house was a large, comfortable old house, which stood on the corner of Main and Union Sts., and Avas long owned and lived in by the Lord family. It Avas afterwards the home of that loved and honored elder of the Baptist church. Dr. Albert G. Palmer, for many years, and was moved over OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 131 on the marsh to make room for the New Baptist Church now standing there. Aunt Mary Howe's house was built by her father, George Howe, who lived and died there ; she used to say that he was so long in building it, that part of it was practically never finished ; this part was rented for a bakery at one time. This house is one of the few left just as it was built, and is quite a curiosity in its old-time simplicity, with its large old fire-places and high narrow mantels. It is now owned by Mrs. Sarah Noj'^es, one of her descendants, who thinks very, much of it, and will not sell to any one. It is kept in good re pair and was used as a village library, after Miss Howe's death, until the handsome Free Library was built in 1899, by Mv. Erskine Phelps and Mr. Samuel D. Babcock on Wadawanuck square. The old library was visited by many strangers, as it was one of the sights of the place, with its granite shaft on the corner surmounted by a bombshell thrown in here at the time of the bombardment. It was erected to the nfemoiy of George Fellows, one of the defenders of the town in 1814. These noAV stand on the Little Park in the center of the Town Square with the two old eig-hteen-pounders on either side of it, so dear to the hearts of the villagers, for the good they have done. • On the corner of Main and Grand Streets stands the mansion AA-hich Col. Joseph Smith built in 1800, a large, finely constructed, square, double-hipped roof house with tAvo leantos, one on either side, at the rear. There are three AA'indoAvs on the east side both in the upper and lower rooms, and the woodwork near the eaves, under the jetting is very beautifully carved by hand, and the same work is over each window. The front door is handsomely- made, Avith oblong panels of Avood, and a curved piece at the top set in Avith glass in an iron frame. The brass knocker, handle and latch are always polished like gold, and two long, fluted columns are on either side of the door, while about a foot aAvay on both sides are two similar fluted columns Avhich extend the height of the house ; surmounting the whole is a pointed frame work set with little oblong panes of glass. 132 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Within, the rooms are wainscotted, and deep cornices show this house to have been built in a more elegant manner than most houses in 1800. Here, in 1819, occurred a wedding of much interest, when the oldest daughter. Miss Nancy Smith, married Mr. Alexander G. Smith ; the two families were not related, though of the same name. Mv. Smith's home Avas in the Borough where he was clerk of the Probate Court for several years. He studied laAv Avith Judge Coddington Billings and kept a store and had his COL. JOSEPH SMITH S HOMESTEAD. office over the store. He Avas also very active in defense of Stonington. At their wedding, a large number of invited guests came, sixty being at the house to partake of the Avedding sup per. The next day a large sail boat was seen coming into the harbor, bringing a band of music ; this proved to be Captain Lee and a party of friends from New London, Avho were on their way to call upon Mr. and Mrs. Smith and bestoAV the cus. tomary congratulations. This happy affair Avas long remem bered in the vfllage ; jMrs. Smith lived only a very short while and died at the age of twenty-six. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 133 The large double house standing on Main Street, opposite the Col. Joseph Smith mansion, Avas buflt by the sons of Rev. Nathaniel Eells, as he had a large family of children. The two youngest sons were married in 1785 and 1789 and Hved here together, in the greatest harhibny, using the one long kitchen and one fire-place, while one Avife sanded her part of the floor so as to know her limitations. The Rev. Nathaniel came to live Avith them about 1785 and died here. About flfty years before this, he had been settled at the Road, and about that same time EELLS HOUSE. the " Great Awakening " was felt in this region. He was the pastor Avho invited Rev. Geo. Whitefield to preach at the Center Meeting-house. Later Mr. Eells preached at the Academy every Sunday afternoon, until the Point people petitioned for a church of their own. Although quite an old man, he went to Boston on the break ing out of the Revolutionary war, to help defend the liberties of his country, and lived to see them assured ; his descendants lived here for many years. The house is still owned by the heirs of Mr. Samuel D. Babcock, and occupied by Mr. and 134 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Mrs. Robert Palmer, who are each descendants of Benjamin and Joseph Eells. In the early part of 1800 the house was in habited by B. F. Babcock and wife, who lived on the north side, while Mr. Enoch Chesebrough and wife lived on the south side till 1819, Avhen Mr. Chesebrough moved up to the Grandison farm house. It is but little changed from the original, having the large rooms on each side, and small entry with stairs mak ing the usual turns and landings; the wooden shutters, the SAMUEL DENISON HOUSE. large oven, fire-places aud high Avooden mantels are the same as of old, Avhile the Avindow sashes and small panes of glass are still to be seen. Up the hill, from the Col. Smith house is the Samuel Deni son homestead, built by the Rev. Hezekiah Woodruff after he was installed in 1789 ^t the Road Church, which was then called the Mystic meeting-house ; but his house Avas not finished when he left his parish in 1803. Then Mr. Stiles Phelps, son OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 135 of Dr. Charles and Hannah Denison Phelps, bought and reno vated it in fine style, to suit his ideas. He had been abroad (a rare thing in those days) and was much pleased Avith the terraced gardens he saw there, so he arranged this ground in terraces as they are noAv, and made it the finest place in the Borough. He failed in business, however, and about 1811, Mr. Samuel Deni son bought the whole place, extending on the south side to the Charles Phelps place (which is the Capt. C. P. Wflliams house) and north to the east road ; the railroad cut through his land on the north, and the Episcopal church stands on the land to the south, where also a street Avas cut through; on the east the large schoolhouse now stands, and Mr. Eugene AtAVOod's house which was built by the Rev. Samuel Denison, Secretary of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church of New York, and sold by his heirs to the present OAvners. This fine old mansion stands on quite high ground, A^ery nearly as it Avas 100 years ago, and is much admired for its old- fashioned charm. The large chimney and fire-places, the AVOoden shutters Avith the small panes of glass are still there ; it also has on the top, around the chimney Avhat used to be called "The Whale Walk," where one could go to Avatch for the incoming seal and whale ships, and is the only house noAv in the village AAdiich can boast of one, but in Nantucket and other- seaports they are very common, though in this case itAvas only for ornament. The front entrance was at first on the north side, and the present hall, is where Rev. Hezekiah had his study ; in the wall by the stairAvay are three cupboards Avhere he used to keep his books ; the posts of the balustrade are of mahogany, the doors still have the old style brass knobs, and many pieces of beauti ful Chippendale furniture are to be found here. Mr. Denison had a large family of children, and five beautiful daughters greAv to womanhood and married. It was always noted for its hospi tality and social life, and many distinguished people have been entertained here. Sometimes the house Avas full, even to the attic, 136 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. where two large rooms were finely finished off, for the accom modation of those Avho must necessarily move up, when the influx of guests became great, and the change was hailed with delight, as the view from the thirdrstory windows is very fine, overlook ing the waters of Little Narragansett Bay. The Jonathan Palmer house was built by him originally where Dr. C. E. Brayton's drug store now stands; he was the flrst postmaster here and collector of the port. It has been moved back of the Zebulon Stanton house where it now stands, RODMAN HOUSE. and is a large double house, owned for a long time by the Rod mans, but that family having all moved away, it Avas sold by them to Mrs. Geo. Rogers of Boston, and is now OAvned by Dr. Brayton. When it Avas being moved he found a very large oven in the cellar, as Avell as two large ones upstairs, and it was supposed to have been built originally for a tavern. It also had a fine large garden in connection with it, laid out in terraces. It may be interesting in this connection to knoAV that the Stonington Post Office was organized in 1792, and Col. Jonathan Palmer, son of Jonathan and Prudence (Holmes) OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 137 Palmer, was the first postmaster, and his commission was from Thomas Pickering, postmaster general. He Avas also the first collector and surveyor of Stonington, and his commission was signed in 1791 by George Washington as President, and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary, while his commission as naval officer was signed by Matthew Griswold, Governor of Connecti cut. He married in 1782, Miss Lucinda Smith, and died in 1810 at the age of 64 years. In April, 1812, his widow sold a tract of land at Long Point to Lodowick Niles, which was bounded by land of Capt. Amos Palmer. i»iii'"'''^t*'ai»^:rz?<5> ZEBULON STANTON HOUSE. The letter iu reply to Timothy Pickering is still in the hands of Dr. George D. Stanton and herewith transcribed. " Stonington, Jan. 22 A. D. 1793. Sir, Your letter of Nov last inclosing my Commission as Deputy Postmaster at this place Avith blanks and instructions and a key for mail all came to hand, and were acknowledged in a letter of mine to you the 11th of Dec. last enclosing my bond and Certificates of Office and Oath, also my opinion, which you have pleased to ask, re specting an office in PaAvketuck. Have since received no letter or information from you. I opened ye Postoffice agreeably to your instructions on ye 1st day of Jan. inst. and have since had 138 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. some difficulty in forAvarding the letters and packets directed to other places on acct. of the Mumf ords not having received orders from you to call at this office. I conclude there must have been some miscarriage of letters, respecting the business and doubt ing whether mine to you of ye 11th Dec. has been received. It has caused me a very perplexing anxiety of mind. I there fore request, Sir, that as soon as your business will permit, you will inform me whether my letter above referred to has come to hand and give any further instructions which you now may ELDER SWAN HOUSE. judge necessary. T am Sir, with sentiments of esteem, Your friend and very humble servant. Signed Jonathan Palmer. Still above on Main Street is the Zebulon Stanton house, Avhich was buflt by him about 1776, or at the time he Avas mar ried. It faces the Park and has very large beautiful elms before the door, Avhich also testify of age. The house is large, and the ell at the right Avith its two large show AvindoAvs full of small panes of glass, Avas formerly a shop Avhere IMr. Sta.nton worked at his trade as silversmith. The front entry is small, with the Avinding staircase and beautifully hand-carved bannis ters stfll to )je seen. The house yet belongs to, and is occupied OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 139 by, descendants of the Stanton family. On the south-east cor ner of Wadawanuck Square, Avhich now surrounds the " New Library," once stood a large house called " Yol'k's Hotel," kept in 1799 by Joseph Davis, who married Esther Denison; after a few years he removed " Up Country " and was succeeded at the hotel by Mr. Oliver York who kept the tavern. Elder Swan's house, which used to stand just back of the Congregational Church, is now located on the Westerly road nearly opposite Mr. Ryan's stables, and is altered into a ELDER ELIHU CHESEBROUGH HOUSE. double tenement house. It is a large, square buflding, with shingled sides, and looks very much as it did when Mr. Joshua Swan lived there before 1790, a;id his son. Elder Jabez SAvan, was born there. He, later, became a noted Baptist preacher, and many are the words of wisdom and Avitticism that are even now attributed to him. As you drive up the hill on this same street, where so many beautiful houses have been recently built, and towards the Vel vet Mfll which has lately made its home here, bringing so much of busy life and cheerful faces among us, Ave see the old home of Elder Elihu Chesebrough, the ell of which is the remaining 140 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. part of the Enoch Stanton house Avhich Avas carried there from the Road in 1800. It is large, square and Avood- colored, some what Avorn by age and the elements. The view from the door is Avell worth the little trip off from the regular drive ; the blue waters of the ocean, shining clear in the distance, Avhile Watch Hill and the nearby islands are distinctly seen. Elder Elihu, who lived here, Avas born in 1769; he Avas a good man, an or dained minister, and preached in the Baptist Church in the Borough for twenty years, and also at the Anguilla Meeting- DUDLEY PALMER HOUSE. house, and continued in his good AA^ork, preaching at M'equet- equoc, at the old schoolhouse, when he was nearly eighty years old. He married his second Avife (Mrs. Mary Fish, wid ow of Elisha) at the age of 79 years, and died when he Avas 99. The Dudley Palmer house is the original homestead, buflt by Elijah Palmer in the latter part of 1700. His son Dudley married a Cihesebrough and lived here for many years, and the house retains the name of the family Avho so long occupied it At this place Rhoda Palmer Avas born in 1786, and afterwards OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 141 became the wife of old Dr. William Hyde. The house is large and double, still in good repair, and bears its weight of years right gracefully. It faces on Elm Street, and is now owned by the Dewey family. The Billings Burtch house formerly stood Avhere Mr. Peleg Hancox built his fine new house on ^Vater Street, but about 1850 it was moved from there to the corner of Water and High Streets by Mr. Ezra Chesebrough, Avho purchased it and placed it where it now stands. It was some three feet or more above the road bed, Avith its yelloAv front door facing south. BILLINGS BURTCH HOUSE. the approach to which Avas by some rambling stone flags, or slabs, about four or five inches thick, and placed as they were broken out with neither form nor comeliness. At one time the house was tenanted by George Howe, who was sexton and tithing- man at the old Baptist Church, and at another time Mrs. Elias Gallup, sister of Mrs. Ezra Chesebrough, lived there and had a millinery store. According to an old letter found, Mr. Billings Burtch died in this house aged ninety-two years. The Thomas Burtch house is now standing, as it has for many long years, brown and Aveather-beaten, but looking sunny 142 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. and quaint with its front and side doors but a few feet apart, and the immense stones at all the entrances, as also in the founda tion, make it noticeable as an old landmark. Mr. Burtch's son, Capt. Thomas was for a long time a sea-faring man, and later kept a store on the corner opposite the present news office of Mr. George Haley, where the children used to delight to peer into the show windows at the various dolls, toys and the glass jars of bright colored candy sticks, lemon balls, pink and white kisses, and large peppermints to be seen there. THOMAS BURTCH HOUSE. Another one of the pretty old houses in the village is the Richard Eldred house, located on the corner of a street known to some as the " Lost corner on the Irish Channel." Its corner door, though looking very like the old " Toll house " doors, is yet one of the modern improvements within a few years. Little is knoAvn of its age or occupants, but could the history be told it Avould undoubtedly be found most interesting. It is remembered by some of the oldest people that long ago Uncle Jimmy Stanton, an Englishman and rope-maker, lived here. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 143 RICHARD ELDRED HOUSE. Opposite this at the north, stands the story and a half house which many years ago belonged to a Mr. Fourier, who was a hatter; as he became old and infirm, he wished Mr. Samuel Chesebrough, Jr., to purchase it, Avhich he did, and afterwards his daughter married Mr. George Ashbey, or Neighbor Ashbey, ASHBEY HOUSE. 144 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. as he was familiarly called, and here thej- lived and died. It is now owned by Mv. August Muller. Further down on Water Street aa^c come to the large high house built many years ago ; for in 1772 Esq. Nat. Miner had his lawyer's office here in the upper story, while Aunt Honor States had a store below, Avbere she sold dry goods, light gro ceries and fruit. Esquire ]Miner was a bailiff' and quite a terror to the small boys, A\'ho, when he appeared, would disperse like dcAv before the sun, especially if they had congregated Avith a NATHANIEL MINER HOUSE. spirit of mischief or undue hilarity on Fast Day or upon Sat urdays at tAvilight, Avhen all work was supposed to be finished, and the Sabbath begun. The next house below the cross street is the old Amos Shef field home, a large two story structure, Avith two flights of winding stairs, which lead to the front door above. It AAas built before 1788, and later, his daughter Sally married Enoch S. Chesebrough, and resided there, and Mv. Chesebrough kept a A'ariety store underneath on the north side of the house. Here in the north Avest chamber above. Rev. Amos S. Chesebrough, OLD HOMES IN STONITONGN. 145 ACORS SHEFFIELD OR CAPT. BSNJ. PENDLElON HOUSE. now living at New Hartford, flrst saw the light of day over eighty years ago. Mr. Simon Carew married the widoAV of Mr. Amos Sheffield, and kept a store underneath on the south side of the same house at the same time. • Tbe house which stood nearly opposite the Peleg Brown mansion was a low, gambrel-roofed house, occupied by Acors AMOS SHEFFIELD HOUSE. 146 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Sheffield about 1750, Avhose daughter married Benjamin Pendle ton. It was his father Avho sailed from Stonington in 1810 and was never heard from. Their daughter, Cassandra, mar ried Thomas Swan, and their descendants have resided in this same house till they sold it to Dr. C. O. Main, who removed it and built anew. The WidoAV Luke Palmer's house is one of the old landmarks although none of the older residents seem to know when this house Avas built ; still it is known that Mr. Palmer married Sally^ P. Denison in 1804, and they lived there. She used to board the men connected with building the Stonington Railroad, Mr. Almy, Mr. Matthews and others, about 1835. The house has been so added to and improved that but little of the origi nal can now be seen. It was owned by- Mrs. William L. Palmer, and her heirs sold it to Mr. Henry Davis, whose heirs sold it to Miss Emma A. Smith, and in 1901, the Roman Catho lic Society purchased it of her. At various times three clergy men have lived here: Rev. M. Willey, first Pastor of Calvary Church ; Rev. R. S. Wilson, Pastor of the Baptist Church, and Rev. A. G. Palmer, who Avas so long the good minister of the Baptist Church. George Swan married Abigail Randall. He was a son of John Swan, who married Lucy Denison ; his son Roswell, who was born at the place now called " The Highland Farm " mar ried Harriet F. Palmer, daughter of Capt. Amos Palmer by his second wife. He studied under Hezekiah Woodruff, pastor of the Congregational Church in Stonington, Avho fitted him for college, and he entered Yale, graduating in 1802, Avith a class who subsequently became eminent and distinguished men. He was called to Norwalk, Connecticut, and there died ; his widow survived him manj^ years and lived on Main Street in a house since moved, situated just above that of her father, Capt Amos Palmer. She lived there until the marriage of her daughter Harriet to Nathan F. Dixon, Avhen she went to Westerly, -Rhode Island,- to live with them. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 147 The Elijah Palmer house stood on the southeast corner of Main and High Streets, and was taken doAvn by the late Moses Pendleton ; the ell, Avhich was used as a store and afterwards as a school, was moved to Water Street, near Mr. Oscar Pen dleton's store Avhere it still stands, sometimes used as a little store. Elijah was the father of Mrs. William Hyde, Sr., who was two years old when he moved into it Mr. Gurdon Trum bull also lived in this house for a while, and here our esteemed THE MORRILL HOUSE. townsman, Rev. H. Clay Trumbull , was born, and here also, Mr. Giles Hallam lived for a while. The MorriU house is now situated near the livery of Mr. Theo. Wilcox and used as tenements, shorn of all its glories of olden days. It was originally one of the finest in the Borough, owned by Capt. Benjamin Morrill, Avho was a merchant in the West India trade. A large hall ran from front to rear, Avhile the stairs Avent straight up to the hall above, and had a handsome newel post of mahogany. It stood nearer the Avater at the time of the great September gale, and part of it was carried away ; 148 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. the father procured a boat and rescued part of the family while the mother, nurse and baby crawled into the big brick oven to await his return ; but before he could get back, they were all swept away, although finally rescued with great difficulty. In one of the large rooms upstairs was a staple in the floor securely fastened, where an insane member of the family was chained, as there were no asylums in those days. The brave Hulda Hall, who stayed so faithfully beside her dying mother, at the time of the battle, lived here the latter part of her life, and it is said that Capt. Fanning also resided here at one time. CAPT. JESSE BEEBE HOUSE. The Capt. Jesse Beebe house stands on the corner of High and Gold Streets, an old house, yet no authentic record as to its age can be given. This Capt. Beebe was for many- years master of a Packet running from NeAV York to the Borouo-h ; he also had charge of " Eel grass shoal" light-boat The latter part of his life Avas spent as a Pilot on the old Stonington line of steamers. Capt Joshua Pendleton bought the property and lived here until his death, when the house was sold to the present oAvners. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 149 The old and ancient looking gambrel-roofed house, standing on Water Street, shows in many waj^s the marks of age, but it is not definitely known Avho Avas the builder. At one time, many years ago. Uncle Jimmy Clark, father of Mrs. George Brewster, kept a bakery here ; and later, Capt. John Barnum resided here. Within thirty y-ears it has been raised to the present height and new ovens put in underneath, for a bakerA^ which has been used for many years, by Mr. Isaac N. Fair- brother. FAIRBROTHER, HOUSE. Dr. Charles Ph3lps' house which stood on Main Street, was built by him, Avhen he moved doAvn here from the Phelps place, north of the Borough, in the latter part of 1700. This was a fine old mansion, standing back with a lawn reaching to the street It had a ball room made Avith a spring floor for dancing, and was a flne specimen of the homes of that date. At the foot of the lawn was a little office, afteiwards used by Squire Hubbard, who married Dr. Phelps' widow, and lived in the house until it was moved by Capt Chailes P. Williams into Harmony Street, Avhere it now stands large and 150 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. square, even more imposing than the picture represents, but now shorn of all its glory and made into a tenement house. Where it stood formerly, is now the fine residence of Mr. Charles N. Wayland, known as the Capt. Williams place, the main body of which was moved from Water Street, and placed there by Capt. Williams and added to, making a fine appearance from the street. He was also for many years, engaged in the Avhale and sealing trade, and had many ships on the water; one of them named the "Betsey Williams" was built at the " Kiln Dock " just south of his garden. PHELPS HOUSE. The Waldron house, standing now near the " Atwood Machine Works," was built in 1783 by Jonathan Waldron, and was one of the few, at the loAver part of the town at the Point It had always remained in the family until sold about 1886. Mr. Waldron came with his brother, Nathaniel, to Ston ington in 1776 from Newport, Rhode Island, where he was a merchant, and had many vessels in those waters at the time the British took possession of that place. IMr. J. C. Waldron of New York says that he built this house after a copy of one in OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 151 Newport, and it was the first house built in Stonington, with a good sized hall, and many people came to see it. Also in the dining room is a large " dresser," with sliding glass doors, which formerly stood in the parlor. The house was badly wrecked in the battle of 1814, and there are yet many evidences of broken beams and places where the shot came through the walls. A grape shot made a hole through one of the panes of glass, cutting it perfectly round, as if done Avith a knife, and without cracking the glass. For many years, this was quite a THE WALDRON HOUSE. curiosity, and was always guarded and cared for until it Avas accidently broken about 1875. My grandmother felt so badly, she sat down and cried at the loss. Mr. Jonathan Waldron married Lois Denison; they had several children, of whom George, died in the war of 1812 in the Privateer with Capt. Ben Pendleton. Another son, Jona than, died in Stonington, and left a legacy for the " Poor of the Boro." The brother Nathaniel married Susan Palmer, sister to Dea. Simeon, and their son Nathaniel, who married in Phila delphia, was the father of the present Waldron family, who 152 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. occasionally return to visit in Stonington where their ancestors lived over 125 years ago. The old windmill and house built in 1774 on the west of the Point and north of the lighthouse, cost £70, which was raised by a company. This was afterwards moved away, as it could not compete with the water poAver mills. The house stood there till within a foAV years, Avith rough stone steps leading up to it and a well by the side of it ; Avhen this was torn down, the gambrel-roofed one now standing on the Point, was moved there by Asa Wilcox in 1816. This year was so cold that no A^egetables could be raised, for there Avas a frost every month. Edward and John Denison, son and grandson of the ship- JOHN DENISON HOUSE. builder George, of Westerly, built the first house in the Borough in 1752, on the Town Square, or Landing, as it was then called. It stood where the Gurdon Pendleton house now stands, and was a tavern for many years. It was built especially for the farmers, who came to sell their stock and produce to those en gaged in the West India trade, Avhich Avas quite profitable at that time, before the Revolution ; the amount of their goods was usually returned in rum and molasses. That same year he built the first Avharf at the foot of the street and continued the West India trade iu Avhich he had been engaged in Pawca tuck. The house was afterwards occupied by Mr. Giles Hallam, and was burnt in the great fire of 1837, the family hardly escaping with their lives. After the fire, one of his descendants OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 163 built the house now owned by Mr. Ira Palmer. The view of this house is taken from an old sketch in the possession of Dr. Geo. D. Stanton. The Capt. Keene house Avas formerly^ the Tom Wilcox house built by him ; Mr. Wflcox's daughter Fanny married Capt Keene and they both lived and died there; it was sold a short time ago, and moved over on the marsh, and in its place is the fine store belonging to Burtch and Co., druggists. The Denison Chesebrough house stood on the corner of Union and Main Streets and was formerly occupied by Dr. Nathan Palmer who moved here from Wequetequock and built this new house. It has now been moved to the east part of the Borough. JOSHUA HALEY HOUSE. Opposite the Howe homestead, stands the house of the late Joshua Haley, much changed from the original gambrel-roofed low house which the older residents remember. Here lived Mrs. Remembrance Miner for many years ; she w-as a Goddard of New London, sister to Mrs. Anios Sheffield ; her husband was Nathaniel Miner second. He lived only a short time after their marriage in 1795 and died, leaving two children. Rev. Nathaniel, who went to Salem, and Harriet, who married Peleg Wilbur of Little Compton, R. I.] He was lost at sea, and after a time she married the Rev. Mr. DaAves, Avho also taught school. They left this house for a time, and while away Mr. John Terrett's family lived here. ( Mrs. DaAves came back and re mained here till quite an old lady, when she went to her broth- 154 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. er's in Salem and died there, and this house became the property of Mr. Joshua Haley. Just below the late home of Capt. Joseph Smith stands the low gambrel-roofed house owned in the latter part of 1700, by old Mr. Thomas Ash, who was a ropemaker. His daughter. Miss Selina Ash, kept a school here which was attended by many of the older inhabitants of the Borough. This house Avas purchased by Mr. Gurdon TrumbuU, with the land about it, and was moved from where the Capt. Smith house now THOMAS ASH HOUSE. stands, which Mr. Trumbull erected, and where he lived till he moved to Hartford. Mr. Daniel Hobart also lived at the Ash house for a time, and it is now owned by Capt. Thomas Scholfield. Where the Potter Block now stands was formerly the site of Rev. Ira Hart's large, double house, with its long ell and garden at the Avest. He built this house soon after he was in stalled as Pastor of the first church at the Road, in 1809. He had been preaching as supply for four months in North Ston ington, just before coming here, and before that had been active in missionary work in Pennsylvania and New York state, and [old HOMES IN STONINGTON. 155 was always eager in promoting all religious work. During his twenty years stay here, he preached at the Road in the morn ing, and in the village of Stonington in the afternoon ; he bap tized 288 people and married 143 couples. He was also Chap lain of Col. Randall's regiment, and was at the bombardment of Stonington in 1814. The story has been often told of the young Englishman, Thomas Powers, who was killed by one of our crew at that time, and his body brought ashore and buried at the village cemeteiy. Rev. Mr. Hart preached the customary sermon, which was so affecting that many an eye unused to weep Avas dimmed by HART HOMESTEAD. falling tears. The next year, the father of Mr. Powers came to Stonington, and finding Mr. Hart told him that he had " come expressly to see the spot where his only son had been buried," so Mr. Hart went with him as far as the gate of the cemetery, and waited there while the stranger sought out the grave; we can imagine Avhat deep emotion stirred his heart, and how unre strained the tears that fell. Today we may visit the same spot and see the monument which was erected to his memory by his fellow officers of " Her Majesty's Ship, Superb," while we drop a tear for this English boy who lies alone among strangers in a foreign land. Mr. Hart's zealous labors tasked his strength overmuch, and 156 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. his health failed him about the time his^new meeting-house AA^as built, which Avas the present one at the Road. He Avas ex pecting to preach the sermon, on October 29th, 1829, when the house was dedicated, but on this very day, therpastor who had been untiring in all religious work, lay[^at death's door, aad before the services of the day had begun, he breathed his last, aged 58, having been born in 1771. He married Maria Sher man of New Haven, and his oldest child. Dr. David S. Hart, is remembered by many yet as a wonderful mathematician and a teacher who fltted many- of our 3-oung men for college in this Aery house Avhich has been taken down since his death. CHAPTER SEVENTH. " We may build more sxilendid habitations. Fill our rooms with paintings and with sculptures, But we cannot Buy with gold the old associations." Coming up from the village, leaving several fine residences behind us, and past the " City of the Dead," we come to the old home of Dr. Charles Phelps, who came to Stonington from Hebron, Connecticut, and built a house at the foot of Cosaduc Hill, which is now in North Stonington. He moved his family here about 1765, and built a house which is the ell of the present flne residence, still belonging in th^family and known as the " Phelps place." He was a distinguished physician. In Miss Perkins' book, she describes him " as a flne, round, full- formed man, very handsome, of courteous manners, dressed in fashionable style, flowing ruffles from his bosom and ruffles over his hands, exceeding fluent, and an agreeable talker". He was the first Judge of Probate in Stonington in 1767, having for bis clerk then Paul Wheeler, and during the thirty- three years Avhich be held this office, he had many other clerks. He had a large family of children, flfteen in number ; his daugh ter, Hannah, at the age of seventeen, married Judge Andrew Huntington of Norwich, a widower nearly twice her age. Miss Perkins also describes her as a " young lady possessed of the beauties of mind and person in an eminent degree." She was of a much more lively nature than her husband and was always a great social favorite from the time, "when as a jolly, young girl of fourteen," she sticks her compliments into a letter from Jon athan Bellamy to Aaron Burr, to later days, when she impresses Mrs. Sigourney with that elegance of form and address which 157 158 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON, Avould have been conspicuous at any foreign court ; she was es pecially fascinating to the children who visited her, by her liberal presentations of cake and other pleasant eatables, and her readiness to lend flne books and pictures. Young girls con- flded to her their joys and sorrows, sure of an appreciative listener. The bill for the wedding flnery of Mrs. Andrew Huntington is still preserved and may be interesting at this late date. DR. CHARLES PHELPS HOUSE. Charles Phelps, Esq. Aprfl 1777. To William Hubbard, Dr. To 20 yds. Brocade at 46/6 8 1/4 yds. Lute string at 21/ 7 yds. Blown lace at 9/ Do. Thread Lace at 5/4 25 yds. Trimming at 1/6 6 yds. White Ribbon 'at 3/ 1 pair White silk gloves «/ 10 0 8 13 3 3 3 0 2 13 4 1 17 6 0 18 0 1 £64 15 1 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 159 Her husband. Judge Huntington, carried on the business of a merchant and Mrs. Sigourney says of him, that he AAas of plain manners and incorruptible in integrity and the Aveight of his influence was always given to the best interests of society^ He received his title from the office of Judge of Probate Avhich he held for many years. Dr. Phelps' son, Joseph, married and lived at the Phelps place, Avhile his father after the death of his first Avife, moved to Stonington and lived there Avith his second Avife, Avho was Sally Swan ; she survived him and married Mr. George Hubbard in 1809. Mr. Joseph Phelps' oldest son, Charles, Avho married Miss, Ann Hammond of Newport, Rhode Island, lived here, and added the present large front to the house about 1827 and - piade other improvements. This place has been the scene of many pleasant occasions, one of which was the marriage of ^Ir. Frank Babcock, brother of Mr. Samuel D. Babcock, to Miss Phebe Swan, Avho was a cousin of Mr. Phelps, and immediately after the wedding they sailed for Europe. Mr. Charles Phelps was a veiy kind friend to the poor and a liberal benefactor, and it Avas indeed a sorrowful day in Ston ington, as well as in his own family, when it Avas known that he was one of the victims of the steamer " Lexington," which Avas burned on the night of January I7th, 1840, on her usual trip from New York to Stonington. His iiepheAV, Mr. Charles Noyes, was Avith him and was also lost. Mr. Phelps left a widow and tAvo children, one of Avhom, Mrs. Eugene Edwards, has always resided in her father's house, and has also followed in his footsteps in regard to liberality, of which the Road Church has been one of her beneficiaries, as the many gifts which are in the Ladies' Parlors can testify. This house of Mr. Phelps is situated in a most delightful spot, and here Mr. Erskine Phelps, for years a prominent business man of Chicago, a son of Mr. Charles Phelps, and now the present owner, has returned to still further beautify the home of his ancestors, where from the shaded verandah of this mansion he can see the 160 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. glistening waters of Lambert's Cove and enjoy much of nature's loveliness. Further up the road is the old Jesse York house, standing a little back from the highAvay on the brow of a hill, near the present parsonage of the Road Church. This house was buflt about 1775 a large, square structure with the usual big stone chimney. It commands a fine view of ocean and country round about, also AVatch Hfll, the popular summer resort, shows plainly in the distance. Dr. Charles Phelps owned this place A'ORK PLACE. at one time, and Mr. Jesse York bought it after him, and his daughter Nancy married Mr. John W. Hull in 1801, whose son Jesse owned it, and now it belongs to his son, Mr. John W. Hull of Tenafly, New Jersey. Coming down the driveway again, Ave cross the road and fol low a deep rutted cart path through a gate and into a pasture, where Avending our way for some distance beneath the droop ing boughs of forest trees, we come to a most picturesque spot, which was once one of the business centers of the town, for OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 161 here Avas the old grist mill, built by Mr. Nathaniel Fellows who married in 1737, Hopestill Holdredge and put up this house and mill here. Mr. FefloAvs had a family of thirteen chfldren, one of whom, Lydia, married Mr. Nathan Noyes, and their son Nathan used to tell about the mill there, Avhich Avas run by an immense overshot wheel, that stood nearly as high as the house beside it A long wooden trough, led from the dam, a few rods north, to tbe wheel and Mr. Noyes, when a boy, used to run up this flume and open the gate at the dam and then, turn ing, would race with the Avater, running the length of the flume, and jumping off before the Avater caught up with him, Avhich was an hairbreadth escape. Afterwards this mill Avas sold to Dr. William Lord, Avho came here from Lyme, and he sold it to Mr. Charles Smith, Avho also run the grist mill here. The place is now OAvned by Mr. Sylvia. Still continuing our way to the west, on this most delightful path, which winds in and out, among the hill? and valleys in a most fascinating manner, Ave come out into the public highway, where turning to the north we drive for a short distance, when, if one delights in a most charming A'iew, let him go through the gate, which leads to Mount Pleasant on the old Indian land, known as Chenango, and here after foUoAving the Avinding path which is constantly ascending, you see a house tOAvering above you, so close to a broad flat rock, that from below it seems to form an immense stone doorstep. To climb the hill and go upon the piazza, is the Avork of a few moments, but when it is accomplished, the sight reveals to even the most uninterested observer, one, if not the most beautiful, panorama in the whole town of Stonington. To the north are the dense Avoods, which are ever varying in their hue and beauty, while at the south lies the village of Stonington, the harbor Avith its shipping, the many farm and summer houses, and nearer hy, the various loAver peaks of rock and land, where with no great stretch of imagination, Ave can see in the near future, more new houses for the city peoi)le, Avho continually 162 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. find in our t)Avn, that Avhich delights the eye and brings rest to the Avorld weary ones. This farm was originally Hallam land and later passed into the hands of Mr. Amos Denison, Avho built the house ; after him, Mr. Eugene Edwards and Avife, with Mr. James Noyes OAvned it, of whom Mr. Francis Noyes purchased it for his parents, who lived there with him till their death. It was then a one story half house with the large chimney, deep oven and high mantel so common in those days. Since then it has MOUNT PLEASANT. been enlarged and was occupied by Mr. Francis Noyes and his family tifl about 1870 when he sold it, and it is now in the possession of Mr. Denison Palmer. But a short distance north of Mount Pleasant, stood the first Haley house in town, and an old well now marks the spot near the site of the old home. John Haley, who married Priscilla Fellows, sister of Lydia, built his house on the bridle path, which runs from the Fellows Mfll to Dr. Gray's house, and not far from there it stood, facing the south, a gambrel-roof, half OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 163 house, Avith the old stone chimney at the end ; uoav only the cellar and a few apple trees mark the spot of this old home stead. BeloAv here but a .short distance, was also the old Zebu lon Chesebrough house which was low, with sloping roof in the rear. It was occupied afterAvards by their son Ezra, who was a ]Major in the Eighth Regiment at one time ; here he lived until his death in 1878. The path can now be traced through these woods, past where these old houses once stood, and is a most delightful one in summer, leading to what is now knoAvn as CRARY HOUSE. Sylvia's Mills, about which are most beautiful places for picnics in summer, and the pond affords a grand skating place in winter. There are numerous Wheeler families in Stonington, who can claim Thomas Wheeler of Lynn ]Mass., as their ancestor. He came here with his wife Mary in 1667, and their graves are found now in the " White Hall " cemetery. Though his will was destroyed at the burning of New London, we know he owned land, which extended on either side of the road from the late Robert Wheeler's house in North Stonington to the "Town 164 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Farm" here, with the exception of the Hyde and Billings places, which Avere ov/ned by the Stantons and Miners. His homestead Avas built in 1673, on the very site of Col. James F. Brown's house. It Avas a double, two story, wood-colored house, very low between joints and Avas taken down seventy years 'ago. The large, square, white house near the roadside, a short •distance below, was built and owned in 1748 by Nathan Crary, a descendant of Peter Crary of Groton. When -he died Mr. SAMUEL WHEELER HOUSE. Latham Hull bought it and his son Amos, lived here. Later his half brother. Col. John W. Hull owned and sold it to Mr. Benjamin Hewitt, Avho after occupying it for a fcAV years sold it to Mr. Burrows Park. At the time when it Avas occupied by Mr. Crary and family, they^ OAvned a number of slaves, among whom was one called Jinny, Avhose Bible, broAvn and Avorn, under date of 1784, is still in existence, belonging to Richard A. Wheeler. She Avas emancipated a few years later and Avhen Mr. Crary died, she went to the home of Mr. Lester AVheeler, where she remained till her death. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 165 Another Wheeler house stands lu excellent condition, but a short distance south of this, Avhich was built by ^Ir. Joseph Wheeler, near the close of the Revolutionary war and while he Avas in battle at " White Plains," New York, where he was dis charged and came home to occupy it At that time it was a one story half house, the east side being built then and the Avest part added later. When it Avas OAvned and occupied by their son Samuel and his family about 1840, the house vvas raised another story. Tbe white oak tree in front, was then but about six or eig;bt inches in diameter, but now the house stands under the shadow of this grand old tree which has be come the largest oak tree in the whole town, the circumference being about fourteen feet. This house is now more than a hundred and twenty-five years old. It is occupied by the fourth generation of that same family in direct descent aud owned by Mv. Nelson Wheeler, Driving down the pleasant, shady road a few rods, past an other Wheeler house of a later date, on the east side of the road we come to the spot where once stood the Joseph Denison house. This ^Ir. Denison was son of George and Mercy (Gor ham) Denison, who lived at Westerly, Rhode Island. This Avas a large two story house and after two or three genera tions of Deuisons had occupied it, Mr. Latham Hull Sr. bought it and gave it in his will to his son Jeremiah, Avho lived there; it was sold by his children to Samuel and Jonathan Wheeler, Avho rented it to various families, among them Mr. Nathan iel Noyes, Mr. Dudley D. Wheeler and Mr. Orsemus Smith, who was a blacksmith and his old shop still stands a little east of the present house of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, Avhere he wrought in all kinds of iron work ; beside shoeing oxen and horses he made hoes, scythes, pitchforks, and steel traps for catching otters and beavers. He was an ingenious mechanic and worked at all kinds of smitheiy. Joseph Denison's son, Dea. Joseph, had a sugar mill until during the Revolutionary War, on his farm (the present Moss jflace) Avhich Avas operated by horse 166 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. power, where sweet cornstalks Avere ground and the juice boiled down for molasses and sugar, as it was almost impossi ble to buy any, because of the British blockade. A short distance off the road, at the right from this old house long since gone, stood, till a fcAv years ago, the house of Mr. Elisha Williams, though later owned by Mr. Prentice Wheeler. Mr. Williams built it in 1740 and married Thankful Denison for his first wife ; she lived but a very short time, and he mar ried second, Eunice Williams, third Esther AVheeler, and fourth elijha wh liams house. Mrs. Eunice Spalding Baldwin. His daughter Eunice, by his third wife, Esther AA'heeler, Avas a young lady Avho had many admirers and she also possessed a mind and aa'AI of her OAvn, probably inherited from her father as the following story Avill show. He was very desirous of seeing her united in marriage, to a man of his choice, Avhich was evidently contrary to her oavu desire, as she had previously become acquainted with Mr. Isaac Denison and had come to the conclusion, in her oavu mind, that he and no other should become her liege lord. One day her father desired her to be at Jiorae to his friend and suitor, and OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 167 that she should be, be locked her into her room on the second floor and went aAvay feeling sure that Avhen he desired her presence he should know where to flnd her, but " Love laughs at locks " and Avhen Mr. Wflliams went to bring his daughter to meet his desired son-in-law, she had floAvn, having jumped from the windoAV and fled through the Avoods to the home of her uncle Richard Wheeler, Avhere she safely remained for a time, tfll her father's wrath was appeased. After a while Mr. Deuison's claims Avere established and they were married in 1773 when she Avas only eighteen years old. Later this place was made quite famous by the making of couuterfeit money; three men, Avho lived one here, another at the Hull farm and the other at the present Hyde farm, became acquainted with a Frenchman who understood the art of coun terfeiting sih^er money, so they commenced operations here. The die which they used Avas long afterAvard»found in a barn, some distance from here, where it had been hidden in the hay, it was, about a foot long, and three inches Avide and had places for cutting quarters, halves and Avhole silver dollars. The first quantity of this money Avhich they used, Avas sent to the West Indies to purchase different articles, which came safely to hand and so they again ventured and taking their money they all went to Coventrj^ in Tolland County, where they purchased cattle Avith it. They had bought quite a number and had started for home ; when getting as far as Hebron they put up at a TaA-ern over night. The next morning, tAvo of the men started for home, leaving the other to settle the bills, but he became so provoked at the inn keeper for charging such high rates for board and lodging of themselves and stock, that after much discussion, he threw the silver money, with some violence, upon the counter, when one piece rolled off' and struck upon the stone hearth, breaking into three pieces, which shoAved the tavern keeper that he was taking bad coin and when the man turned and fled, they were convinced that he was knowingly guilty. Before they 168 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. reached home all three were overtaken and arrested, brought back to Hebron and bound over for trial, and nine hundred dollar bonds Avere given for each to appear in court at Hartford ; they were flnally released by a friend, who gave bonds for them, which they afterwards paid. A short distance beloAv this Williams house, used to stand the house occupied by Aunt Zerviah Holmes, who AA'as the nurse at all the homes round about and whose kindly, beaming face Avas always a welcome guest. She Avas a wonderful ifpi^ttp" LESTER WHEELER HOME. woman, left at an early age in life, a Avidow Avith children, and almost entirely dependent upon her own exertions, she suc ceeded in rearing her family, all of Avhom have been a credit to her in their career through life. She is yet living with her son in Stonington and has recently celebrated her 97th birth day. The small, low house in Avhich she lived was reached by several steps leading down to it, and Avhen you entered, a world of Avonder and delight seemed to open to the childish heart, for everything Avas there in abundance to form a real home. It was built by David Lester, Avho married Priscilla Wil- OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 169 liams on land belonging to her, and they came there to live in 1718; afterwards their only child Priscilla Lester married Jon athan AVheeler, and their eldest son Lester Wheeler married in 1774, when he was seventeen years old and buflt the present one story house in 1773, which stands at the roadside with the sloping lawn, protected by its Avhite fence. It has been rebuflt within the last forty years, but the underground room is stfll there Avhich was formerly a weave shop, and after a time old black Jinnie, previously owned by the Crarys, had her home in GEO. CULVER HOUSE. this room. Aunt Jinny used to cany " barbs " about among the neighbors and prescribe for the sick. Just at the southwest of here, was at one time a cooper's shop where casks and barrels were made. This Mr. Lester Wheeler, was the greatest mathematician of his day about here and many were the intricate problems, which came to him, by the hand of Mr. David S. Hart, who was a private teacher in the Borough, and these Mr. Wheeler solved to the amazement and delight of the students of that age. Air. AVheeler married Eunice Bailey and their son David married and lived here, whose son William 170 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. liA'ed and died here, leaving the place to his Avidow and chil dren, the present owners. Mr. Lester AVheeler had a son AVilliam, who married AVealtly Turner, sister of Aunt Hannah, the noted school-mis tress of a century ago. He built the story and a half, wood- colored house in 1800, Avhich still stands on the corner near, upon a little hill, parti}' hidden by pine trees, but yet thev do not obscure the vieAV of the surrounding countiy. Here have lived many families : Mr. Jeremiah Shaw, Avery AVheeler, Clark WHEELER SCHOOLHOUSE, OLDhST IN TOWN. N. AVhitfoid and Jonathan Chesebrough who sold it to Mv. AVilliam F. AVheeler, of whom it Avas purchased by ^Mr. George Culver, the present OAvuer, a few }'ears ago. AVhen this house Avas raised, the scholars at the schoolhouse a little farther to the east, Avhich Avas built in 1799, Avere dismissed by the teacher, IMiss Alaiy, daughter of Air. AVarham AVilliams, that they might go to the " Raising," for in those daj-s it was considered 'a great event to raise a house. The interior of this schoolhouse, has remained the same as it was when it Avas built, till within the last ten years, when mod- OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 171 em chairs Avere placed therein. Hoav vivid it all returns to mind, the old, high desks Avith heavy planks for seats, while in front of these was the low, plank seat for the little children, the teacher's heavy desk, with lid that opened and lifted up, sometimes hiding the teacher's face for a moment, much to the delight of the children. The old box stove in the center of the room, set in its wooden frame filled Avith ashes, the long pipe, held iu place with Avires, tbe Avater jjail Avith its always rusted tin dipper, set on the low seat near the door that opened into the entry-, Avhere in the north end tbe Avood used to be piled so high, that at recess the chfldren who Avere esi)ecially daring and mischievous, Avould climb up on the wood and go overhead, where iu the darkness, still as a mouse, they- Avould hide aAvay, till summoned down peremptorily, by the teacher on penalty of a severe Avhipping, if they ever A-entured there again. Here have taught Aunt Hannah Turner, Miss Hannah Fairfield, Aunt Lucy Stanton (and she Avas the first to teach draAving and painting), Mr. John Hallam, Capt Samuel Helms (Avho taught the big boys navigation), JMr. Chester Prentice, and later, many young men of promise, William Palmer, Cyrus Noyes, James Burnett and Ralph AVheeler. Among the scholars Avere found Nat Gallup, of Albany, Charles Stanton and brothers, Flam and AVilliam Wheeler, Alfred Clark, Richard A. AVheeler, Hiram ShaAv and many another. In those early times, the ministers visited the schools. There Avas Rev. Ira Hart and Mr. AVhittlesey, Avho came on their annual visits and later on Mr. Simon Carew, IMr. Billings Davis and also one of these very children, Richard A. AA'heeler, grown up, though only in his twent}''-flrst year, AA'as appointed the school visitor. Still later A\-e see Hon. AVflliam AVilliams, one of the founders of the Norwich Free Academy-, AA'ho ahvays left the little tract or testament for the children, and AAhen Elder Griswold came the big boys Avere Avicked enough to imitate him^ when his back Avas turned, by using the broomstick for a crutch and going about the room flmping, in a manner to re- 172 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. semble the good old man who was lame and used a crutch for support Still the old schoolhouse stands there and little children pass to and fro, recite their lessons and play their games as in the long ago. Of late years it is sometimes closed for a term or so because of the scarcity of children in the dis trict, where iu other days Avere gathered forty or flfty, and so fufl was the house that the teacher could hardly get around the stove. The following poem which so vividly describes them Avas printed in the " Democratic Review " in 1846. THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE. It stands by the Avayside beneath an old tree. Where I frolicked in childhood, light-hearted and free. 'Tis rude and timeworn, and the weather stained door Is carved with deep crosses aud marked o'er and o'er, AVith drawings and names by childish hands traced, — Here, a part of a man, with the head quite effaced, But with shape and proportion ne'er intended by nature, The body a child's, hut a giant in stature. The half open door to my view has disclosed The benches and desks still standing in rows, All duly notched, where some idle boy sat, And worn smooth where his elbows rubbed, this way and that The desk of the master, his inkstand and rule. Where he set all the copies while he eyed the Avhole school. On the desk close beside, Avhere the ferule is laid, Confiscated apples and tops are displayed ; Unchanged do they seem, and still standing there, Are the pail and tin cup, and the master's arm chair ; And still in the center, all eaten with rust, The old stove and its pipe, thickly covered Avith dust, (.)]! the three legs is resting, the fourth broke and gone. Is sui)plied by a brick for its Aveight to rest on ; The papers and ashes lie scattered about, The bits of old pens with the feathers notched out, The marks on the wall, the ink on the floor. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 173 E'en the smoke on the ceiling's the same as of yore. Hark ! the voice of the child, thro' the half open door. Who cons, in faint treble, his dull lesson o'er, And the other, who yawns with his arms o'er his head, And sighs as he wishes his lesson was said ; Still deeper and longer, and more weary his sighs. When he turns to the window his sleepy grey eyes, And sees in the field the lambs skippiug at play, And envies their freedom this sweet summer day. And believes in his heart that happy he'd be, If he like the lambs, could only be free To gambol and frolic, to stand or to run, To lie down on the bank and bask in the sun ; But oh ! this high bench, where his little short legs Hang dangling, benumbed and lifeless as pegs, While vainly he tries to reach with his toes The too distant floor. Oh ! these are the woes AVhich many a child in his school hour knoAws. North of this schoolhouse, where noAv underbrush and timber are growing profusely, was once several Indian wigAvams, still remembered by the oldest inhabitants. In one lived Barbary AVoggs, an Indian woman who Avove baskets, from the twigs, saplings', splinters, or flexile wfllows of Avhich there Avas then, an abundance about here ; after being shaped by hand they were put in the sunshine to dry and perfect the shape. Here the old broad stone doorstep still remains to mark the place of this, the last of the Indian dwelflngs about here. Turning at the corner, near the late residence of Mr. Warren Wheeler, and about a half mile to the east, on a prominence called Walnut Hill, where the vicAV is hardly to be excefled, we flnd a few feet back of the present new house, the place where an old house stood, which Avas once owned and occupied by John Wheeler's family. Mr. Wheeler who married Zerviah Fanning in 1727, buflt this house and lived here, and having no son, he gave the place at his death to his nephew, John 174 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. AVheeler, Avho married Mary Miner, and his son John married Ann Borodel Denison Avho lived at the old Denison house in Mystic. Their daughter, Nancy, married Mr. Russell Williams and lived at Old .Alystic, from where their daughters married and Avent to other homes. One of the sons, Elias Wheeler, went south, where his descendants are yet living. Just a short distance below, where till recently has been a gate to a private Avay and quite near the old turnpike was an old house, built by Jonathan Wheeler ; the old stepping stones X -\ ,3^ HYDE PLACE. now shoAV Avhere they used to come to the brook for water. Mr. Wheeler gave it to his son Joshua (who married Molly Turner), during his life and after him, to his son Joshua (the hunter), who never married, but built the present house stand ing just below on the new road lately opened, called Wheeler Avenue. The Amariah Stanton house and ell now known as the Hyde Place was erected in 1750, and during the year 1796, the main body of this house Avas removed, and the present frontal was built by Judge Coddington Billings, sufficiently far aAvay to OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 175 place the old schoolhouse, built in 1767, between the old ell and new house as it is noAV seen. The old schoolhouse originally stood upon the Hyde farm, quite a distance to the west of this house, and in 1780, the father of the late Governor Morgan of New York was tbe teacher there. When the new school sys tem superceded in 1795, the building was removed and became part of this house. This farm has passed from Stantons to Hulls and Billings, and then to Gen. William Williams, Avho left it to his daughter, afterwards Airs. William Hyde Jr., who rented PAUL WHEELER HOMESTEAD. it for years till it was recently purchased by Mr. Henry M. Palmer. A little east on the corner which turns to go to the village of North Stonington, is the finely preserved house, built by Esq. Paul Wheeler in 1750. He was given his title from being one of the Committee of Safety at home to furnish fuel and cloth ing for the army during the Revolutionary war. The house scarcely looks its age, standing beautifully located, upon a knoll and is reached by a long flight of stone steps, from which height it commands a grand view of land and water. After 176 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Esq. Paul's death in 1787, his son Paul lived here for several years, and then Mr. Isaac AVilliams bought it, and his descen dants have owned and lived in it for more than a hundred years. Here used to occur officers' drills, Avhen Col. Joseph Mason, a descendant of Major John, commanded. Here Col. William Randall, Esq. Joseph Noyes and Mr. Stephen Avery married their wives, who were all great-grandchildren of the brave Susannah Eastman, who married John Swan in 1699. They lived in, Haverhill, Massachusetts, and she had lost her flrst husband, Thomas Wood, and child, Susannah, who were killed by tbe Indians a few years before, and again her house was attacked by them, but they determined that they Avould save their lives and their children's also ; so they placed them selves against the narroAv door, but the Indians rushed upon it, and Mr. Swan, seeing resistance v/as useless, told his wife that it would be better to let them in, but this courageous woman nothing daunted and fired with superhuman strength from the remembrance of the sorrow they had occasioned her before, seized her bake spit (which was a long sharpened rod of iron, used to pierce meat when roasting before the fire) and as the first Indian shoved himself through the door, she collected all her strength and drove it through the body of the man, Avhich frightened them so that the rest turned and fled ; thus by her courage and determination, she saved her family from a bloody grave. They soon after moved to Stonington and settled on Swan ToAvn Hill, now North Stonington, where she lived to be a hundred years old. This old Wheeler house is noAV in the AVilliams family, being occupied by the granddaughters of Mv. Isaac AVilliams. A short distance east of the Perez AVheeler house, stood a hundred years ago, an old, half one story house. Here Perez Wheeler and Desire Randall began housekeeping, on the farm given to him by his uncle, Cyrus AVheeler, who died unmarried. They lived here till 1796 when they built the present house, one story, double, the east side being finished at once for them OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 177 to occupy and his mother and children lived in the other half as she was a widow. Afterwards their son Nathan raised it and made it the fine dAvelling which is still OAvned by the family to the fifth generation. On the highway, but a little way below the Esq. Paul Wheeler house, used to stand the combined house and variety shop of Isaac Wheeler and his wife. Madam Mary Shepard, on land PEREZ WHEELER HOUSE. given him by his grandfather, Thomas the first. This house was built in 1680 ; it was two stories on the south and one on the north, with show windows on the west. She was the first shop or store keeper in town and bought the products of the neighboring farms, which she marketed in Boston and the West Indies, exchanging them for articles for the planters here. She rode alone on horseback to Boston, where she bought her 178 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. dry goods and her house was not only the delight of the neigh boring families, but her store becauie a political center. She accumulated much property for those days and was considered very rich, and at her death was the Avealthiest Avoman in the county. The only mark uoav left of this once prosperous home is a short piece of double faced Avail on tbe east side of the highway, nearly opposite the present residence of Miss Mary Wheeler, their great-great-great-grandchild. Isaac and Mary Wheeler had but two children, Margaret and Thomas. Mar garet married Samuel Frink, son of the emigrant John, and a few rods below her parents' house, they built, in 1714, the famous Frink tavern on land given them by her parents. The site is now knoAvn by Avhat is called the old Frink garden, a small lot near the roadside, just south of Miss Caroline AVheeler's home. The tavern Avas a large two-story, double house painted red, with a projecting roof at the front, having its arched ceil ing lathed and plastered. The front door was in the middle of the house, with a large room on either side of the chimney. It was a rendez\-ous for military training, Avhich in those days was an event of much importance, bringing together, besides the regular company and officers, a large number of people to witness the military tactics; and to enjoy the good cheer alwaj-s on hand at a training. I quote from Mr. Benjamin Fish, the following : " Before Post offices were established, letters were addressed " To be left at the Frink Tavern." There the Williams, AVheelers, Denisons, Stantons and Noyes were often to be encountered talking over the business and politics of the day. Although the temperance crusade had not then begun, there was little if any over indulgence by these sturdy and substantial citizens, and the old Sazetac aud fragrant St. Croix furnished at the tavern, were unblended, pure and undefiled. It has even been imagined that the grapevines, which have taken root in this abandoned cellar, where these liquors were once stored, have OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 179 imbibed some of the old flavor of the sod, and that it can be recognized in their fruit, a delicious white grape. The follow ing lines were placed over the mantelpiece in Frink's TaA^ern. " Our life is nothing but a' winter's day. Some only break their fast and so away^ Others stay to dinner aud depart full fed. The deepest age but sups and goes to bed. He most in debt who lingers out the day. Who dies betimes has less and less to pay." MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM WILLIAMS HOUSE. Between here and the next Wheeler house, still stands the old red house, built by Samuel Miner in 1739. Some years afterwards Gen. William Williams bought this place and lived here with his family, but later on he bought land of Mr. Charles Phelps and built the present house occupied by Mr. Theodore Palmer. In his will, he left the Miner farm to his son Calvin, whose brother's widow, Mrs. Gen. AVm. Williams of Norwich, afterwards purchased and gave it to the AVilliams Memorial Institute of New London (a High School for girls, which she founded in -memory of her only son, Avho died in early man- 180 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. hood). This old house has been inhabited by very many dif ferent families during all these 160 years that it has been rented. At one time to Thomas Randall and later to Denison Stewart. NoAV it is owned by Mr. Arthur G. Wheeler, who has recently purchased it. One of the oldest Miner houses in town belonged to Ephriam, who married Hannah, daughter of the first Capt. James Avery, who built it and lived here in 1666. It was situated about halfway between the red house and Mr. Sanford BOlings' resi- CLEMENT MINER HOUSE. dence, where now is an orchard, in the northwest corner of which stood this two-story half house, with pointed roof, which faced to the south. Here lived the ancestors of Rear Admiral Stanton of the United States Navy. Where Mr. Sanford Billings now lives, was once the home of Joseph Miner, brother of Ephriam, who married Mary Avery, sister of Hannah, in 1668. They had large families of children and both fathers served in King Phflip's war, and were buried in the old Miner burying ground at Taugwauk. After him, his son lived here, who married Capt. Joseph Saxton's daughter OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 181 Mary, and their son Clement married Abigail, daughter of Joshua Hempstead, Sept. 1st, 1731, and here her father came with the Rev. George AVhitefield and stayed the night before he preached under the tree at the Center Farm, July 19, 1747. This old house had been burned a short time before on April 18th, 1747, and Hempstead's Diary says that on June 10th, same year, " Son Miner raised his house and about 200 people were there," and on Oct. 24th, 1748, Mr. Hempstead records that he was at son Clement Miner's, placing his Middletown large stepstone before his front door. A hundred years later Mr. Rufus Wheeler was living in this new house, and his widow married Judge Coddington Billings, whose son, Hon. William Billings, took down the then old house, being careful to retain the frame-work of the east room, the front hall with its hand-made balustrade and a portion of the old roof, which had been one of the deep sloping ones at the north, and a portion of this is still to be seen on this side over the outside door. These he built about and made the present new residence, with the many commodious farm buildings, which he later gave to his cousin, the present occupant. Across the lots, at the west from here, on a uoav road which has but recently been laid out, stands a house, ancient, yet so lenovated within a score of years, that one scarcely realizes that it was built in 1735, and was once a pest house, like many others in town at that day. At one time forty-fiA'e men were quarantined here, not being allowed to go further away from the house than the alarm lot (called so because in 1781, when Arnold attacked New London the men belonging to the house hold were at work in this field). These quarantined men were vaccinated for tbe small pox and during the four weeks that they Avere obliged to stay here they organized a military com pany and had regular drills every day. Dr. Grey attended them and upon reaching the place, would go into the crib and change his clothes, before entering the house, where he diag nosed the patient's condition. None were so sick, but that 182 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. every good day they could all go out of doors, and when the time came to go away, great was the rejoicing, that now they were free to come in contact with the real smallpox, and yet be safe from its dreaded results. This house was originally built as a half, two-story, gambrelled roof, but enlarged in 1787 by adding the west side; the huge chimney in the center fills a space at the base sixteen feet square (just as large as the great east room) and four feet square at the roof. Among the timbers constituting the frame of the house are two white oak plates, upon which rests the rafters, that are forty-four feet long and eight inches square ; some of them are still in position and sound, and since it was reno vated about twenty-flve years ago, it bids fair to endure for another century. The Judge (Richard A. Wheeler) whose home it is and has ahvays been, and to whose ancestors the farm has belonged for over two hundred years, is a great lover of history and genealogy. He enjoys a good story, whether told to him, or by him, and is good company for young or old. He was High Sheriff for twelve years, and Judge of Probate for twenty-three years, has written 653 wills, none of which have ever been set aside. He has also published the history of the church and town, with genealogies of the early settlers. He has served acceptably in many public positions of trust, and helped to make peace in all conditions in which he has been placed. He renovated this house, put in new windows and entirely made over the great room. The old kitchen was made into a dining room, and the cheese room and long entries, with the half door at the west and the heavy oaken door at the north, with their strong wooden latches, Avhere the string Avas always out, have all been removed. The large rooms upstairs were plastered and large figures in red and green were painted on the walls with border at the top, of the same figures ; the ground work of one chamber was white and the other yellow. At the foot of the stairs in the front hall Avas also painted a OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 183 184 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. life size portrait of a girl, with her loAV-necked dress and dainty slipper peeping out from the short and narrow skirt. Her hair was done in little curls about her face, which although supposed to be painted as an artistic picture, still it is said to 'resemble one of the family. In our mind's eye we see that kitchen of long ago, with its Avide fireplace and stone hearth, Avhere resting comfortably on ithe high iron andirons are the eight feet logs, sending up their shower of sparks and roaring flame. On the ircm crane, banging across, are the pot hooks, from Avhich is suspended various messes in pots and kettles, while before the fire rests the baker full of toothsome viands. The brick oven at the left, now storing the household canned SAveetmeats, then held the deep iron dish of brown bread, and on Saturday, the skillet of baked beans and pork, the pies of mince, pumpkin and apple, which could all be baked at one time, after the oven was heated to a sufficient degree by red hot coals. In the summer time the fireplace would allow a person to sit in it in a comfortable chair, and when games of blind man's buff Avere played, the older ones would gather in its spacious precinct, Avhile the chil dren scampered about the roomy old kitchen, which is long enough for a modern hotel, being 13 feet by 27. From the plastering were many hooks from which hung apples threaded on a stout string, pork and beef hams, various seeds done up in packages, and ears of corn which when well dried would prove a pleasure during 'the Avinter evenings, when over the bright red coals, the kernels would pop out into crisp white mouthfuls. On the round, uncovered wooden table, are two tallow candles in their iron candlesticks, with the snuffers on the tray beside them, the pan of Rhode Island Greenings, Chesebrough and Prentice russets, Jflly flowers, Spicings and Denison reddings apples, with the pitcher of sweet cider and dish of walnuts and butternuts, all these were companions in that hospitable room of long ago. On one side of the table Avas the great spinning wheel, and on OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 185 the other side, the little linen Avheel, for making the family gar ments was then, as now, a matter of time and strength, from the first sowing of the flax seed by hand in May, Avhen it was scat tered broadcast over the ground, until two and a half feet was the full growth in September, when it was pulled up by hand and gathered into small bundles, taken to the barn and when thoroughly cured and dried, they were separated into smaller ones and the seed was whipped out and pressed for linseed oil, while some was used to feed quails for trapping, also enough was saved for seed another year, these bundles were opened and spread on dry ground, and kept till about the middle of October, when the stalks would be dry and easily broken. Then it was broken up and bound anew, in little bundles, and was put in the barn for the winter, and by a machine called a Brake it was swingled, hetcheled and put through a series of setchels (a board fllled with long sharp, steel needles) which removed the swingle tow (or stalk) leaving the linen fibre prepared for spinning on the little linen wheel, which Avas used for the thread and the finer articles of clothing. The tow was spun on the large, woolen wheel and made the coarser goods. Now the process is nearly forgotten and garments made of homespun cloth are carefully preserved, and the wheels are gone except where they have been kept as heir looms and now occupy a place of honor in the hall or library. As early as 1760, the cellar of this house Avas the Aveave shop where the loom used to stand, to weave carpets or cloth ; tan ning leather was also engaged in, using vats made of chest nut logs, dug out and embedded in the ground near Stoney Brook ; here was also a weaver's shop, where apprentices Avere received at an early age and regularly^ indentured, by written contract, to learn the trade, and at tAventy-one their "time Avas up" and they departed, taking Avith them the knowledge of the busi ness, a suit of new clothes throughout, and a good horse which was always given them, for their service during the time. Many a youth and maiden have gone from here to other fields of 186 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. usefulness and their descendants have returned to. visit in this house and look around from garret to cellar, where their ancestor lived so many years before, while one of these preached in the Road Church a few years ago. One of the mothers in this household, long ago, held some what decided views in favor of fore-ordination, a doctrine which Avas much discussed in early times. One day, seated at her work, she heard a knock at the door and upon opening it found a niece of hers, who Avas a widow ; she thought her countenance looked rather troubled and after ordinary greeting had been exchanged, she enquired to know what was the matter. "Well," responded she, "AuntPoUy, I have had an offer of marriage from a certain widower," naming him, and after telling her all the cir cumstances, she asked, "What shall I do?" "Well," said Aunt Polly, "have you given this man any encouragement?" "No," was the quick reply. "Well then, Harriet, as you have children and he has also, and neither of you have any too much of this Avorld's goods, I would advise you not to accept his offer." Receiving no reply, she glanced up into Harriet's face and saw there a look of disappointment. At last she spoke. " Aunt Polly, I thought you believed in fore-ordination ?" "Well, I do somewhat," was the answer. "Well then, I believe it was fore-ordained that I am to marry this man and I should like to know how I can get rid of it ?" The conclusion of the whole matter was, that Harriet accepted the widower's offer and lived happy ever after. Also in this house once lived a maiden whose name was Esther Wheeler ; she was engaged to marry Daniel Stanton, who lived not far from her home. During the Revolutionary War he had enlisted and gone to sea on the Privateer, Minerva, which had captured the British merchant ship, Hannah, and among his share of the prize was a beautiful brocaded silk dress, which on his return, he presented to his affianced as a Avedding gift, for they were expecting to be married within a short time. He had been home but a few days, filled with joy and hope for their future happiness, when the call came for OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 187 battle at Groton Heights, which he responded to at once, feel ing that duty called and he must obey. What could have been the feelings of this young girl, only eighteen years old, when on the morning after the battle at Fort Griswold, his lifeless body and that of his brother, Enoch, whojwas killed at the same time and place, Avas brought to his father's house, from where they were carried and placed in one grave, in the Stan- THE JONATHAN WHEELER HOMESTEAD. ton family burying ground. The funeral was an event long remembered in this locality and attended by an immense crowd of people. These two young men, twenty-six and thirty-six years old left, the one a widow with seven children, while the other Avas mourned by a promised bride. When their father, who was over sixty years old, looked upon their silent bodies lying in their coffins, side by side, in the very room in Avhich they were born, he exclaimed, " Father in Heaven ! This is a 188 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. fearful sacriflce to make for liberty and my country, but it is cheerfully given." The next AVheeler house now owned and occupied by J. Duane Wheeler, stands one half mile to the south and this farm has been in this Wheeler family since 1687 and for seven generations, the name of Jonathan has succeeded itself. The east half of the house was buflt about 1720, by Isaac Wheeler, for his nephew Jonathan, with the child's money, as his father Richard had died when he was only four years old, after which he went to live with this uncle Isaac, Avhose Avife, Madam Mary, kept the store near the Frink Tavern. He was taught this business and the cooper's trade, and later built for himself a store and shop a little southeast of this present house, where now can be seen the hollow in the ground, where it stood. In the shop he made casks, butter firkins, keelers (to put milk in to), barrels and hogsheads. He sold his goods to his aunt Mary Wheeler for use in her store and to Mr. John Denison, who built the first house at Stonington village in 1752, just east of the present National Bank, Avhere he also kept a store. This Wheeler house was enlarged later bj' adding the west half and still later other improvements and additions were made. The woodv^ork in the east rooms, above and below, clearly show that for the early days in which it was built it Avas of much finer style than the ordinary house. The cornice, wains coting and the hand work about the fire-place in the upper chamber, are scarcely excelled in any ancient house in town. The son Jonathan Wheeler, Avho married Priscilla Lester, was a man of unusual strength ; he could easily lift and drink from a full barrel. In those days, trials of physical strength were among the excitements of the times, and men tested their strength one against another. A man from Rhode Island Avho was noted for his great powers of muscle and sincAV came to Mr. AVheeler's to measure his strength against him, but when Mr. AVheeler politely invited him to drink from a full barrel which he easily lifted for his guest, the man departed rather hurriedly. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 189 All through Taugwonk, the high barn is well known, which is the very oldest barn in town. It was built a little east of the Jonathan Wheeler house about 1730, by him, for a wheat barn, and stands upon a stone foundation, over a ledge, which was blown out, leaving an underground room with a southern exposure, where sheep and lambs find agreeable shel ter from the winds and storms of winter. During the summer months in those early times, when the barn was empty, a school was kept here by Master Niles. Quiltings were also held HIGH BARN. there and Esther Denison, wife of Jonathan, had a large petti coat quilted there, which was preserved for many years, and finally divided among her great-great-grandchildren. It was of dark broAvn stuff made from homespun cloth, dyed and woven by hand, and quilted in patterns of trees with squirrels perched among their branches, and many another garment whose his tory is not told, no doubt found its Avay from these quilting frames in this old building to the owner's home. Ah ! many a story of youth and maiden's school days could be recorded were these brown hard beams and rafters able to impart the 190 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. knowledge once stored AA'ithin them, but alas ! we go our way none the wiser except as our imagination may unfold for us a dreamy, fairy tale of bygone times. Adown the road at the east where the two old gates used to swing so close together, as almost to hit each other (Avhen there were also seven others on tbe way between there and the Road Meeting-house) and only a short distance below here on the south side of the road, used to stand a shop, over the bubbling spring which still gurgles cheerfully under the road and through .CLARK DAVIS HOUSE. the wall,where potash and saltpeter were made aud where, during the RcA'olutionaiy W^ar, gunpowder was also made. The old ruins of the cellar of this shop, can yet be traced. Up this hill and still up another, called Cherry Hill, is a house built long ago by a Mr. Randall, who afterAvards moved with his family into the west, as New York State was then called. It was at one time occupied by the Eldredges, as here Mary Eldredge was brought up, who afterward married Daniel Stanton, one of the heroes of Groton Heights. Later it was owned by Mr. Clarke Davis, the son of Elder OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 191 Joseph Davis of Hopkinton, who married Comfort Langworthy in 1745. Mr. Davis' brother Joseph married Esther Denison, whose daughter Lucretia Avas very fond of this place and fre quently visited here, and being in delicate health, she used to roam about over the farm ; in a secluded spot, shaded by trees, she chose her last resting-place ; she died not long after at the age of thirty years, and here now can be found her gravestone with this epitaph : " FareAvell, Lucretia, lovely maid, adieu. Our bleeding hearts consign thee to the tomb. In this lone spot, your choice, reserved for you. Deep shrouded in its solitary gloom." When this house was OAvned by Mr. Clarke Davis's son Joseph, the center chimney was removed and chimneys at either end of the house were built, which now distinguishes it from its neighbors. The broad hall through the center bears evidence of the size of the old chimney and the deejf cornice and hand some corner cupboard, with carving and coloring in the upper part representing the rising sun. The deep Avindow seats and summer beams visible, are facts not to be gainsaid that this is one of the early houses. This place has passed from one family to another for many years, till now it rests in the Wheeler name, as does much more of the land along this road for some distance, and with many little children playing about this old house, now well improved, it bids fair to remain in the Wheeler name for a century more. Down the hill and past the ' ' Jeremy Lot," beyond the school- house, once stood the " Old schoolhouse," situated on the rise of ground opposite the present house. Here went to school some of this generation. There was also an old house occupied by Mr. Elisha Wheeler, which stood near the road where now the barn is, and east of here, but a short distance, was where the flrst Frink lived in town, he was also the first carpenter. Still below, where the balm gilead and poplar trees used to stand, a long row in all their solitary stateliness, set out by Mr. Wood- 192 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. bridge, and which served as a rendezvous for crow bill black birds, once stood a house east of them which was occupied by jMr. John Shaw, who operated the fulling mill, that was situated quite a little distance west of the road on Stoney Brook, and it is now more than a hundred years since it went out of use. CHAPTER EIGHTH. " The smith a mighty man is he, Avith large and sinewy hands. And the muscles of his brawny arms are strong as iron bands, You can hear him swing his heavy sledge With measured beat and slow, AVeek in, week out, from morn till night You can hear his bellows blow." The Putman Corners, Avhere the beautiful old elm tree, called the Whitefield Tree yet stands, was once a busy, scene, when the old blacksmith shop stood there on one corner, by the wil low trees. Where the present house is, Avas then a gambrelled roof store, with hall in the upper story. Hert school was kept, and opposite here stood the Center Meeting House. This was originally Miner land, and later it belonged to Mr. William Woodbridge, who sold it to Mr. Charles Phelps, and so it has passed on to different owners until this also is in the Wheeler name. The old house which used to stand on the farm Avas east of the present one, about half way between here and Mr. Frank Smith's. The old cellar can yet be seen and many of the older inhabitants remember that it was a two-story, double house with slanting roof. Here lived Mr. Oliver Babcock and family, parents of Mr. Stephen and Nathan Babcock of Wester ly. This was the Col. Joseph Champlin homestead farm of 100 acres, purchased by him of Joseph Miner for 500 Spanish milled dollars in 1765. A little further south still stands the Jedediah Putnam house, though in a dilapidated condition. It is a half two-story house, and was once occupied by a family who bore this historic name, by which it has since been known, although it was built by the Thompsons. Mr. William Thompson lived first, where 193 194 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Mr. Eugene Palmer now resides (and his mother was Hannah, granddaughter of Elder AVilliam Brewster of the Mayflower). Here was a large, double house with slanting roof in the rear, and the front roof projected Avith a deep cornice or jetting, arched over the front part of the house and plastered underneath. PUINAM HOUSE. It was afterAvards occupied by Major Alden Palmer and family untfl the present one was built on its site. The blacksmith shop at the Corner was built by Mr. Thompson's sons, of whom two were smithys, and three were carpenters. The old wood-colored house, with long, sloping roof to the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 195 east, Avhich stood on the broAV of the hill at Taugwauk, knoAvu as the " YelloAV House Farm," has been pulled down within a few years and replaced by the present new one. It was an old landmark, having been built in the early years of 1700 by AValter Palmer, who also kept a store on the north side of the house in the small room next the road, which was entered by a door on the east side, near the north end. This was later closed and replaced by a window, having but four panes of glass. On the north side near the entrance was the old stone horse-block, where travellers mounted and dismounted, and on the same side was a large shop window, Avhich opened up and out, making a counter, where customers could be served as they JOSEPH SMITH HOUSE. rode past. There Avere no trees about this old homestead, but a large elderberry bush stood betAveen the windows on the east side and grcAv in spite of the numerous small stones which almost paved the ground for some feet about it. Walter Palmer was grandson of the first Walter, and also grandson of Capt. George Denison, whose daughter Ann, had married Dea. Gershom Palmer; he was baptized at the Road Church June first, 1685, and married Grace Voseof Milton, Massachusetts, when he was 28 years old ; fifteen years later he died aud his widow was appointed administratrix on his estate, the inventoiy of which amounted to £1352 in housing and lands. Some of the lots Avest of the house, are yet remem- 196 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. bered as being called " The Walter Palmer land." Since then this farm has passed through many hands, viz.: Zebediah Mix, carpenter, whose deed from Elihu Chesebrough is dated 1748 ; later in 1768, Oliver Smith is the owner ; after him, George Irish of Newport and to him, in 1791, Elisha Denison of New London paid £2320 for its purchase ; the farm was then improved by Noyes Palmer who married Sarah, daughter of Zebediah Mix, and in 1810 Mr. Denison sold it to Esquire Joseph Noyes for $13,555.00. Mr. Noyes had lived Avith his first wife at the Paul Wheeler house and for a few years in the old house at the " Highland B'arm," which stood some distance east of the present one, where she died in 1806, when four years later he bought the " Yellow House Farm " and remained there till 1819, when he moved to the Elisha Denison house which stood a short distance to the east and lived in the old, tAvo-story front, house with deep roof at the north. In the meantime Mr. Noy-es rented his home farm to his sons Joseph and Thomas, but after a few years Mr. Denison sold his land to Mr. Clark Davis, and Mr. Noyes moved back to his own place and his sons went away to other farms. He remained at this place till he exchanged farms Avith Captain Charles Smith, for the house and land noAV OAvned by his grand son, Charles S. Noyes. Captain Smith rented this farm and many families have made.their home here for a time, among them being Mr. Dimond, Charles S. HcAvitt, Latham ^Miner, Charles H. Main, William York, Charles Babcock and others, some of whom will yet remember the old bouse Avith its vine-covered front and strong half door at the rear, Avhere the roof came down so low as to be easily reached by those passino- through. The land on the north side of the road, recently purchased by Mr. FernandoWheeler and Frank Smith is mentioned in a deed of Mr. George Irish, as being " the southeast corner of Col. Joseph Champlin's homestead farm, Avhere a narrow lane leads from said post road to said Irish's Taugwank pasture," and near OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 197 here at the right, is the old Miner burying ground. Could the events of importance, which have occurred in the lives of all the families, sheltered under this old roof-tree, in these past two hun dred years be recorded, it would indeed be a most interesting his tory of itself. Here have begun many happy married lives. At Christmas time, in 1800, John Noyes and Elizabeth Chese brough were married, while the month before, Adam States and Fanny Chesebrough joined heart and hand, and here they all came and began housekeeping together. In 1818 Joseph COL. AMOS CHESEBROUGH HOM-fiSTEAD. Noyes and Grace Denison came here to live, and two years later his brother Thomas Noyes and her sister Eunice Denison joined them and for a time they dwelt here together. Fifty years later came Joseph Smith and bride, Susan Brown, and made their home on this farm which was given to him by his father, Captain Charles Smith, and it is now owned and occu pied by his family. Following the romantic path, a little beloAV the Putnam house, we find one of the oldest houses in town, which for six generations has been in the Chesebrough name and is now 198 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. owned by Mr. Gideon P. Chesebrough. It was built by Col. Amos Chesebrough about 1729, and is yet fairly well pre served. It is shingled on the west side and in various ways shows the marks of age. Mr. Chesebrough was a wealthy man for those days and OAvned a great amount of land west of this house. A long line of maple trees are before the door, and through the branches, glimpses can be seen of the waters of Fisher's Island Sound, Watch Hill, aud nearby islands. Col. Amos's father, Samuel Chesebrough, lived as a young man with his father, Nathaniel, opposite the Phelps place. He married Priscilla Alden, granddaughter of the historic Pris cilla and John Alden of Avhom history in 1620 say-s " John Alden was hired for a cooper, at South Hampton, England, when the ship victuled, and being a hopeful young man Avas much desired, but left to his own liking to go or stay, Avhen he came here, but he stayed and married here." Of Priscilla, aa-c find that " Mr. Molines and his Avife, his son and his servant, died the first winter, only his daughter Priscilla survived, and married Avith John Alden, Avho are both living and have eleven children." The home of this later Priscilla, Avho married Mr. Samuel Chesebrough in 1699, was a feAV rods farther south on the east side of the road beloAv Col. Amos's house, Avhere now can be seen a clump of shrubbery and a slight holloAv in the ground. This Priscilla had a somcAvhat romantic story as Avell as her grandmother, for it is told of her coming from Roxbury, Massachusetts, riding upon a pillion behind her future husband (whom she married the following Avinter), and helping to hold his broken arm in position, which accident had occurred to Mr. Chesebrough at her father's house Avhilehe was there upon a business trip (selling cattle for the farmers of Stonington). Here he had been detained, not unwillingly as we may believe, and been well cared for, until it was thought safe for him to start on his homeAvard trip, and Priscilla was easily persuaded to accompany him and care for the wounded OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 199 arm, but ostensibly to visit her sister Elizabeth, who lived in Stonington, only a few nnles from Mr. Chesebrough's, on the southern slope of Merrick's Hill. She had married John Sea- bury, who was grandfather of the Right Rev. Samuel Seabury, the first Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, and the one who first brought from Scotland into America tbe Apostolic Succession, November 14th, 1784. His name is honored in St. Paul's church in Rome, Italy, by one of the eleven double windows which was placed there to his memoiy. The following story is told of this Samuel and Priscilla Chesebrough's daughter, Avho had a romance as well as her mother and great-grandmother. On an autumn evening one hundred years ago, a party Avas given in Lower Egypt, and among others who participated in the pleasure of the occasion was Miss Chesebrough, Avho had been brought by a gentleman liA'ing near her home at Putnam's Corners. In those days all young ladies owned a pillion, for there was no other mode of conveyance except by horseback, and the pillion could be easily fastened to the saddle. In this way went our young lady to this party, but after they reached there, Avhere were assembled a goodly number of young people, she was introduced to a gentleman from North Stonington, who was very prepossessing in appearance, and he was much pleased with Miss Chesebrough, and asked to have the pleasure of carrying her home from the party, but she told him that as she came Avith Mr. Palmer and her pillion was on his horse, it Avould not look well for her to take it off, but he eagerly enquired to know, if she would go with him, if he would take it off, to which she consented, and when at the close of the evening's entertainment, as he was changing the pillion to his own saddle, the gentleman Avho had brought her came out, and seeing what was being done, demanded to know the cause of the change, when the North Stonington gentleman responded, that he had permission from the young lady herself and should carry her home ; after a few hot words they agreed to 200 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. meet the next day at Oxacosett Bridge and decide it in a fist-a- cuff manner, which they did and after a short fight the North Stonington gentleman triumphed and won tbe day, and later won the young lady. The Miner Noyes house, so called, which stands near the new house of Mr. Amos Chesebrough, was early the property of the Slacks, who owned a large tract of land and lived in the old Slack house on the road from Stonington village to Westerly, which has been taken down within the last fifty years. Capt. MINER NOYES HOUSE. AVilliam Slack married Lucy Breed and owned this place, which he rented to various families. Here lived at one time, Mr. Jonathan Phelps and his family, the son of Dr. Charles Phelps, and later, Mr. Nathaniel Miner Noyes married IMary Slack and came here to' live, and this place has been in the family name ever since. It is peculiarly shaped, and called the salt box house from being formed like the ancient salt boxes which were made to hang in the kitchens of all country houses long ago. It is the only one now standing in town, a half OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 201 house, two stories in front and one in the rear, the long roof sloping down to the top of the very AvindoAvs and doors in the first story. At some distance east of Col. Amos Chesebrough's, on one of the old county roads, is the large double house with long ell, known as the Squire Joseph Noyes place, standing on the sum mit of a high hill, from which is obtained a grand view, hardly excelled in all the town, of the ocean, near-by villages. Watch Hill, numerous islands and the surrounding country. This SQUIRE JOSEPH NOYES HOUSE. house was erected by Mr. Naboth Chesebrough in 1782, who married Phebe Palmer in 1775; he was brother of William and son of Elihu Chesebrough. Sometime after, Mr. Nathan Stan ton purchased this place, and his son Samuel, who married CoL Giles Russell's daughter, lived here, and their daughter married Denison Noyes, Avho sold it to Mr. Charles Smith, and he exchanged it with Squire Joseph Noyes (brother to Denison) for the yelloAv house farm, so called, Avhere recently Mr. Joseph 202 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Smith lived. Mr. Noyes Avas obliged to sell this place as he had to pay a note that became due, for quite a sum of money, which he lost by signing a note for a friend, so he came here to live, and his son Joseph and family joined him later, and it is still the property of their son, Mr. Charles S. Noyes. Under the hill at the east, is the old Plantation Brook, Avinding among the trees and bushes, and sparkling amid the pebbles and stones Avhich lie in its shallow bottom. A memory of the place within the last forty years, written ly a friend, Avho Avas often a guest, seems Avorthy a place here : " I spent one day of my A-acation at this old Noy-es home, where so mauy happy days of my boyhood were passed, and I wanted my children to see it. I had visited it once or tAvice during the past years and wanted to go again, so one beautiful day, we drove over. It doesn't look now as it did then, kept spotless ly the busy hands aud scrupulous neatness of those former housewives, but the vieAv from that point is charming. I did not realize that as much, when a boy. I had not the time to go to the old plantation brook, Avhere one daj', you remember, a merry party waded in its clear waters. The small boys that were with me, Avere too little to trudge about as their father used, feeding the sheep, carrying the salt for them and munch ing dry, brown-bread crusts on the Avay. Those crusts were from the west pantry in the ell, and I knew also Avhere the pans of milk Avere set, as I was fond of cream and sometimes helped myself, much to the disarrangement of the plans for butter making, I am afraid, but they Avere all very kind to me and patient, more so than I am now, I fear, when my boys get into mischief." A little to the south is the Ephraim AVilliams place, stand ing back from the i)ublic road, and is reached through a driveway, bordered by a long line of fan-topped elms of a half century's groAvth. This mansion house Avith its large square roof, sloping doAvn at the north, and broad east side, having three Avindows in the upper and loAver stories, presents to the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 203 casual observer more than an ordinary appearance. As you stand upon the broad stone step, your view outAvard is of the ocean and surrounding country, which is very pleasant, yet the longing to enter will surpass, and as the great door swings hospitably open, it will disclose to your gaze the little hall and the balustrade Avhich is quite elaborate and hand made, while the stairs with their six turns, carry you to the third story, which can be seen from the hall below. Large, square, sunshiny rooms are on either side, showing the summer EPHRAIM WILLIAMS PIJVCE. beams and deep cornice. If you enter at the east side door, you will find an ideal old country lean-to with a half door at either end, the rafters showing overhead and the bare brown floor beneath your feet. This farm was formerly owned by Mr. Elihu Chesebrough, who married in 1740, Esther Dennis. He probably built this house about that time, and his son William afterAvards liA'ed here and married Esther Williams, and here their children were born. The daughter, Eunice Chesebrough, later married Joseph 204 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Noyes, and finally came to live at the house a little to the north, where her uncle Naboth then lived, who had bought the land and house in 1782 of Thomas Chesebrough of Preston, having inherited it from his brother Capt. Jonathan (the hus band of Naboth's sister Esther). About 1782, Mr. William Chese brough moved to North Stonington, having exchanged his farm here with his Avife's brother, Mr. Ephraim Williams, who lived at the old Williams' place, north of Colonel James F. Brown's. Mr. AVilliams had married Sarah Potter in 1781, but she died in a few years, and later he married Hepsibeth Phelps, and while living here his oldest son, Ephraim, was born in 1791. He soon after moved to Wequetequock and there his son, Capt. Charles, was born, but this old place has remained in the Wil liams name all doAvn the years, passing from father to son, and still is owned by one of the family, Mr. Charles P. AVilliams, though having been in the hands of tenants for over a hundred years. On the Flats beloAV, near the old home of Rev. James Noyes, a Baptist church was built in the first half of 1800, called the Anguilla Meeting-house, and the building is still standing, though now used as a barn. Quite recently on land south of this church, has been found, in plowing the ground, a number of silver Pine Tree shillings, dated 1652, and now worth their weight in gold ; some of thein are larger than others and the edges of all are uneven, having been made by hand. The very earliest coins had only N. E. on one side and XII-VI-II on the other, but in 1652 the General Court ordered '' that all pieces of money should haA'e a double ring with this inscription, ' Massa chusetts and a tree in the center and New England and the year of our Lord on the other. ' " The tree on some of the coins is an oak shrub, on others a pine or a willow. The variations of the coins are the only means of fixing the date of issue, as all bear the same date, 1652. To whom this money, Avhich has been found on Dea. Erastus Miner's land, belonged, or for what reason it was buried or perhaps lost OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 205 is, and will probably ahvays remain a mystery, for at the time when this money was in circulation, the land here was a forest, as it Avas but a short time after the town was settled. A few rods east, we find a low, old-style, gambrel-roof house snugly ensconced upon quite an elevation and looking down benignly upon the passers-by. This house was built by James Noyes about the middle of 1700. He was son of Capt Thomas Noyes, and this place had descended from father to son through three generations, till Mr. Jesse Noyes gave a portion of JAMES NOYES HOUSE. it to his niece, Avho married Mr. Paul Noyes, and they resided here, so it has been in the Noyes na;me for 150 years. On the little knoll in front of this house, in the spring of 1838, was assembled the 6th Compahy, 8th Regiment, 3rd Brigade of Connecticut Militia, for their annual training. The officers of this Company were Capt. Richard A. Wheeler, Lieut. Amos Chesebrough and Ensign Ezra Wheeler. The musicians of this company were John Vincent, who played the key-bugle, John D. Wheeler, clarinet George Frink, fife, Dudley Davis, the snare drum, and Albert Vincent, the bass drum. 206 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. After the usual drill in the morning was over and dinners eaten, Avhich were served by Mr. Gilbert Collins, who was then living there, the company, according to previous arrangement, marched doAvn into this fleld made historic by the finding of the Pine Tree shillings, and stood in extended line, with swords sheathed aud guns reversed, to await the coming, and to pay tribute to the funeral cortege of mourning friends, who fol lowed the body of Miss Abby Helms, a young lady who had been known to nearly all in the company. When the long CAPT. THOMAS NOYES MANSION. procession crossed Anguilla Bridge and drew near, the musi cians, lifting their instruments began to play, and as the clear notes of the key-bugle and clarinet, the scream of the fife and the heavy roll of the snare and bass drums, blended in tbe mournful strains of the " Dead March in Saul " scarcely a dry eye was seen among this company of Connecticut Militia. Mr. James Noyes' father, Capt Thomas Noyes, lived just beyond, at Avhat is now knoAvn as the Col. Peleg Noyes (or the Hoxie Noyes) bouse. Capt Noyes built this house after his OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 207 marriage in 1705 to Elizabeth, daughter of Gov. Peleg San ford and granddaughter of Gov. William Coddington of Rhode Island. He and his son James Avere Colonial officers. Capt. Thomas was a man possessed of considerable property and he it was, who sent to England and had the Noyes Coat of Arms cut upon a stone and placed over the grave of his father, our first minister. Rev. James Noyes, who lies buried at Wequete quock. This house which he built is set back from the road some little distance and impresses one with a grand hospitable air. It is large, square, unpainted, with a hip or quail trap roof, truly in style a mansion house. The broad front door has the old-fashioned iron ring for the knocker, with the small panes of glass over the top. From the front hall below, the stairs can be seen winding aAvay into the upper story and again winding on into the garret. The great east room seventeen feet squai'e, has the old-fash ioned corner cupboard, where now can be fcJund very beautiful and ancient crockery, not belonging to the Noyes family but to those of the present occupants. The west side of this room is ceiled from top to floor, the width of some of the boards are be yond belief unless they are seen. The kitchen has the old style dresser for crockery and the summer beams show in all the rooms. Ah ! could this house speak, what a history it would give of Revolutionary heroes, of whom Col. Peleg was one, being Captain at Fort Griswold in 1777. What stories of love and war, heartaches and sorrows borne patiently and of lives lived out in their fulness and gone on into the unlimited beyond where all shall be satisfled. This place has long remained in the Noyes name from the time of Capt. Thomas, to the present, when it now belongs to the daughter of Mr. George and Mrs. Martha Noyes, Mrs. Orson Rogers. Dea. John Noyes, brother of Capt. Thomas, built the house near Westerly, now known as the Moss house, in 1714. Dea. John's second wife was great-granddaughter of Gov. William Bradford, second Governor of Plymouth Colony. This house 208 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. is large with a square roof, and spacious rooms are on both floors. It has no cellar underneath, being built upon a ledge, though the cellar stairs go doAvn from the front hall and end upon a flat rock. This farm was included in the grant of land from the State of Connecticut to Thomas Stanton, the Interpre ter General of New England, and by his will it was given to his son-in-law. Rev. James Noyes, and from him to his son, Dea. THE OLD HOME OF DEA. JOHN NOYES. John, and to his son, Joseph Noyes, Avho lived and died there ; he sold it to Nathaniel Palmer, and from him it descended to his son Luke, who lived here. At that time there Avere two race courses, 80 rods long, on the farm, where hundreds of people used to assemble to wit ness the races often held there. Still later Mr. Jesse Moss owned and renovated the house so that it is noAv in good repair and looks as if it would remain habitable a century more. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 209 Some of the land about the house has been sold, Avithin the last tew years, so that now the farm is reduced in size, but the ncAv and commodious houses Avhich have sprung up all about here, show that many homes have taken the place Avhere used to be but one, which at the time that this house Avas built Avas Avith- out neighbors. Mr. Aloss Avas interested in making the land upon this place beautiful to the eye, as Avell as productive, and the broad and beautiful fields lying before the door Avill probably soon flnd a dividing line between them, where now the acres SAMUEL STANTON HOUSE. are without fence or wall, or even a stone upon their smooth surface. Mr. Moss was a great benefactor to the village of Westerly, which has now become almost a city. But a little way to the north, on the other road stands the old Stanton house, located a little off from the highway and occupied about 1785 by Samuel Stanton, Avho married Hannah, daughter of Col. Giles Russell. Whether he built the house is not certainly known, but after a time his daughter Hannah mar- lied Denison Noyes and lived there a few years, before they moved to Auburn, New York. Mr. Samuel Stanton married second, Mary Noyes, and she lived here till about the middle 210 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. of 1800, when she sold the place to Mrs. Emily, the widow of Mr. Frank Pendleton. Here, also, was held the first Catholic services before their church was built in Westerly. At the very summit of Hinckley Hill, where now stands a grand old elm tree, once stood the first Hinckley house in Ston ington, on land bought before 1717 of Benjamin Palmer, for this Samuel Hinckley Avas a member of the Road Church in 1708. This first house, after a time, was removed and a new one took its place, built about sixty years ago, Avhich stands here uoav, large and square, and having a magnificent view of the surrounding countiy, even looking into four states, A'iz.: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and A^ermont At the south and east the grand old Atlantic can be seen, also Block Island, AVatch Hill and all the islands near and ^ far, along the coast. Near here also stood the old school house, built in 1799, long since gone, Avith the high stone post or mile stone near by-. On the left is the Rev. Nathaniel Eells house, built by him about 1735, and he lived there Avhen he preached at the Center Meeting-house, the Road and the Old Academy at the Borough. Mv. Eells Avas patriotic as Avell as religious, for he left his pul pit to go to the battle of Lexington. It Avill be remembered that iMr. Eells preached at the East and AVest church, alter nately during the year, for a long time, and his salary was to be the interest of the ministry land money, and one penny on the pound of the polls and ratable estate of the society, Avith firewood, cut and deUvered to him, but troubles arose on account of various society meetings, to decide upon the loca tion of a new meeting-house and society limits, Avhich soon extended to other matters, and many became so exasperated that they refused to pay their minister's rates, Avhile others refused to pay either principal or interest on the ministry land money. The result Avas, that the society became in debt to Mr. Eells for his salary, which of course embarrassed him and led his creditors to try and collect their claims, so he com- OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 211 menced a suit to recover his money and the society laid a tax to pay him, but this did not Aveaken his attachment for them or alienate the people from him, for during the whole of his stay here, a most friendly feeling existed betAveen them all. After a time the farm was sold and Mr. Eells Avent to live Avitb his sons at the Borough. While Air. Eells lived at this farm, he owned a horse, Avhich became very refractory and ob durate and he Avas unable to ride him, unless the equine Avished to go, so after vainly trying, he sold him to a man in New London REV. NATHANIEL EELLS HOUSE. who let horses to traA'ellers. One day, sometime after. Dr. Ben jamin Franklin came to New London and wished to get a horse to ride to Newport, and it chanced that Rev. Mr. Eells' horse was led out for him to use, so on they came, tfll Mr. Eells' house on Hinckley Hill was reached, when the horse refused to go any further ; the Doctor urged and argued, but the horse stood firm. After a while Mr. EeUs came out and accosted the stranger, .saying, " Sir, I do not know you, but I know your horse, for I 212 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. have OAvned him and am Avell acquainted with him, and it [is useless for you to try to ride him further tonight." So_Dr. Franklin alighted and spent the night Avith Mr. Eells and the next morning. Air. Eells lent him his own horse and he pro ceeded on his Avay to NcAvport. Upon his return, he again stopped at Air. Eells and exchanged horses, expecting to ride speedily back to Nbav London, but the horse refused to go in either direction until Dr. Franklin mounted him and then hired a lad, to lead him the Avhole way back to the Ferry. This Eells house has been recently made over and looks like a new house and belongs now to the Campbell family. Down the hill, set back from the road and almost surround ed by a garden, Avhere the vines and trellises nearly cover the whole front of the mansion, is the house long known as the States home, as Air. Adam States, a Hollander, came here and married Air. James Noyes' daughter, Esther ; she died in a few years leaving children, and Mr. States married her sister Alary who was the widoAv of John Pendleton ; later he married Cyn thia Brown and still continued to live here. This land was part of the farm of Air. James Noyes, which extended over to the farm now known as the Adam States, Jr. place, but it is quite probable that Air. Noyes built this house for his daughter Esther, upon her marriage Avith Air. States, in 1778, so it has been known as the States place for a hundred and tAventy-flve years. Air. Erastus Wentworth of Norwich, Connecticut, mar ried Mr. States' daughter Esther, and after her death married Cynthia, who was then living at this place alone with her brother Ichabod. Here Avas once a brick kiln, Avhere all kinds of earthern ware was made by the States's ; this one was managed by the father, and another was carried on at Stoning ton village by his sons ; it was located at Kiln Wharf, or Shin Bone Alley, below the Capt Williams house. Later the kiln at the States place was carried on by " Uncle AVentworth" as he was familiarly called. One of his sons was the Rev. Erastus, who was Missionary to China. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 213 A story is told of Uncle AVentAvorth as foUoAvs : they attended the church at Pawcatuck, after it Avas formed in 1843, and Avere ahvays present in good season Avitli one exception, when itissaid that one Sunday morning, he drove up to his door a trifle late to start for meeting, and helped his good wife into the two-seated wagon, Avhich was made to serve the purpose of pleasure and utility, by removing the back seat at aa'AI. After Mrs. AVentworth was comfortably seated on the back seat, her ADAM STATES OR WENTWORTH PLACE. husband sprang in upon the front one, and feeling that they Avere a few moments behind the usual time, whipped up his horse, Avhich started off at a quick gallop, and drove hurriedly along, up hill and down, tfll he drew rein before the meeting house door and got out to assist his wife from the vehicle, when lo! and behold! neither wife nor seat Avere to be found; so springing back into the Avagon, if possible quicker than 214 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. when he started from home, he drove furiously back to find Mrs. Wentworth standing at their door, patiently waiting for him to return. It is needless to say that tbe seat had tipped over backAvards, and Airs. WentAvorth with it, but fortunately she Avas not hurt, though thej' were late at church, a thing never heard of before. In after years they cared for a little girl, who grew up, married, and now is the owner of this old homestead. SAMUEL PALMER HOUSE. At the very foot of Hinckley Hill, we see the little Avhite- washed house set behind a low fence and showing the old stone chimney on the west side, clear to the ground. This Avas built by James Palmer long before the Revolution, and occupied in 1780 by his son Samuel, who married Hannah Eells, the minis ter's daughter, who lived on top of the hill'; here they lived and brought up their large family of children. Their daughter Emily married Air. Benj. F. Pendleton of Groton, and later she owned and lived at the Stanton house near Westerly, OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 215 Her brother Frank was drowned in Pawcatuck River in Alay, 1807, a lad of fifteen years. He is said to have run up to Samuel Hobart Hinckley's (Avho lived at the house on the hill), to see the new baby, who was born that morning, and asked Airs. Hinckley to name the child for him, Frank, and then run on to overtake his people, who Avere going doAvn the river fish ing, where he met his death ; the baby was named Frank Palmer Hinckley, and lived tfll 1833 when he died unmarried. Another son, J. Hobart, was in the war of 1812 in the Privateer brig THE RHODES MANSION. " General Armstrong," at Fayal near the close of the war. The daughter Betsey lies buried beside her cousin Eunice in Evergreen Cemetery near Stonington, as there was ahvays between them a friendship and loving companionship seldom witnessed. At this house lived Air. Gilbert States' family at one time, and after them many others have lived there as tenants and owners. Around the bend of the road and past the old Noyes Bury ing ground, stands the Rhodes mansion house, built about 216 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 1760, a large, Avhite, two-story, gambrel-roof house quite shaded by tall trees and borders of heavy fragrant green box. Capt. Simon Rhodes, who built this house and lived here, came from NcAvport and married Anne Babcock, and it has been in the family name tfll recently. AVithin the memoiy of the present generation it Avas occu pied by tAvo sisters, born in the latter part of 1700, Avho in their early life were engaged to be married to two brothers, whose home was only a short distance east of here ; preparations were being made for their marriage; even the tAvo Avedding goAvns Avere made and laid aside to await the happy day, when, alas ! one of the brothers was taken sick and after a short but severe illness, died. This caused great grief in both families and the bereaved sister felt that she could not endure the thought of the marriage of the other, so her Avedding was given up, and the garments Avhich bad been mader amid so many happy and joj'ous thoughts were laid aside, and these two sisters lived here together for many years, till death gathered them almost in one embrace, only a month apart, one aged eighty and the other seventy-seven years. The bereaved lover lived unmarried all his life. Scarcely is such tender devotion seen in this world. The house Avhich stands a few rods to the west was built almost on the site of an old oue which was occupied by the brother of Anne Babcock, Jonathan, Avho married Esther Haz ard. This land east of Anguilla brook was originally OAvned by one James A'ork, Avhose grandson sold a part to this James Babcock, Avhose daughter married Capt. Simon Rhodes, and whose son married Aliss Hazard and lived Avhere Dea. Erastus Miner uoav dwells, in an old house which Dea. Aliner removed when he erected the present one. Up the road to the north we come in sight of a hill, upon the top of which stands a large elm tree, near Avhere Avas formerly a house occupied by Esquire Paul AVheeler's sister Alary, who married Charles Miner in 1741. This has long since gone and a little further to the left stands the neAv Randall house, built in the place of the old one Avhich Avas burned some twenty years ago, belong ing to Air. Dudley Randall. CHAPTER NINTH. •' The hills are dearest which our childish feet Have climbed the earliest, and the streams most sweet Are ever those at which our young lips drank. Stooped to their waters o'er the grassy bank." But a short distance almost directly north, stands another well preserved house, with a hip roof and an old style portico over the front door, Avhich is found after passing the whole length of the east side, which is nearly seventy feet in length The front hall is panelled and the rooms are unusually large, and in the great east one is the old style cupboard. In the long, low lean-to is found the kitchen and roomS beyond for milk and cheese, with all the necessary utensils. This house Avas purchased by Mr. John Randall, about 1750, of the descendants of Dea. Gershom Palmer, one of Avhoni, it is supposed, was the builder. His son. Judge William Randall, Avhose home it Avas for many years, was Colonel of the 30th Regiment of Connecti cut Militia during the Avar of 1812, and he had command of this regiment during the defense of Stonington. From Col. Randall's house could be seen the tar barrel on Grant's hill, which by previous arrangement Avas to be lighted at night to let the people knoAv Avhen the enemj' Avas approach ing, so towards theeA'ening on the 11th of August, 1814, Avhen the British ships were seen outside the harbor. Air. Nathan Smith left Stonington, to notify Col. Randall of their approach, and also proceeded to AVesterly, to inform his father and four brothers, Joseph, Henry, Charles and Giles, Avho Avere at Avork there putting the wood-work into the old stone factory, and so at eight o'clock the next morning, the Avhole regiment, hav ing seen the blaze of the tar barrel, had assembled at Stoning- 218 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. ton, ready and eager to defend the place, which was so well done that the British Avere repulsed, this being the only place along the line of battle which was not surrendered. This house of Col. Randall's was renovated by his son. Air. Elias Randall, during his life, new windows being put in and other improvements made. It is yet in the Randall name, but inhabited by Air. Frank Alerrill and family, Avhich is a double reminder of ye olden time, for here can be found not only the COL. WILLI.AM RANDALL HOUSE. old style house but the old time large family of children, twelve in number, keeping the old house alive with light and joy. But a short distance Avest of the house of Col. Randall is Air. Elias Miner's dwelling, where formerly stood the old Niles house. This was the original home of Walter Palmer's son, Dea. Gershom^ built by him in 1687. By the doorstep of Mr. Miner's OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 219 house is a stone taken from the chimney of this old house which bears the following inscription : 16 $7 P G A Turning back upon the main road and driving on through a road shaded by elms, maples, Avild cherry trees, and bordered with golden rod and wild carrot, Ave come in sight of Merrick's Hill, rising much above the surrounding land, and intersected by stone walls which mark the boundaries of the once various pas tures and meadows. Here used to stand tAvo old houses occupied by tbe ancestors of Isaac and Latham Aliner, but both of these have long since fallen to decay. One of these, cosily nestled on the southeast side, was of the two-story front, and one in the rear order, and here lived Airs. Elias Aliner for many years. It was known as the Seabury house, Avhere once lived the grand father of the first bishop in America. Scattered about this part of our town were the homes of many of the Breed family and it is still called BreedtoAvn. The Jesse Breed house, probably built by his father. Air. Amos Breed, stood where Air. Herman BroAvn's house uoav stands and a hundred years ago was an old house, built in the regular mansion style, large, square, and later painted white. The rooms were very large, one of them taking 51 yards of carpet to cover the floor. Air. Breed moved to Pawcatuck in the early part of 1800, and invented a ring spinner for spinning cotton, and afterwards sold his right to Air. John Brown for $100. This successful patent ds 'still used in this and other countries. The stone near the side doorstep of Air. Henry Breed's house was one of the stones which Mr. John Breed had in his mill for tanning leather, when he lived a few rods west of this house, with his wife, who Avas the daughter of Dea. Gershom Palmer, whom he married in 1690. His first wife, Mary Kirtland, had died in Lynn, where he was born and lived until he came to Stonington and bought 220 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. land of Dea. Gershom Palmer and married his daughter Mercy. At their graves in AA'equetequock, we read, "In memory of a pious pair, this carved stone Avas erected here, viz., of Mr. John Breed and his Avife Alercy, Avho lived together in ye marriage state in a most religious manner about 64 years and then deceased, leaving a numerous offspring. He in 1751 about ninety years of age and she in 1752 about eighty-three years. Erected in the year 1772 by^ six of their children then living. Behold the righteous live long on the earth. And in old age resign their breath, Thej' and their offspring here are blessed ; When done with life they go to rest." The old house of his grandson. Captain John Breed, Jr., was built in the early part of 1700, and was afterwards oAvned by Samuel Breed and his son John. At his death it became the property of Mr. Henry Breed, who built the ncAV house now standing, and removed the old one which had stood here so many years. Airs. Emily Breed Cleveland describes it as surrounded by pink and Avhite rose bushes and large clusters of lilacs, Avhich gave forth in the spring such an odiferous per fume. At the back of the house stood the tall pear tree and the old pippin apple tree, long since fallen, Avhich j-ielded much delicious fruit. The long roAv of currant bushes by the AA'all near the old Avell, with its sweep and moss-covered bucket ; the bed of sage in the garden kept free from Aveeds and cut at intervals, to be dried for the familj' medicine chest, and in summer the long tables covered with SAveet corn, drying out of doors for winter's use, all remain in the memoiy of those Avho dAvelt there long ago. The Roswell Breed house still stands near the residence of Mr. Elias Aliner, and it AA-as for a long while painted yelloA\'. This story and a half house has been noAv for a time uninhabited, but has been the home at different times of a number of families in our town. Nearly a mile northeast of Col. Randall's farm, stands a little OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 221, back from the road, the Kenyon place, or Avhat was once known as the Baldwin house, as it Avas from here that Mr. Asa Bakhvin moved Avhen he bought the Nehemiah Palmer place at Weque tequock, noAV called the Baldwin house. The home of the first Baldwin of Stonington Avas a short distance from the Yellow house farm, between there and the Col. Amos Chesebrough's place. At this second Bakhvin house lived Air. Asa Baldwin, who married Dolly BroAvn, with their family of seven children, none of whom ever married but the youngest, Betsey, who married Perry Kenyon and lived here till her death in 1874. The house noAv occupied by Air. Charles Champlin, AA'as the home of Air. Stephen Babcock some seventy years ago, but KENYON HOUSE. many years before that, Mr. George Bentley lived in the old house, which stood a little south of this and was burned one day just at noon, and as they had no ladders long enough to reach the roof the flre could not be extinguished. Now, a large butternut tree stands in the very cellar near the barn that will long mark the spot. Mr. Bentley, who married Lucy Gardner, built the present one-story white house, which stands by the roadside, about one hundred and twenty-five years ago, but hav ing been kept in such good condition, itdoes not have the appear ance of an old house. After the house was burned, Mr. Bent ley was the miller for a time when the power of the river was used here for grinding grain. 222 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. Further on, turning at the right and over-looking White Rock, a thriving village in the near-by state of Rhode Island, we pass through a gate and climb a hill, on the summit of which stands the old Abiel Gardner homestead built in the middle of 1700 ; although uoav rebuilt, still some of the old beams and timbers are in the north side of this house which is occu pied by Mr. John Gardner and family, his great-grandson. It is a large, double, Avood-colored house; the front and inside doors have the old-fashioned iron handles and latch, and within STEPHEN BAHCOCK PLACE. is found a deal of old-time furniture. Stands of all sizes, from the veiy small one, just large enough to hold the one talloAV candle, with its tray for snuffers, to the large one with its pol ished mahogany surface, Avhich can be turned up at will against the wall. The large cherry table, chests of draAvers, large chairs, smaller fiddle-back ones, corner ones, little rockers, low boys, high-boys and peculiar old-style Avash stands, are all found there, while the old clock still ticking aAvaj- the hours, with the date 1794 and " bought of William Stillman, price OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 223 £10," written on the inside of the long door, which shuts away the pendulum and ponderous weights, stands in the east room. Old-style bureaus, mahogany bedsteads, looking glasses with the painted pictures in the upper section, Avheels of all descriptions, from the large wool Avbeel to the quill and little linen wheel can there be seen. Could you but look within the closed wooden door of the high cupboard in the upper chamber, you would find such a quantity of glass, pewter and wooden Avare, as Ave seldom see JOSHUA GARDNER HOUSE. together. A half dozen boAvls of different designs, pink, blue and pencil ware, plates, cups and saucers, tall pitchers, tea pots and tea Caddys. The wooden plates, oldest of all, quite rough on the surface, from hard wear, glass decanters and mugs, pewter plates, poringer and molasses cup, fill the shelves. Even the third story has its quota of olden days, for there we find several hogsheads which never Avere put in through the doors, but are so huge, that they must have been placed there before the outside was coA-ered and boarded up, and pre sumably built for the safe keeping of grain. In another 224 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. apartment are the " quilting frames " set up Avith a patchwork quilt on ready to be tied. In the large stone chimney near the roof, is the smoke house, Avhere pork and beef hams are even yet dried. This house holds much that is modern in furniture and many collections of minerals and books in their separate cases. Here also is found another proof of John Denison being a shop keeper, for in a little old brown book is Avritten " Abiel Gardner's account book, bought of John Denison in 1746." AV^ithin this house lives the fifth generation, bearing BRIGGS JEFFORDS HOUSE. the same name, and here the sweet " Thee and Thou " is heard, and most fair and gracious are the faces which look out from within their quaint drab bonnets. Very near the gate through which you return to the road, stood, till a short time ago, a very old house, built in the early part of 1700, by Briggs Jeffords. One of the very first dams thrown across the Pawcatuck River, a little below the pleasant village of White Rock, was named for this man, and he lost his Ufe here ; whfle opening the fish gap, he slipped into the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 225 water and was soon drowned. After Mr. Jeffords death this house and farm was sold to Caleb Gardner, brother to Joshua Gardner, Sr., who, Avhen he moved to Ohio, sold it in 1796 to his brother Joshua, Avho owned it for a time. Then it Avas purchased by William Vincent, Sr., before 1800, who moved from there in 1802, and his son Wflliam afterwards lived here for a time, when he sold it to Thomas Hinckley and again it was sold by him to Air. John Pendleton, who owned it until his death. It was then bought by Rebecca Scott, more familiarly known as Becky Scott; she married Joseph Herring- ton, and was quite noted about here as a fortune teller, con sequently her house was often frequented by those eager to peer into their future destiny. After their death, the house was not again used as a dwelling ; being so dilapidated, it was torn down and the last of it was burned in the spring of 1902. A mile or so below here, is the old Adam States, Jr., house, situated a little back from the road, in a grassy meadow. It is a Avood-colored, one story and a half house, now uninhabited, with the windows somewhat broken and altogether fast going to decay ; but it has known other and better days. It was built about the middle of 1700, by Air. James Noyes, familiar ly called "Jimmy," who married Margaret Woodburn, of Pres ton, Connecticut. Four of their daughters died in young woman hood and are buried in the family lot near this house. In 1804, after his wife and children were all dead, he went to live with his son-in-law, Adam States, Sr. who lived at the Went Avorth place, which was built on his own land and probably by him, for his daughter Esther, when she married Mr. States, and here he remained till his death in 1806. His grandson, Adam States, Jr., had married Fanny Chesebrough in December, 1800, and begun housekeeping at the Joseph Smith farm ; there they lived for a time and then for a whfle at Wequetequock, till his brother Noyes died on Long Island, when he inherited the old Noyes homestead, and they came there to live and remained till their death. 226 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. About this old place cluster many pleasant memories of by gone days. Among them it is told that when the great preacher Whitefleld, made his seventh and last visit here in 1769, going from Providence to Norwich on horseback, he stopped at this house and asked for water for his horse. Air. Noyes invited him into the house and gaA'e him a cordial invitation to dine with them and offer prayer, which he did remarking " that prayer and provender hindereth no man on his journey." ¦JHE JIMMY NOYES HOMESTEAD. Below here, coming down to the village of Westerly, Ave see on the side hill near Downerville, and a little below the Catholic church and parsonage, the old Helmn s house, a good deal changed, but still with tbe old gambrel roof which it had when it was buflt It Avas occupied about 1760 by Oliver Helmns who married Katharine Greenman. This Air. Helmns owned a large tract of laud about Berry Hill. In this house many different families have been sheltered, some have kept store here, and again it has been used as tenements. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. ) 227' THE HELMNS HOUSE. In Westerly, on the Pawcatuck side, near the " Dry Bridge" (as it is called), where a grand, old, elm tree throws its lights and shadows over house and yard, stands the old homestead of Mr. George Sheffield, built by him about 1800. His daughter THE SHEFFIELD HOUSE. 2128' OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. married Mr. George Gavitt who lived here, when he was the sing ing-school teacher at the Road Church, for several winters, about 1840. He had a fine voice and enjoyed music, and his handsome face would glow Avith enthusiasm when he Avas teach ing. Alainy yet remember these Sunday evenings Avith pleasure, when those grand old tunes and hymns Avere learned, under his instruction. It is yet owned by the Gavitt family. ; A little east of here, stands the old house with its exijensive frontage which formerly belonged to Dr. Wifliam Robinson, a '*¦¦ \ "^PWw i 1 ^ m LJiS^B PliJE ^^ ^•«&ii>^-MiP'''"" "fe ' m V-' '^m ¦ E i ^K I'll I 1 1 BE "-^m ¦ s^- m m ..:^iiJ^i^s»te«„- DR. WILLIAM ROBINSON HOUSE. physician of the old school. He kept a boarding-house here, and many newly-wedded couples began their married life within its walls. In this same house, upon the other side, also lived Mr. Elias Brown, born about 1760, who married Hepsibah White ; he run the grist mill, owned by Mr. Jonathan Richardson, which was situated a little further to the east, and close to the river. Air. Brown's son John lived at one time in the old Stanton house on the road which leads to Hinckley Hill, where he owned a great deal of land about there, and was a very rich man for those days. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 229 On the opposite side of the street and quite near to the Pawcatuck Bank, stands the Thomas Noyes house, built before 1800 by Air. Samuel Brand. It is a large, square edifice with .the windows full of small, peculiar-shaped, window panes. It was in former days a house of a good degree of grandeur, but noAV the street has become almost a business one, and dwelling houses of the modern architecture are built on a more retired street In this house, long ago Air. Jesse Aloss first began his THOMAS NOYES HOUSE. business career by keeping store, aud giving out weaving to many different families. Nearer the bridge is the so-called " Martha Noyes " house, built and owned by Air. Samuel Brand, Jr., who kept a tavern there nearly a century ago. This house is partially concealed by the numerous small stores which have been built recently in front of it. This Alartha was the wife of Joseph Noyes and daughter of Capt. Samuel and wife Abigail Thompson. Capt. Samuel was for many years the hospitable keeper of "The Inn," as this house was originally called ; he was a great athlete in '230 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. his younger days, and it is told of him that he would place nine large, empty hogsheads, with one head out, in a row, and then Avould jump from one into the other and so on till he reached the ninth. After his death, his widow, Abigail, kept the tav ern, and among other distinguished guests who were sheltered here was a Mr. Fowl, a native of Watertown, Mass., he was a midshipman from the Frigate, " Constitution " lying at New London, in 1811, and who was taken care of for a week or more, after having been wounded in a duel, Avhich took place near the PAUL BABCOCK PLACE. present Quarry Hill. He lived only about three weeks and is buried at the Fort Griswold cemeteiy at Groton. Of this inci dent Rev. Frederick Denison tells us in his book of Westerly and its Witnesses. Driving down Mechanic Street, past the row of pleasant houses beyond the fine Printing Press works of the Cottrell Brothers, and on past the Thread Alill, which is a comparatively new industry here, and along the bank of the PaAvcatuck river, whose sides are bordered by houses and small farms, we come to a turn in the road which takes one up a long hill, upon the ¦OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 231 summit of which stands the historic Paul Babcock house, built about 1750. It commands a grand view of country, river, and eA'en out to the ocean. It looks scarcely like an old house, being so well preserved, built in the style of the mansion house, square, large and high with the deep-throated chimney in the middle, the front door in the center, and large rooms on either side, while a fine row of elms are before the door. Dr. Joshua Babcock, who built this house, was at one time Chief Justice of Rhode Island's Superior Court. He gave this house to his son. Col. Harry Babcock, for life and at his death it was to belong to his son Paul, who married Nancy Bell, and later, her cousin, Lucy Bell. He had fifteen children and lived here, where also Col. Harry lived and raised his children. Dr. Joshua Babcock was one of tbe most celebrated and well- knoAvn country physicians in all the section about here. He was very methodical in everything; a person of about the middle height, rather spare frame, light and active. He had three sons, Henry, Luke and Adam, who was the principal one in the leather breeches lawsuit. Luke was a a clergyman, and Col. Harry was a most remark able man ; he was always a brave officer and was in the French and Indian Avars. He Avas Captain of the battle of Fort George, Alajor in 1756 and Colonel at Ticonderoga, where he led his regin\ent at its capture, and where he received a wound in the knee while pushing his men within forty yards of the breast work, and had to be borne from the fleld ; three of his officers Avere also wounded. When the news reached England, the royal approbation was expressed through General Amherst, who in his letter to Rhode Island, complimented Col. Babcock in the warmest terms. Some time after, when Col. Harry was in England, he was allowed an appointment with the Queen, Avho upon meeting him, graciously extended her hand to be kissed, but Col. Harry, with a most courteous bow, threw his arm around her neck and gave her a kiss upon her cheek (and was not reprimanded). This historic old Babcock place is now owned by the Cottrell Brothers of Westerly. 232 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. A little further down, near the Pawcatuck river, where the village of Avondale, on the Rhode Island shore, can be plainly seen, at a bend in the road, stands the old house, now almost in ruins, of Alexander Bradford. He was an intelligent man, quick at repartee, but sometimes profane. The story is told of him and Squire Woodbridge, Avho was a great man and large land owner of those days, that at a town meeting which was then held in the meeting-house at the Road, the question of the acceptance of a layout of a road or highway, from Wequete- OLD BRADFORD HOUSE. quock to the south part of Pawcatuck, was presented by Col. Bradford, and after being discussed, was \'oted dowiii This naturally vexed the Colonel, and he vented his feelings, during the meeting, by a volley of profane words, which Esquire Woodbridge answered by saying that " He was astonished to hear a man of his standing use such language in the house of God," to which Col. Bradford replied, " Tut, tut. Esquire Woodbridge, you pray a good deal, and I swear a good deal, but we don't either of us mean anything by it." OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 233 Another story is told of Col. Bradford and Esquire Wood- bridge, that one day when the Squire was carting off stones from some of his good ground and depositing it upon the old Indian graveyard, at Taugwank, near Echo Farm, Col. Brad ford drove along, stopped and called out to him, in his usual tone of voice, " if he believed in the resurrection." '• Why do you ask me that question ? " replied Squire AVoodbridge. " Oh!" said the Colonel, " nothing, only I was thinking Avhat a damnable load you were giving those Indians to rise with." THE DAVIS HOMESTEAD. The house which stands near Osbrook Grove at Pawcatuck is a historic landmark. It has been in the Davis family for a long time, at least 137 years, and no one knOAVS exactly when it was built, but it is supposed to have been constructed about 1700, by Thomas Stanton, grandson of Thomas, the Indian Interpreter, who married Thankful Denison in 1713, and it was left by them to their son Robert, who leased the place in 1765 to John Davis, who Avas then only seventeen years old, and his father, John Davis of Long Island, purchased it in 1772. 234 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. This house was a grand mansion for the time in which it was built, and is now in such a good state of preservation, both inside and out, that one cannot realize that it was built so long ago. The massive timbers used in the frame and the original cov erings of shingles, three feet in length, are still intact. The rooms are very large and are elaborately wainscotted. In one corner of the east room or parlor is a large niche or buffet, hand-carved at the top like a fluted shell, with closed doors below. It contains quaint shelves, where can now be seen old- WILLIAM STANTO.N HOUSE. style china. The front staircase railing, hand-carved of solid mahogany, was brought from England, and one of the panels in the side of the stairway is six feet long. The hall is wains cotted in broad panels and all the rooms have deep cornice and corner posts. The west great room, nineteen by tAventy feet, has the cup board over the fireplace with glass doois, through which can be seen the blue and white crockery, while on the high mantle in the long kitchen rests the glass, brass and iron candlesticks, OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 235 •the pink and blue plates and platters for fish with a separate china drain upon which the fish rests. This room had the original fireplace of by-gone days, nearly eight feet in length and correspondingly deep, with the crane, from Avhich hangs the ancient trammel for the pots and kettles. The large brick oven at the end reminds one of the quantities of good things which have been drawn from its capacious depths, during the years that this house has sheltered so many generations. It is now owned by the sixth John Davis in direct descent, and the THOMAS STANTON'S HOMESTEAD. beautiful grove, near the water, a little to the south, called Osbrook, gives its euphonious name to this place. A short distance from here is the William Stanton house, built a hundred and fifty years ago. It is a one-story house, surrounded by a low, white fence, and large bunches of fragrant, green box are on either side of the front door. The old schoolhouse stood not far from here, on the opposite side of the road from the present one, where we now turn, and leav ing the main road, drive through a forest of magnificent trees, past several new houses, until at the foot of a hill, we pass 236 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. through a gate and go up to the old house, built by Air. Thomas Stanton, grandson of Thomas the first, who married Thankful Denison about 1713. This is a double, two-story, wood-colored house, with the large chimney in the center. From here you get a most delightful view of the surrounding country and adjacent water of the Sound. This has been the home of many different families, of whom Mr. Elias Stanton was one, as he owned it for some years and sold it in 1829, when he went to live at Utica, New York. They made their LEMUEL palmer's HOME. trip in their wagon, drawn by stout horses, and accompanied by all necessary stock and jDrovisions. About a half mile west of here, on the main road to Wequet equock, is the Lemuel Palmer place, built about 1750, by his father, James Palmer. It is well preserved, painted Avhite, and does not look a century old. Near this house we see a strange freak of nature, an immense elm tree, apparently groAving out of a large rock. From this house have gone out five beautiful brides to grace other homes. Airs. Alden Palmer and Airs. Henry Smith remained in Stonington, A\'hile Mrs. Henry OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 237 Rhodes and Airs. Paul Palmer went to Trenton, New A^ork, to liA-e, and Mrs. Zeba Palmer resided in Brooklyn, New York. The one brother, John, who grew to manhood, married Alary Smith, a lovely, whole-souled woman, who lived at this place for many years, till her husband's death, when she returned to her old home in the Borough, at the Col. Joseph Smith homestead. CHAPTER TENTH. ' ' Here is the place, right over the hill Runs the path I took. You can see the gap in the old wall still, And the stepping stones in the shallow brook. There is the house, with the gate red-barred. And the poplars tall. And the barn's brown length, and the cattle-yard. And the white horns tossing above the wall." As we think of the early settlers at Wequetequock, we see the fine monument so lately erected to their^ memoiy, in the graveyard there, overlooking the blue waters of the Cove, and here are also a few old houses left standing in a good degree of preservation and kept so by their descendants, on account of the holj- memories of the past. A number of cellars also can be seen near here, Avhere once were other historic houses. The noted AValter Palmer lived here and several of his sons, and the story of the lives of two of them is really pathetic, for then as now, accidents and sorrows Avere the lot of all. Elihu Palmer, the oldest son of the second wife of AValter Palmer, died at twenty-nine years, from a wound inflicted acci dently- by himself, on this Avise. He AA-as moAving marsh grass near the Cove, Avith a scythe, on the other end of Avhich was a spear, and seeing a fish (flounder) in the water, he turned his scythe quickly and thrust the spear into the fish, Avhen the scythe caught upon his neck, cutting him so terribly, that after a time death resulted from the effects of the Avound. The fourth son of Capt. Walter was Benjamin, born in 1642, in Charlestown, Alassachusetts, but he came to Stonington to live. It is found upon record that " August 10th, 1681, Ben- 2S8 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 239 jamin Palmer brought home his bride," but who she was or where she lived is shrouded in mystery, whether there were any children, does not appear, but by old deeds, it is shown that he gave his lands to his three nephews, Moses, Daniel and Jonathan, in return for their good care of hira, for they were to care for him during his life and provide for him a Christian BALDWIN HOUSE. and decent burial. This was signed Februarj' I7th, 1715/16. They fulfilled the trust, for in the burial ground, there may be seen his head-stone erected by them. He died April 10th, 1715/16, aged 74 years. Another son of Capt. Walter, Aloses, built his house near at hand, which was taken down about 1850. The site is uqav marked by the old cellar and the Balm of Gilead trees. It was later 240 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. owned and occupied by Capt. William Slack and long known as the Slack house. It Avas of the two-story in front order, with a long, loAv roof in the rear, Avhere one could easily reach the eaves troughs and swing themselves from the open door on the north, while the rooms Avere very large and Ioav. Walter Palmer's son Nehemiah built in Julj', 1700, Avhat is now knoAvn as the Baldwin house, which stands broAvn and square-roofed just east of the buiying-ground, on the road formerly known as the Indian trail to Pawcatuck Rock, Avhere THE FISH PLACE. Thomas Stanton's trading station was. The rooms in this house are all large and high betAveen joints. They have the corner cupboard, summer beams and cornice of most of the old houses. The land here has been very productive, for in 1822, Avhen one Amos Denison lived here, 17,000 lbs. of cheese was made annu ally, and on this farm is the famous " Split Rock " mentioned as a landmark in the old records. This is a curiosity, being split directly in the middle, one half is turned completely around so that the outside faces the other half, and as dyna mite Avas unknoAvn in those days, surely some other mighty OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 241 power was at work here. Many families have made their home here, and Air. Nehemiah Gallup, who is yet living was born here in 1817. It is now owned by Dr. George D. Stanton of the Borough. The old Fish house at Wequetequock has a special interest for the Road Society, as Capt. Daniel Fish lived there with his wife Sarah, who was daughter of Oliver and Sarah Hilliard, and niece of the one who gave the land for the cemeteiy at the Road. At Mr. Fish's death, his widow became the owner by will of this house, provided she did not marry again, but if she did, the place reverted to the First Congregational Society. Airs. Fish not being quite satisfied Avith the will, and having an offer of marriage from Mr. Thomas Stanton, she accepted him, and so the Road Society acquired its new possession, which it still retains, Avhile she went to live at Mr. Stanton's house, but a short distance east of this, and after his death she soon mar ried again, Mr. John Nichols, and lived for a time at Preston, but for some reason, finaUy returned to Stonington, and lies buried in the Cemetery near the Church at the Road. This old Fish house has sheltered numerous families. In 1785 Reuben Palmer, who married Zerviah Stanton of Preston, lived bere, but it has now been rented for a long term of years. It is still standing, worn brown from age and the elements, being built about 1740, a gambrel-roof, one-story house. At the center on the north and south sides, are two small lean-tos with outside doors in each. The timbers are somewhat decayed, the windows broken or gone, and it is one of the three old houses in town, uninhabited and fast going to decay. Further do wn near the water, over the railroad bridge and through a gate, is the Joseph Chesebrough place, formerly known as the Dr. Nathan Palmer house, built by him in 1736. It is a lairge, double, two-story house, with three windows on the east side above and below; a new style porch has been added recently. Dr. Palmer lived here till he moved to the Borough ^nd built a new house there, when his son, Denison Palmer, 242 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. lived here for years. From this house have gone out to homes elsewhere, nineteen brides. If you visit this old homestead now, you will find the hostess, Aliss Fanny, able and wflling to tell you of many interesting and historic facts in the Palmer, Stanton and Chesebrough families, who formerly lived about there, of the Rufusiu house and nine daughters, who were considered such beauties that people came from a great distance to see them. She will show you the chimney stone taken from Samuel Stanton's house. DR. NATHAN PALMER'S HOME. (which used to stand southwest of the Baldwin house) marked with an S.. and I. and the date 1748, also having upon it a rude outline of the house, that was two stories in front and one in the rear, and in which Air. Elias Stanton lived at one time. In the Dr. Palmer house is the usual open fire-place where we see the iron fire-frame ; the small tea-kettle suspended from the crane, and the fore-stick resting on the little black iron fire-dogs. Above this are the panels, cornice and summer beams. In the corner cupboard are some fine old pieces of crockery. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 243 The flip mug and tureen, Avith the figure of the Phoenix rising out of its ashes. The plates of pink and blue, with their cups and saucers rest upon the shelves. Near the little, old, round, center table is the small rocker and the high-backed straight chairs, and in our mind's eye, Ave see the forms which used to flit through these pleasant rooms and almost hear the conversation in tbe long ago. The story is related of one of the Palmer girls from Weque tequock, who had met and become acquainted with a young man JAMES BABCOCK HOMESrEAD. from the north part of the town, Avho after a time concluded to marry her, and they became engaged. He was evidently of a moderate and unimpassioned nature, for after they had been engaged to be married for over two years, he received a letter from her, declaring that she Avould never marry him, but giv ing no reasons; of course he was much surprised and chagrined, and went at once to her brother to find out the reason from him, but finding that he was as ignorant of the real cause as himself, he insisted that he should find out from his sister and report to him, so the brother enquired of her the cause of her 244 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. sudden change of plans, but she refused to tell ; upon being urged and urged, she finallj^ said, " Well, if you must know, I'll tell you. I have known him for three years, and been engaged to him for two years, and he has never offered to kiss me, and I voav I Avon't marry him," and she never did. About halfway between Westerly and Stonington, stands the house owned by Air. Daniel Brown, and a little to the south east, Ave see a gate which leads through a pasture to an old house, built by Air. James Babcock in 1740, as a board which is over the front door testifies. This James was the son of James and Sarah (Vose) Babcock, who married Phebe Swan in 1730. Their grandson, Elihu Babcock, Avho married Eliza beth Jeffries, also lived, died, and was buried here, and his daughter married Joshua Robinson, who lived at this very place for a time, before he built the new house which stood where Mr. Brown's house now stands. This Babcock house was somewhat rebuilt by Air. Daniel Brown in 1882, but it is still a most quaint looking building, gambrel-roof and shingled on three sides, with only one window in the whole east side. It has the big stone chimney in tbe middle and the heavy oaken outside door, whose threshold is worn smooth by the many feet which have passed over it during these one hundred and sixty years! Uncle Harry Hinckley's house stands very near the road side, with the head of the Cove quite near the back of the house, and at low tide can be seen the stepping-stones, just below, which were used for crossing the stream. This house with improvements and additions was made from the old dwel ling place of Fergus McDowell, the Scotch Irishman, whose old house stood, a little north of this, in past the crib, in the latter part of 1600. This Fergus AIcDowell had a brother Archibald and sister Jane in Ireland, and he married Mary, daughter of William Clesbey, who probably owned the land about here, as there is yet an orchard known as the Clesbey orchard somewhat to the northwest of this house, which is OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 245 mentioned in the old deeds, giving the boundaries of these lands. William Chesebrough, grandson of the first AVilliam, married Alary AIcDowell, daughter of Fergus, and lived at the old Chesebrough place, where the first William lived, but a short distance from Mr. Irtis Alain's present residence. Their son. King David as he was called, was a remarkable man, and dif ferent opinions locate his house (Avhich he bought of Charles Chesebrough) in several places upon this road. HARRY HINCKLEY HOUSE. The deed is as follows : To all people to Avhom these presents shall come, Greeting, — Kuoav ye, that I, Charles Chesebrough of Stonington, County of New London, State of Connecticut, Farmer, for the consideration of £600, lawful money to me in hand paid to my full satisfaction by David Chesebrough of New port, County of Newport State of Rhode Island, Gentleman, do give, grant, bargain, sell, alien and convey and confirm unto him, the said David Chesebrough, his heirs, executors and administrators and assigns forever, one certain tract or parcel 246 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. of land, lying and being in Stonington aforesaid, at a place knoAvn and called by the name of Wequetequock, and contain ing by estimation 68 acres, be the same more or less, and is bounded and butted as follows : Beginning at a mear stone, standing by AVequetequock Cove, about fourteen rods east of the dwelling house of the said Charles ; thence northAvesterly bj' William Chesebrough's land about 89 rods to a mear stone, thence northwesterly by said William's land to a mear stone standing in the dividing line of the said Charles' and William's land Avhich is the south bound KING DAVID CHESEBROUGH'S ESTATE. of a lot of land the said Charles sold to Denison Palmer, thence northwesterly by said Palmer's land to a mear stone standing in tbe dividing line of Aloses Yeoman's land, thence south westerly by Aloses Yeoman's land and Samuel Chesebrough's land, to a mear stone standing in a corner of a stone wall, about twelve rods easterly of the Said now Samuel's dwelling house. Thence east and southerly by said Samuel's land to a mear stone standing by a ditch and SAvamp, adjoining a lot of land I bought of Denison Palmer, known and called by the name of Clesby orchard, thence Avest southerly by said ditch in SAvamp, OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 247 by said Samuel's land, until it comes to Wm. Chesebrough's field, thence east southerly by said William's land to a lot of land I sold to Henry Burch, then by said Burch land to the Cove. Reference being had to the Deed of the said Burch land. Thence by said Cove to the first mentioned bound. To have and to hold the above granted and bargained premises, forever." Signed by Charles Chesebrough in 1777. The house which has been pointed out to some of our oldest inhabitants as the home of King David, is now known as the Charles Main house, which is situated east of the highway in Wequetequock, and nestled among the vines and climbing roses which cover tbe west side. It is a low, gambrel-roof house, with the front door at the west end facing the road. On the east side of the house, in an underground room, was his store, where he sold merchandise to the neighboring people, and it has been kept for this same purpose all down the years, even during the lifetime of Mr. Charles Main. King David was born in Stonington in 1702, but Avent to Newport into business as a merchant. He married there, first, Abigail , and she died in 1738, aged 27 years, and is buried in the common ground at NeAvport. Later he married Abigail Rodgers, and still later, Alargaret and had four children; one daughter married an English officer, and Avent to London to live. At the time of the Revolution, when the British held possession of Newport, they confiscated all his merchandise, and he returned in 1776 to Stonington, where his grave-stone records " that he sat down on his estate," where he lived till his death in 1782. His brother. Air. Thomas Chesebrough, was educated at Harvard College and received several degrees. On his stone in the Stonington cemeteiy is this inscription : " He was a good scholar, a great historian and well acquainted with the Liberal Arts and Sciences. He died with great resignation in the prime of life, unmarried, December 11th, 1754, aged 48 years." A few rods to the north, standing on the bank and overlook- 248 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. ing the Cove is the low, wood-colored house built, in 1787, by Gov. Thurston of Rhode Island, and purchased by Air. Samuel Stanton of Mr. Ephraim Williams. It was occupied for a long time by Mr. Constant Taylor, before Air. Stanton lived there. The rooms show many marks of age and the great chimney fills a large portion of the upper chambers. On this same spot some years before, stood a large house of the two-story in front order with a long, low roof in the rear. It was used as a tavern stand, and a school Avas also kept in this tavern-room at SAMUEL STANTON HOUSE. one time by Air. Ezra Denison. The old sign post Avhich one® held a creaking sign remained long after the house was gone, and here notices Avere posted up, and here also " trainings " were held. In this old house some have thought that King David Chesebrough lived. The house a little to the north, which stood where now Air. Irtis Main lives, was called the Bill Batter or Silver Billy house. It was large, tAvo-stoiy Avith the long sloping roof, and was taken down about 1842. This place was owned by Mr. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 249" Jonathan Chesebrough shortly before its removal, and stories are told of a man who Avas deranged, being kept here for some time and by his screams frightened children when they passed on their way to school, and by others it was said to be haunted. The present house was put up by the Collinses for Air. Elias Denison as a home for Air. George Congdon, a blacksmith, Avho- came from A'^oluntown to assist him in his blacksmith work, afterwards he moved to North Stonington and the house was- enlarged to its present size. THE BIRTHPLACE OF CAPT. CHARLES P. WILLIAMS. The old house standing on the hill above the Chapel, having- a fine view of the Cove and Atlantic Ocean, was one of the mansion houses of the day, built as a half house originally, by George Palmer about 1783, and was exchanged by him, with a Mr. Butler for land in New York state, which when he went there to settle upon, he found that the title was not good and so returned. This house stands, large and brown, on a rocky hill, with the roof sloping down to the windows of the first story in the rear. 250 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. with a lean-to on the north side, while on the broad west side, above and below, are three windows. The old-fashioned outer door on the south and west side, with their old-style knockers and the hand-made cornice in the rooms, all testify of age. This house Avas occupied by Mr. Ephraim Williams after he married his second wife in 1787, and here his son, Capt. Charles, was born. It is now the property of the Second Congrega tional Society, having been given to them by Capt. Williams in his will, thus giving help through all time to that church. Many other families have dwelt in this house in the last hundred years, among them. Air. Isaac Wheeler, Jr., who lived here when the schoolhouse was built which stands there noAv. though somewhat changed, the door having been put in the middle Avhen it was formerly at the corner, and the building turned to face the road, as it used to stand with end to the big boulder by the road, which was a good place for the scholars to spring upon from the door and then slide off into the road. This rock was finally split up and used for the foundation of the chapel built there some years later. This schoolhouse was built in 1811 by subscription and Avas considered the finest one in town, with its arched roof, while the number of children on the list then was over ninety. The first grist mill in Stoningtou Avas also built near here in 1662 and stood a little northeast of the dwelling house occu pied a few years ago by Mr. Elias Denison's family. Tbe old mill was sold in 1663 to Air. Luke Bromley, who run it for a number of years, and after him came many other miflers who operated the mill. About 1760 Capt. Andrew Palmer lived in the mill-house which stood near, a low, double, one-story affair with sloping roof, having the front door not quite in the middle of the house, for on one side of it Avas a room much larger than the other, having two Avindows, while the room on the other side had only one. Quite near, standing in the line of the old stone-wall, was the well with its long sweep and bucket, free to all passers-by on this road. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 251 Air. Elias Denison, who has lived in Wequetequock for over sixty years, can well remember the Old Mill house, which stood in the very place and over the very cellar Avhere Air. Asa Vin cent built his barn, now standing, just in the rear of his house and that of Air. Denison's. It belonged then to Air. Andrew Palmer, but it seems quite probable that it was the very first mill-house built in 1661, which is mentioned in the agreement signed by the early settlers, one of whom was Elihu Palmer, brother of Capt. Andrew's great-grandfather, Avho died without •chfldren, and his Avfll was burned at New London in 1781, and the only knowledge we have of his property is from a deed on the Stonington records. This house was buflt in the manner of the old houses of that date, very similar to the old Jackson house in Portsmouth, Ncav Hampshire, which was built in 1664. It faced the south and the road Avent in front of the house, Avhich Avas a story and a half building, with the north roof sloping so that the plates rested on the ground and Avith only one small Avindow in the gable end, east and west. In the early part of 1800 this was a 252 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. very old house, and no other is remembered as being built in this manner about here so that it seems evident that it was the very first mill-house. The old mill stood a little further east and quite near the Avater. In this old house Mrs. Mary Chese brough Fish, widow of Elisha, taught school, and after it became too dilapidated for a home, it was used as a blacksmith shop by Air. Abel Crandall for some time, but finally Avas taken doAvn and the barn built over the cellar. |:_^Turning at the Samuel Stanton house and passing through EZRA CHESEBROUGH HOUSE. several gates, you will climb " Tripe Hill," at the summit of which stands the Elias Chesebrough house, from Avhich a fine view is obtained of the nearby valleys and hills, while the grand, old Atlantic ocean in the distance can be plainly seen. This large, double, wood-colored house was built in the latter part of 1700. It opens into an old-fashioned garden on the east side, which is full of vines and shrubs. Mr. Elias Chesebrough lived here in 1793, and married Lucretia Palmer, sister of Sarah, Avho married Air. Chesebrough's- brother Ezra, and resided a half mile further on, where through pastures and orchards, up hill and down, over rocks and through OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 253 gates, you foUoAv the path and wend your way in " Shacktown " as it used to be called, till you reach this small, one-story house, resting contentedly here amid the environments of nature. Could these old walls speak, thej' Avould tell much that would interest us of this neighborhood and its social life before 1800. Here, Air. Jesse Dean, who was Town Clerk in 1807, holding the office for over twenty years, at the Dean Mills, lived the latter part of his life, with his daughter Nancy, who mar ried Mr. Ezra Chesebrough, Jr., in 1828. And so at last we come again to Wequetequock, where our ancestors first came, and although there are a few other century old houses, yet standing in toAvn, their history is shrouded in oblivion or unknown to the writer. Could these have been traced, they would doubtless have proven most interesting, but still we find that Stonington is rich in her " Old Homes." ADDENDA CUSTOMS AND FASHIONS. The food which our ancestors ate was chiefly game and shell fish, with maize or Indian corn, which they planted, having put in each hill a fish, as the Indians had taught them. Then, there were bears, wolves and deer, also squirrels and rabbits, and many a dainty dish was served from this wild game. Their breakfast was often of salt meat and bean soup, seasoned Avith herbs, called bean porridge. For the dinner, which was at noon, they had boiled beef and pork, Indian pudding, wild game, potatoes and turnips. Pumpkins were cooked in various Avays. Succotash (corn and beans) was made in the summer, and samp (corn bruised and boiled and eaten Avith milk) was served in the fall. At supper, the cold meats and vegetables, left from the dinner, with little cakes made from corn meal, rye or buckwheat was eaten. Their drink was usually what nature provided; milk, beer and cider, for as early as 1654, laws were made regarding the sale of strong beer and cider, and there was no tea or coffee during the seventeenth century. Their table ware was plain ; Avooden and pcAvter platters, pitchers, plates, pans and spoons Avere often seen, and some times wooden trenchers were used for plates, though some of' the planters brought from England, silver plate, such as silver tankards, beakers, flagons, spoons, cups, knee and shoe buckles and buttons. A little later the " Silver Luster AVare " Avas brought over and it is now eagerly sought for. It looks as bright as silver, but is made of platinum on pottery ware, prob ably in Newcastle orShelton, England, and has not been repro duced in modern imitation (so says Mr. N. Hudson Aloore). 254 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 255 They also brought household furniture and wearing apparel, and there are still preserved some specimens of rich lace ruffles, fine embroideries and ornaments of gold and silver, which have been handed doAvn in some famflies, for many succeeding gen erations. Small clothes for men, made of raccoon, Avolf, bear, deer and sheepskin, as Avell as cloth, were made to fit very closely to the person, and the long stockings worn with them Avhich came to the knee, were secured by buckles, Avhile shoes with sil ver or brass buckles completed the outfit The doublet, which was early used, AA'as like a vest, worn double for greater warmth and the coats vvei e long in front, beloAv the knee, and fastened to the very bottom, the skirts of which were made very full and hung off' by being stiffened with buckram. They had a narrow hem at tbe neck instead of the broad collar and some times they were decorated Avith gold lace, Avhich shoAved off to great advantage. The fine linen stock, was fastened Avith its large silver buckle at the back of the neck. Sometimes cloaks Avere Avorn, Avhich were usually red, and hats were made of wool and beaver, high-crowned with the brims about six inches broad. This inconvenient width probably cn.used the fashion of turning them up at one side, and then on the other, till about 1730, when a third side was turned up, thus making the three cornered, cocked hat Avorn by gentlemen at that time. AVatches, rings, ear-rings and thumb-rings were also worn by the men. The wigs worn in those days were of various colors and sizes, they were made of horse and goat's hair and even the locks of children were cut off. Some wore them white and flowing, and others in long curls upon the shoulders. The women dressed in garments made from wool, while hemp and flax produced lighter weight goods for summer. As their cir cumstances increased and became better, the richer fab rics brought from England were purchased, and silks aud satins were in great demand. Trailing gowns from a half to a yard and a half long, trimmed with flounces, and often trolloped ¦256 OLD HOMES IN STONING'TON. (fastened up) at each side were worn, while later hooped skirts that stood out at the bottom like a Avheel were the fashion, but these were very inconvenient for passing through doors, both at home and at church, and Avas managed by a sleight of hand performance. Tall head dresses ornamented the head, having one streamer hanging down at the back, till tbe time of the Revolution, and later, smaller ones were made of crepe, lace -or muslin. There were no Avheeled wagons until the middle of the eighteenth century, and but very few until after the Revolutionary war. Chaises were first used, having only two wheels, and wagons painted red, made heavy and strong, came into use also. Men rode on horseback and even a bridegroom must carry his bride home on a pillion behind him. The preparation of fires was no light task, in these old stone flre-places. The foundation was a backlog, tAvo or three feet in diameter, usually hauled to position on skids or rollers ; in front of this was the "fore-stick," considerably smaller, both lying on the ashes ; on them lay the " top stick," half the size of the back-log, and all these were usually of green wood. In front of this pile was a stack of split wood, branches, chips and cobs. If flre-dogs were used, the smaller wood was placed on them. These logs lasted several days, were replenished Avhen necessary, but tbe fire was not allowed to go out ; should this happen, the fire-pan was sent to the nearest neighbor for -coals, or the flint lock, musket and wad of tow, Avas called into requisition. Floors were of oak, ceilings left unplastered, with the oak summer trees smoothed and left bare. In the best room and chambers, these were covered with pine. The tables in corii- mon use were long, of pine wood and made without leaves. The chairs, wooden or splint bottomed. The best room had rush bottomed chairs with bannister backs. The trusty and useful flre-locks, with their poAvder horns, hung on the walls. The dresser (like an open cupboard) shone with silver and p)ewter. The tall clock and " chest of drawers '' brought from OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 257 England graced their respective corners, with an occasional chest of later date. The- light stands were of the same shape, or oblong. The loom, the spinning wheel, the big wheel, quill wheel, reel and swifts, all were kept near for immediate use. The flax-brake, swingling knife and coarse hackle were kept in the barn for the men's use in rainy weather, while the little wheel and cards were the grandmother's chief care. The early public days were the Fast and Thanksgiving. The General Court issued an order in 1676 for a Fast to be held every month, but the regular one was not appointed till after the Revolution. The people met for public worship as on Sunday, no food was cooked or eaten till after sundown, but Thanksgiving was the grand festival of the year. The first appointed in Connecticut was on Sept. 18th, 1631. It was held on Thursday, and generally late in the month in which it occurred. The days, for several weeks previoias, were full of work for all the household, in anticipation of the return of all the children and grand-children of the family, and then fami lies could boast of fifteen or seventeen children and as many as one hundred grand-children, who were all to be fed with the best the house afforded, and so the fatted calf was killed, the finest turkeys and chickens were picked, and the fairest pump kins and vegetables, were gathered for the day's use, and when it arrived, great was the rejoicing as the dear ones gathered home. The first part of the day was spent in going to meeting, by all that could be spared from the preparations of dinner, which was served to them upon their return, and eaten with a relish, after thanks had been given. The afternoon was spent in games and stories of bear and wolf hunts, Indian wars, rat tlesnakes and everything which had given variety to their lives the past year. In the evening, the old, well-worn famfly Bible was brought and laid on the little stand, beside the one tallow candle, and the grandfather read and returned thanks to God, for His care during the year. Though this was the annual festival and feast, still there were other merry-makings. 258 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. weddings, huskings, apple-parings, quilting parties, and neigh borly gatherings around the great winter fires, where games were indulged in, besides sleigh-rides, balls, and " Suzy Bent- ley's," where Fiddler Bill played for the dancers. The whole expense of the amusement was paid by the young people, and did not usually exceed a dollar or two, out of which tbe fiddler was paid, and yet the older ones declared, " They should be ruined by such extravagance." The custom at funerals in those times was to give gloves, rings, and scarfs. They were even distributed at the burial of the town's poor, and the expense Avas charged to the town. In the wills of those early days Ave read, in one, " There were mourning suits to be given to his friends." In another, the will of a young lady, only twenty-one years old, who Avas engaged to be married, in which she directed, " that at her funeral, my betrothed husband, John Morgan, be all over in mourning and follow next after me." In 1820, we read in the bill of expense for a funeral the following items : — 5 yards Cambrick for grave-clothes. One dollar. For digging grave. One dollar. For one gallon of spirits for funeral. One dollar. And so we get a glimpse of some of our ancestors, while of many others scarcely anything is known beside the meagre notice in the records of birth, marriage and death. REVIEWS AND TRAININGS. The annual reviews and trainings which we have heard our fathers and grandfathers tell about, was to teach military tac tics, and the yearly review was in the fall, Avhen all the compa nies met together. On the first Monday in May occurred the yearly training, when one company assembled and the officers who had served three years resigned, and new ones were ap pointed. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 259 The yearly regimental review was quite the event of the autumnal season and hundreds of people gathered to see the military display. Ten companies, consisting of eight militia, one artillery, and one rifle, assembled from Stonington, North Stonington, Ledyard, Groton and Voluntown, with all their officers. The colonel, lieutenant-colonel, major and staff of four men, all rode horseback, with feathers in their hats and epaulettes on their shoulders. The artillery, rifle company and officers were in uniform, but the men in the militia companies were not compelled to wear uniforms, but were required to have a gun, bayonet, and cartridge box. The review lasted all day, and the men got their dinner at a hotel or under a tent that was sometimes used. The captain put them through the military drill, the loading and firing was quite an art, and took considerable time. The rule for orders were : — Attention, every man in the position of a soldier. .Face to the left. Prepare to load (drop the gun, muzzle up). Open pan (open the pan in the gun). Handle cartridge (take the cartridge out). Tear cartridge (hold with the teeth and tear off' the top). Prime (put in the powder). tehut pan (close up the powder in the gun). Enter cartridge (put it in the gun). Draw ramrod (pull up the ramrod). Ram cartridge (push down the cartridge). Return ramrod (put it up). Ready (take up the gun). Aim (point gun). Fibe. In these days of rapid action and self-loading rifles these preparations would seem most tedious, but with these old- fashioned flint-lock guns, it was all necessary. SCHOOLS OF YE OLDEN TIME. Through the kindness of Rev. H. Clay Trumbull, we have the 260 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. following description of the " schools of ye olden time " in Stonington. Public schools, or common schools, were not known in Connecticut, as they now exist in every community, in the first quarter of the 19th century. Before that time schools with paid teachers were common. A man teacher usually felt it his chief business to be feared for severity and the use of the switch. He did little real teaching, although he heard children recite lessons, memorized from their books, while he punctuated imperfect recitations, with a box on the ear, or with a blow from his switch. Women, no better quali fied, had their " Dame Schools," where younger girl pupils went. I have heard my grandmother and mother tell of these schools in Stonington which they attended. " Master Niles " was a terror to his pupils, for he used his switch without mercy, and with little regard for their good. At last the oppressed pupils determined to teach him a lesson. One even ing they entered the school room after school hours ; the boys, assisted by the girls, ripped open the cushion in the big arm chair of Master Niles ; they then put in a good number of pins, with the points upward, and the cushion was then arranged as before, and the room was left. The next morning, when the punctual pupils were in their seats, Master Niles entered the room and settled himself in his arm-chair, but he came up quicker than he went down. With a yell, he bounded from his chair, and used various irreverent words. That, was a memorable day in this school. Master Niles was never, after that, quite so firm in his seat. He felt that ho must be careful not to exasperate his pupils too much, and they felt easier in consequence. A teacher in a " dame school " in Stonington used to tell her pupils to bring her sugar and eatables from their homes, and she threatened to punish them severely, if they told of it to their parents. This continued until they learned the truth, and the teacher was dismissed. It was about 1830 that " infant schools " were introduced OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 261 into the country from England. Children who had never before been deemed of a school age here, went to these schools. One of them, taught by Miss Grace Stanton of Wethersfleld, was held in Stonington. I attended it, when so young that after my lessons I would be laid on a pillow, on a bench in the school room to sleep, other pupils did similarly. This school was held in a room on Main street above Harmony street, also in a room down Wall street, on the east side, which we used to call Dr. Palmer's lane, there was a choice select school, kept by a Miss Allen. I attended that. It was held in the other half of a house occupied by Mercy Golden. Later there was a school-house built on the lower part of the lot or garden of my father's house (the " Thomas Swan house "), which was burned. Miss Rider, daughter of Hiram Rider, of Willington, Conn., taught it for some time. Then Miss Frances Wentworth, sister of Rev. Dr. Erastus Wentworth, of Stonington, taught the school. * Mr. John Kirby, who married a sister of Elisha Faxon, Jr., taught a select school of a high grade. My brother, James Hammond Trumbull, went there, as did Samuel Babcock, and others of that age. Alessrs. Davis and Dawes succeeded Kirby as teacher there, and such a school was for a time taught in a room above Allen's tin-shop, on the corner of Main and Har mony streets. A select school for young girls was for a time taught by Miss Maria Hubbard, in a little room in the rear of Dr. George E. Palmer's house. After a while the old Stoning ton Academy was occupied by Daniel S. Rodman, and then by William W. Rodman, assisted at times by Nicholas Chesebrough, John Terrett, Frederick Denison, and Elias Hinckley. Again, L. L. Wild taught in the Courtlandt Palmer house. Later he taught in Lord's Hall, and some of my best training was secured in that school. The educational influences in Stonington were good, and many of us have reason to remember that gratefully. Dr. David Hart trained many a young man for college, in the room 262 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. above Dr. Hart's office, and Miss Lucy Ann Sheffield taught from generation to generation of the Boro children, and later kept her school on Peail street, until too old to teach any longer. She is well remembered by many in the Boro, and the sound of her crutch coming was enough to bring the greatest rebel to his senses. NAMING THE CROSS STREETS. Rev. Mr. Trumbull also tells of naming the cross streets in Stonington, which may be interesting to know about in days to come. " The cross streets were named about fifty years ago by some of the young men of that day, in a spirit of fun, but they " stuck." Broad street was so called because it was wider than most. High, because that in front of the Wadawanuck Hotel was the highest part and sloped both ways, east and Avest, and towards the south. Pearl street was from a girls' school kept there, possibly by Miss Lucy Ann Sheffield. G-rand street was our finest street at that time. It swept from Air. Samuel Deni son's hill past the academy, crossing both Alain and AVater streets, to the water. Along it were the houses of Airs. Maria Babcock, Capt. Stiles Stanton, and Mr. Giles Smith, with the granite post surmounted by the bomb, as a memorial of the attack of 1814. Church street was from a colored family that lived on the corner of AVater street, as it was before the day of the Episcopal church now standing on it. Union is a short street uniting Main and Water streets. Harmony had reference to a family that Hved on it. The father, when excited by liquor, was very ill-natured, and my uncle, J. F. Trumbull, told often of seeing the old man in a village store until late in the eve ning, when he would say, " Well, it is time I returned to my cottage of peace and contentment." An hour later you could go by that house and hear the wife screaming, Avhfle her hus band dragged her around by the hair of her head ; hence the name. Wall street was on account of the high bank wall. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 263 extending almost the whole way from Main street to Water ; its continuation to the east shore was nicknamed " Shinbone Alley." What is now Gannon square used to be " Town Land ing," where the farmers brought their stock and produce to those engaged in the West India trade. It was the busiest part of the town then. Diving street was so called from its being a fine place to bathe, and all the boys congregated there in the hot summer days. This was the last street in the village in 1850. STONINGTON BATTERIES. (^As given hy Dr. George D. Stanton.) A rough fort, or water battery, was erected during the Rev olutionary war in the southern part of the village, on the east side of the Point, about where the fish market now stands. It had several long six and nine pounders and ^^one twelve pound carronade. After the war they became dismantled and sunk in the ground. The old barracks stood between the present Baptist church and the Fanny Keen house, now moved away. They wore altered into a dwelling house, which was afterwards burned. At a session of the General Assembly in New Haven, Dec. 14th, 1775, it was ordered that the battery at Stonington should have six cannon, two eighteen pounds and four twelve pounds. There was much delay in procuring them, and much dissatisfaction in consequence, and, in fact, some of them never did get here. They were used to defend Ncav London and Groton, and when the fleet finally came here, in 1814, they had only two eighteen pounders, AA'hich had been sent here in 1809, and one six-pounder and one four-pounder. They carried part of these to the old fort on the east side, and the rest they took to a slight battery put up near the breakwater, just south of the present Atwood machine shop, and there, as we know, they did good work in keeping off the enemy. The earthwork was made somewhat in the form of a crescent, about ten feet 264 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. long, six feet high, and twelve feet across, in a line as nearly east and west as the curved form of construction would allow. The guns stood upon a plank platform, and were worked into position after the recoil occasioned by firing, by means of tackles. The entire force that occupied the fort to work the guns was fourteen men. At every fire the wheel of the gun carriage was marked with chalk, and also a mark on the plank platform. When we found the shot struck the brick perfectly, we kept the gun exactly on those marks, and I never before or since saw such accurate firing from cannon, said Mr. Silas E. Burrows. POETRY COMPOSED UPON THE BATTLE OF STONINGTON, On the Seaboard of Connecticut, BY PHILIP FEENEAU. In an attack upon the town and a small fort of two guns, by the Ramillies,, seventy-four gun ship, commanded by Sir Thomas Hardy ; the Pactolus, thirty-eight gun ship ; Despatch, brig, and a razee or bomb ship, August, 1814- Four gallant ships from England came, Freighted deep with fire and flame. And other things we need not name, To have a dash at Stonington. Now safely moor'd, their work begun, They thought to make the Yankees run, And have a mighty deal of fun In stealing sheep at Stonington. A deacon then popp'd up his head. And Parson Jones's sermon read. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 26S In which the reverend doctor said That they must fight for Stonington. A townsman bade them, next, attend To sundry resolutions penn'd. By which they promised to defend With sword and gun, old Stonington. The ships advancing different ways, The Britons soon began to blaze. And put the old women in amaze, Who feared the loss of Stonington. The Yankees to their fort repair'd, And made as though they little cared For all that came — though very hard The cannon play'd on Stonington. The Ramillies began the attack, Despatch came forward, bold and bfack ; And none can tell what kept them back From setting fire to Stonington. The bombardiers, with bomb and ball. Soon made a farmer's barrack fall ; And did a cow-house sadly maul, That stood a mile from Stonington. They killed a goose, they killed a hen. Three hogs they wounded in a pen — They dashed away, — and pray what then ? This was not taking Stonington. The shells were thrown, the rockets flew, But not a shell of all they threw. Though every house was full in view. Could burn a house at Stonington. To have their turn they thought but fair, — The Yankees brought two guns to bear, 266 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. And, sir, it would have made you stare, This smoke of smokes at Stonington. They bor'd Pactolus through and through, And killed and wounded of her crew So many that she bade adieu To the gallant boys of Stonington. The brig Despatch was hull'd and torn, So crippled, riddled, so forlorn, — No more she cast an eye of scorn On the little fort at Stonington. The Ramillies gave up th' affray, And, with her comrades, sneaked away. Such was the valor on that day Of British tars, near Stonington. But some assert on certain grounds (Beside the damage and the wounds). It cost the King ten thousand pounds To have a dash at Stonington. INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMANDER OF THE SHIP MINERVA. The foUoAving letter contributed by Mr. Thomas S. Collier in the " Collector " contains the instructions of the owners of the Aliner va, sent to the commander of that A-essel before she sailed on the cruise that resulted in the capture of the British Ship Hannah. Boston, May 27th 1781. SiE : The private armed Brigt. Minerva, mounted with sixteen six pounders, which you are commissioned to command on a cruise against the enemies of the United States of America, being now completely equipped and ready for sea, you will embrace the first favorable wind to get out, taking ev-ery proper precaution to avoid the British Fleet, should they be off j-our port as here-to- fore, 'Vour cruising ground Ave leaA-e the choice of to you, only would observe that it is our wish, you should not cruise off either OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 267 New York or Charlestown, the danger appearing much greater than the prospect of advantage in that quarter. If you are fortunate eno' to take any prizes, you will order them into this port. Should they by distress of weather arrive at any out port, you will direct the prize masters to give me information by express of their situa tion and follow such directions as I may think best for our interests, with regard to such prize. AVith my best wishes for your success, victory and safety, 1 am, in behalf of the owners of five eights of the P. Brigt. Minerva, Your most affectionate friend and brother, Adam Babcock. P. S. On coming home off your cruise 1 would advise you to keep well to the eastward so as to come iu thro' the Vineyard Sound, where you can get the needed information of the situation of the British Fleet. As soon as you get to New London, you will lose no time in clearing the vessel for a second trip. Once more sincerely yours, , A. B. Dudley Saltonstall, Esq. Commander of the private arm'd Brigt. Minerva, laying at New London. DEATH OF THE INDIAN CANONCHET. On April 9th, 1676, Canonchet Avas found on the PaAvcatuck or Blackstone River near the village of PaAvcatuck. Hubbard's account of his capture is as folloAvs : " One of the first English men that came up Avith him Avas Robert Stanton, a young man that scarce had reached the twenty-second year of his age, yet adventuring to ask him a question or two, to Avhom this manly sachem, looking with a little neglect upon his youthful face replied, in broken English, " You much child, no understand matters of war, let your brother or your chief come, him will I answer." AVhen told his sentence Avas to die, he said, "He liked it well, that he should die before his heart Avas soft or he had said anything unworthy of himself." He was shot under the eye of Denison, and the friendly Indians Avere his execu tioners," and the following are a part of some lines written by- Richard S. S. Andros. 268 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. On his conquerors he gazed With a proud and haughty air. And his eye with a flame of hatred blazed. Which shook the boldest there ; And a bitter smile of scorn Around his dark lip played, While his brow like a cloud by thunder torn, Wore a deep and fearful shade. " Go bid your chief attend ! I have no words to spare. No breath in idle talk to spend With children, as ye are. Though captive and in chains. Though fettered every limb. While a drop of royal blood remains, I speak with none save him. Ye say my doom is death ! Strike, not a moment spare, I ask ye not for another breath ! I have no need of prayer ! Death ! Death ! I Hke it well ! Ere my heart be soft and tame Ere my breast with a thought or feeling swell. Unworthy of my name. AN INDENTURE. This Indenture, made this 26th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1830, between Joshua Yeomans of Stonington, father of Mary A. Yeomans, his daughter, a minor under the age of twenty-one years, of the one part and Joseph Eobinson of said Stonington on the other part, witnesseth : That the said Joshua Yeomans hath placed and bound his said daughter, Mary A. Yeomans, an apprentice to the said Joseph Robin son to be instructed in the art, mistry, trade and occupation of house wifery and spinning, sewing and knitting, until she arrives to the OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 269 age of eighteen years, if she should live till that period, and that the said Joseph Robinson, on his part doth covenant and agree to and with the said Joshua Yeomans, father to said Mary A. Yeo mans, to instruct said Alary A. Yeomans in the art and trade afore said by the best means in his and his wife's power, and teach her to read and write an intelligible hand and to feed said girl with good and wholesome food and comfortably clothe her and the said Mary A. Yeomans shall faithfully serve the said Joseph Eobinson and obey him and his wife in all things that is lawful, and when she has served her time out, the said Joseph Robinson shall give her two suits of good common clothes for every day and a good handsome suit and bonnet for Holy days, also a good pair of com mon shoes, and a good pair of meeting shoes and let her go free. It is further understood hy said parties that if said girl does not stay with the said Robinson, or is hindered by her mother so that the said Robinson cannot be benefited by said girl, then this In denture to be void and of no effect: In witness whereof we have here unto set our hands and affixed our seals the 26th day of April, 1830. EMANCIPATION. Before the Revolution and even for some years after, slaves were ¦OAvned by various families in Stonington, and many of them were freed by their desire and that of their masters. On the Records are found the legal proceedings which was necessary. The first names of the blacks were given but the last was usufilly that of the family to which they belonged, for instance, Zilph, freed by Hannah Avery, Flora, freed by Amos York, Primus Noyes, freed or emancipated by Peleg Noyes and Rena, emancipated by Paul Wheeler, in this m,anner runs the legal document : « Wheras Paul Wheeler of Stonington, County of New London, hath this day made application to us the Subscribers, Justices of the Peace, for said New London County and the selectmen of said town of Stonington, for the time being, for liberty to emancipate his negro wench, named Rena, and the said authority and select men having examined said Master and Servant, aud find it to be the desire of the master to emancipate, and likewise the desire of said wench to be emancipated, and on examination, finding the 270 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. wench to be about 34 years of age, well and healthy and capable of getting her living, therefore give said Paul Wheeler liberty to emancipate, and he is hereby authorized to emancipate and make free the said Rena. Dated at Stonington, January lOth, 1803. LOCATION OF THE OLD HOUSES. The first Bentley house was just south of Mr. Charles Champlin's house. The first Baldwin house was built down the lane, about half a mile southwest of Air. Frank Smith, on Taugwank hill. The first Bennett house stood a little to the east of the house now occuj)iecl by Mr. Charles Bennett, at AVolf Neck. The first Billings house stood on the top of Cosaduc Hill, in North Stonington, which Avas then Stonington. The first Breed house in town was just west of Air. Henry Breed's house, in Breed Town. The first Lynn Brown house was situated north of the late Samuel Bentley's house and the house now owned and occupied by Miss Bertha York, nearly on the line between North Stoning ton and Stonington. The first Chesebrough house was near the present residence of Afr. Irtis Main, in Wequetequock. The first Clift house was at Old Mystic, on the turnpike, near the Hyde Mills, and is still standing. The first Cobb house stood where Air. Daniel Brown now lives. The first Collins house was below the house of Mr. Dudley Brown, on the south side of the road, over the wall on the Mystic road, above the oak tree. The first Copp house is the present Copp house, near Copp brook. The first Davis houss is the present one in Pawcatuck. The first Dean house was at Quiambaug, east of the quarry there. The first Denison house was just west of the present old Denison house. The first Eells house is on Hinckley hill. The first Fanning house was situated southwest of the home of Miss Emma A. Smith, on the Stanton land. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 271 The first Fellows house was at Stonington, near the end of the point, and had the old windmill there. The first Fish house was situated on the road from Old Mystic to Lantern Hill, where you cross the line from Stonington to Ledyard. This same John Fish was the chosen schoolmaster for the town of Stonington in 1679. The first Frink house was east of Mr. Latham Miner's house, on land now owned by Mr. Fernando AVheeler, and stood in the second lot just over the Avail. The first Gallup house was situated east of the Lewis house, above Greenmanvill e. The first Grant house was where Air. Orrin Grant lived and died. The first Haley house was north of the present home of Mr. John Chesebro. The first Hallam house is the home of Judge Gilbert Collins, near Stonington, and there was also an old Hallam house a little west of the house of Mr. Nat. Noyes, at the Harbor. The first Hancox house stood east of the Borough of Stonington. The first Hazard house Avas where Mr. Erastus Miner now lives. The first Hewitt house stood on the Elm Grove Cemetery land, at Mystic. The first Hilliard house was at the road where Mr. Frank Noyes lives. The first Holmes house stood in North Stonington, near the "Bloody Six " school-house, which was then Stoningtou. The first Kellogg house is near Old Alystic. The first Mason house was situated east of Pequotsepos brook, on land now belonging to Mr. Benjamin Hewitt. The first Alain house was a little east of the village of North Stonington. The first Miner house was at Wequetequock, a little east of the late Mr. Harry Hinckley's house, but in a year or two he built the second at Quiambaug. The first Noyes house was at Anguilla, near the small red house now standing. The first Page house is the present one now occupied by Mr. James A. Lord, near the Road Church. The first Palmer house was at Wequetequock, east of the Cove. 272 OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. The first Park house was on the western slope of Quaquataug hill. The first Phelps house was at the foot or Cosaduc hill, where Mr. John York now lives, which was then Stonington. The first Prentice house stood where Mr. AVilliam Prentice lived for mauy years, near the northeast corner school-house. The first Eandall house stood a few rods west of the old home of Darius Randall, between North Stonington and Westerly. The first Rhodes house is the present one standing beyond Anguilla. The first Robinson house stood where Mr. Daniel Brown's house now stands. The first Rossiter house is where Mrs. Thomas Palmer lives. The first Eussell house is the present one occupied by Mr. Joseph Noyes. The first Searl house was just west of Sylvia Mills. The first Saxton house was situated on the road to Stonington, east of the Charles M. Davis farm, and nearly opposite the new quarry. The first Stanton house Avas at Pawcatuck Rock, near Mr. Charles Randall's. The first Stevens house stood where Mr. Pitts Frink died, near the present North Stonington boundary line. The first Stewart house was north of Stewart Hill, in what is now North Stonington. The first Swan house was on Swan Town Hill,now North Stonington. The first Thompson house was where Mr. Eugene Palmer lives. The first Wheeler house was on the site of Col. James Brown's house. The first Whipple house was built north of the house now occupied by Mr. Ezra Cuff, in Flanders, on the east side of the road. The first Williams house was near old Mystic, and his cousin, John Williams, lived at the same time on the Griswold farm, now owned by Dea. B. F. Williams. The first Witter house was a little north of Col. James Brown's. The first Woodbridge house iu this town was built at White Hall, near old Mystic. The first York house was built at Anguilla, on land which Mr. William York now owns, and near the house which he now occupies. OLD HOMES IN STONINGTON. 273 FAMILY NAMES FOUND ON OUR EARLY RECORDS, WHICH ARE NOW NEARLY C),R QUITE EXTINCT IN STONINGTON. Amos, Ashcraft, Badger, Bell, Button, Bloggett, Bowdish, Bart lett, Brand, BoUes, Brooks, Buchway, Barot, Brackenbury, Cady, Cale, Caye, Carder, Curtice, Clesbey, Cozens, Caldwell, Church, Charte, Cables, Cross, Caffee, Carting, Cranston, Carter, Crucer, Cur tis, Davison, Dennis, Dudley, Darrow, Downing, Dye, Earle, Eddy, Elliott, Ellis, Fellows, Fanning, Ford, Force, Fisk, Fling, Goodwille, Gibbons, Gager, Gallea, Galloway, Gambal, Gifford, Goddard, Gus- tin, Hallett, Halsey, Hollyoake, Hopkins, Herrick, Howland, Hamilton, Hobs, Hudson, Ingraham, Irish, Jamison, Jacques, Juell, Keizer, Kimball,, Killom, Kegwin, Lambert, Lawrison, Leeds, Lester, London, Low, -Lippincott, Lynd, Morehouse, McCarty, Meacham, McDowell, Mott, Moxley, Neff, Newell, Nutter, Page, Palmetter, Pike, Plumb, Pooller, Pickles, Person, Pierson, Rich ards, Rockwell, Ruff, Saxton, Searle, Seter, Seabury, Sprague, Sterry, Starkwether, Stockwell, Straton, Stoyell,»Swayt, Udall, Utley, Vanpelt, A''arian, Weaver, Willett, Wottells, Woodhouse, Wiat, Willey, Widger, Woodburn, Woodman, AVorthington, Wight, Yerrington. A INDEX. Page Page Admiral Pococke, ¦ 31 Bainbridge, Com., . • 117 Agreement Hill, ro, 12, 13, 16 , Battery, Old, 119 Alden Priscilla, . 198 Band, Stonington, . • 130 il John, 198 Barnum, Capt. John, . .149 Amy, Frank, • 15, 125 Bailey, Eunice, 169 Angle -, Katharine, • 36 ' Beebe, Capt. Jesse, . 148 Anguilla, . .7, II, 12, 37 Bell, Lucy, . 23r Anguilla Meeting- House, 40 " Nancy, 231 Ash, Thomas, . 154 " William, . ¦ 14 Ash, Selina, . 154 Bennett, Charles, 80 Ashbey, George, 143 Bentley, George, 221 Atwood's Works, . 120, 150 " Samuel, . 69 11 Eugene, 135 Bellamy, Jonathan, . ¦ 157 Avery, Stephen, 72 3, 89, 176 Billings, Coddington, ro8, 14, a James, 180 32. 74, 8r B " Mary, . . 60 Babcock, Anne, 216 " Sanford, 12 , 1 12, 80 li Adam, • 54, 231 " William, . . r8r ti B. F., . 134 Bingham, Abel, . 128 a Charles, 196 Black, John, . 50 it Elias, 28 Bloomfield, Capt., • 14 li Elihu, 244 Braman, John, • 50, I it Frank, . 159 Breed, Anna, 219 a Harry, 231 " Henry, 219, 20 a James, 216, 44 " Insign, . • 14 a Jonathan, 2r6 " Jesse, 219 it Joshua, . 54, 231 " John, . 219 a Luke, . 231 " Lucy, . 200 cc Nathan, . • 193 " Prentice, . rr 1 li Oliver, • 193 " Polly, . no, ir r li Paul, T17, 231 " Prudence, . 66 a Samuel, 131, 3. 59 " Roswell, 220 Baldwin, Asa, 221 " Samuel, . . 220 it Eunice, . . 166 Brown, Benjamin, . 79 it Henry, • 59, loi " Cynthia, . 212 275 276 INDEX. Brown, Daniel, " Dolly, " Dudley, Elias, . <' Elijah, " Everett, " Herman, ¦" James, *' Joanna, •" John, . "• Joshua, " Nancy, " Noyes, " Peleg, Page . 244 221 36 . 86,228 50 • 73 219 12, 163, 204 68 219, 20 . 66, 8 109 • 55,68 . 108 " Philetus, . . 76 Randall, . 55, 66, 8 " Stephen, . . 73 " Susan, . -197 Bromley, Horace, . . 59 " Luke, . .250 Briggs, Jedediah, . . 76 Brewster, Charles, . -115 " George, . . 115 " Mrs. George, . 149 " Elder Wflliam, 194 British Fleet, . 99 Bradford, Alexander, . 232 " Gov. William, . 207 Brook, Noyes, . . .11 Brayton, Dr. C. E., . 136 Brand, Samuel, . .229 Burr, Aaron, . . 38, 157 Burtch, Billings, . .141 " Henry, . . 247 " Thomas, . 141, 2 Burnett, James, . . 171 Burrows,, Enoch, 81, 6, 7, 8, 90, 117 " Lucy, . . .81 " Silas, . . 88 C Capron, Mr., . . -85 Cemetery, Catholic, . 107 Carew, Simon, . 145, 171 Cato's House, . . 34 Page Cavenaugh, Joseph, . .62 Center, . . 13, 14, i5 Champlin, Chailes . .221 " Col. Joseph, 193, 6 Chapman, Timothy, . 128 Chippechaug Island, . 96 Chesebrough, Amos, 107,44, 98, zoo, 1, 5, 21 " Charles, 245, 7 " David, 125, 24s, 7,8 " Denison, 153 " Elias, . 252 " Elihu, 13,14,29, 139,40,96,201, 3 " Elizabeth, 197 "' Enoch, 107,34, 44 " Eunice, . 203 " Ezra, 141, 2, 52, 3 " Mrs. Ezra, 141 '• Fanny, 197,225, 42 " Fiddler Bill, 73 " Gideon P. 198 '• Grandison, 96 " Hannah, 96 " Jonathan, 170, 249 " Naboth, 201, 4 " Nathan, . 14 " Nathaniel, 12, 107, 198 " Samuel, 14, 32, 108, 15, 43, 98 " Sarah, . 127 " Thomas, 204, 47 " William, i, 204, 45,46, 47 " Zebulon, 15, 40, 51, 2, 163 Church, . . . 9, 12 " Parlors^ . .26 " First or West, . 16 " First or East, . 16 INDEX. 277 Page Page Clark, Alfred, . r7i Dean, J esse, 15, 16, 49, 50, 1,2, " Jimmy, . • 149 253 Clesebey, Maiy, 244 " John, . . 1= , 33, 46 " William, 244 " Nancy, 253 Cleaveland, Mrs. Emily, 220 " Welthian, -42 Clift, Amos, . 81 Dennis, Esther, . 203 " Lydia, . . ir6 Denison , Amos, 40, 162, 240 Cobb, Elkanah, 116 (( Ann, . 174, 95 Coddington, Gov. William, 207 ti Beebe, . 96 Collins, Daniel, 19, 20, 34, 5 a Darius, 60, 61 " Gilbert, 20, 35, 102,3, it Debby, . • 15,58 206 it Dorothy, • 5 Coflingwood, Capt , . 126 ti Ebenezer, • 79, 99 Coleraine, Mass., • 34 li Edward, 30, 96, 152 Commissioners of United a Elias, 249, 50 Colonies, . ri It Elisha, . 196 Congdon, George, . 249 it Esther, 59, 87, 139 Copp, Brenton, 85 It Ethan, • 34,52 " John, • 43 li Eunice, • 197 " Jonathan, 43 a •Ezra, 248 « Samuel, . • 43 it Frederick, . 97,230, Court, King's or Magistrate, 16 ic George, 5, 7, 5 , 10, 45, Crandall, Abel, • 252 64, 93. 4, 5, 9, 125, Crary, Nathan, . 164 152, 65, 95 " Peter, . 113,64 it Grace, • 197 Culver, George, 170 a Hannah, 79 D a Isaac, 99, 166 Davis, Billings, . 171 11 John,T4, 30, 97,9, 100, " Clarke, . 190, 1, 6 52, 88, 224. " Dudley, • 205 it Jonathan, lor " Ethelinda, 106 it Joseph, 38, 165 " Henry, T46 it Justin, 20 " Lucy, . 76 It Lavinia, ¦ 99 " Lucretia, i9r a I^ois, ¦ 34, 151 " John, ¦ 233, 5 it Lucy, . 146 " Joseph, 139,191 It Margaret, 96 " William, . ¦ 52 li Mary, 80 DaAves, Rev. Mr., • 153 11 Mercy, . 165 Dean Mills, 16,46 (( Nancy, . 34 " Pond, . S3 It Oliver, • 65 " House, . 47,8 a Peleg, . 40 " Phannee, 16 " Prentice, . lor " Fanny, 49, 50, 51 it Prudence, 100, r " Jabez, . 52 It Robert, 5. 58 " James, . 46 it Sally, . 146 278 INDEX. Page Denison, Samuel, . 134, 5 " Thankfull, 166, 233, 6 " William, 7, 45, 60, 75, 100, r. Dewey, Jesse, . . -31 Dickenson, Frank, . . 96 Dixon, Nathan F., . 146 Dyer, Waity, . . 29 Joseph, . 114, 134 " Nathaniel, 1 6, 133, 210, 11, 12. Eldredge, Daniel, . -78 " Mary, . . r90 " Zerviah, . -55 England, . . 5, 7, t8 English, .... 7 Englishman, ... 48 Enos, Jemima, . .57 F Fairbrother, Isaac N., . 149 Fairfield, Hannah, . 171 Fanning, Edmund, . 9, 129 " Gilbert, . 16, 56, 7 " Nathaniel, . .56 " Zerviah, . . 173 Fellows Mill, . . r8 " Elnathan, 106, 15, 61 " George, . . 131 " Lydia, . ro6, 15, 162 " Priscilla, . . 162 Fish, Asa, . .21, 49, 52 " Benjamin, . . .178 " Daniel, . . .241 " Ehsha, . .140 " James D., . . 48 " Mrs. Mary, . . 140, i Page Fish, Rev. Mr., . . 75 " Mrs. Sarah, . . 127 Fort Griswold, . . 29 Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben, 7,65 Franklin, Benjamin, . 211, r 2 Frink, George, . .205 " Samuel, . . 5, 178 " William, . . 5 Q Eastman, Susannah, . . 176 Gallup, Amos, . . 29 Edwards, Daniel, . 127 Benadam, 66 " Eugene, 162 Dean, 20, 52 " Mrs. Eugene, . 159 Elias, . 51 Eells, Benjamin, • 134 Mrs. Elias, I4r " Betsey, 114 Elisha, 53 " Hannah, a T U . 214 Esther, . 55,79 " John, 7, 42, 66, 79, 94 " Joseph, . . .90 " Joshua, . . 57 " Mary, ... 40 " Nat.', . . . 171 " Nehemiah, . 241 " Samuel, . . 79 " Temperance, . . 69 " Wflliam, . . 69 Gardner, Abiel, . .222, 24 " Caleb, . 225 " John, . . 222 " Joshua, . .225 " Lucy, . . 22 1 Garside Family, . . 73 Gavitt, George, . 228 Grey, Dr. Jonathan, . 31 " Mary, . . 40 Greenman, Catherine, . 226 Elder, . .171 " George, . 89 Grinnell, Charles, . . 48 Grist Mill, . . . 56 Griswold, Elder, . -171 " Joseph, . . 34 " Matthew, . .137 Groton, . .70 Graves, Hannah, . -27 INDEX. 279 H Hall, Huldah, Haley, Abigail, . " George, " Jeremiah, " Joshua, " John, . " Martha, " Simeon, Hallam, Edward, . Page 148 61, 2 97, 142 • 97 • 153, 4 . 162 50 • 97 36 Giles, . 85, 147, 52 " John, 36, 103, 6, 171 " Mary, . . 107 Hammond, Ann, . -123 Hancox, Lucy, . . 119 " Peleg, . . 119, 40 Hart David, . . ¦ 156, 69 " Rev. Ira, 27, 35, 52, 3, 154, 5, 71 Hardy, Sir Thomas, . .117 Harvey, IJriah, . . 40 Haven, Robert M., -59 Hazard, Esther, . . 216 Hedding, Bartholomew, . 113 Helmns, Abby, . . 206 " Oliver, . .226 " Samuel, . 171 Hempstead, Abigafl, . 76, i8r " Christopher, . 78 " Diary, . 76, 8 '¦¦ Richard, 75, 76 " Joshua, . 75, 8 Molly, . . 78 " Robert, . 76 Herrington, Joseph, . .225 Hewitt, Charles, . . 196 " Benjamin, . .164 ' Charles, . • 196 " Israel, . . -75 Hillhouse, James, . . 54 Hifliard, John, . . -34 " Oliver, . . 241 Sally, . . .61 " Sarah, . • 241 Page Hinckley Anne, . -57 " Frank, . . 215 " Harry, .' . 244 " Samuel, . 14, 210, 15 " Thomas, . .225 Hobart, Daniel, . 154 " Fanny,^. . . 28 " Mercy, . . .90 " Rebecca, . .96 Holdredge, Hopestill, . 161 Holmes, Erastus, . -92 " Isaac, . . -49 " Jabish, . 115, 16, 19 " Jerry, . . 49, 97 " Mary Ann, . . 68 " Warren, . . 80 " Zerviah, . .168 Home Lots, . . .9 House Frame, ... 2 " Trying, . . . 5 " Mansion, . . 7 Howe, George, . . 131, 14 " Mary, . . . 131 Hull, Amos, . . 164 " Mrs. Charles S., . 10 " Jeremiah, . . 165 " John W., . . 160, 4 " Latham, . . 164, 5 Hubbard, George, . . 117 " William, . 158 Huntington Andrew, . 157 " Mrs. Andrew, . 157 " Samuel, . .54 Hyde, Nancy, . . 6r Hyde Store, . . .85 " John, . 61, 8r, 3, 8, 90 " Mrs. John, . . 83 " Dr. 'Wifliam, 108,9, 10, 417, 175 I Indian burying ground, " Chief Oneco, . " and French war, 31 280 INDEX. Page Indian Chief Canonchet, . 7 " Town, . . . 69 " Narragansett and Wam- paneag, . . 7 " Pequods, . 8, 10, 27 " Wigwams, . 173 Indies, West, . . -53 Irish, George, . . r96 J Jackson, Andrew, . 5T, ri8 " house, . 251 Jefferson, Thomas, . -137 Jeffords, Briggs, . . 224 " John, . . -113 Jeffries, Elizabeth, . . 244 Johnson, Peter, . -51 Jones, Capt. John Paul, K Kellogg, David, . . 77 Kenyon, Perry, . . .221 Kirtland, Mary, . . 219 L Langworthy, George, . . 90 " Henry, . 106 " Dea. Samuel, 90, 106, 115 Lary, Dudley, . . 51 Lane, Lovers', . . . 46, 7 Long Island Sound, . -95 Latham, Cary, . . 7 " Capt. William, . 29 Leeds, Alonzo, . . 51 " Mrs. Hannah, . 5 1 " Mrs. Harriet C. . 89 " Thomas, . . 89 Led ward, Anne . . 74 " Col. William, . 74 Lester, David, . . 168 " Priscilla, . 169, 88 Lewis, Dea. B. F., . 90 " Dea. Charles, . 59 " Dea. Warren, . . 7 Lord, James A., . . 38 " Dr. William, . r6i Page Lord, Albemarle, . -31 Lynde, Joseph, . • 5 " Mrs. Lynde, . . 5 " Nicholas, . . 5 M Main, Charles H., 196, 247 " Irtis, . . I, 245, 8 Maliory, Charles, . . 97 Manning, John, . . 97 " Dr. Mason, . 88, 9 Mason, Daniel, . • 95, 6 " Island, . . .96 " Major John, 8,11,92, 5, 176 " Col. Joseph, . 176 " Samuel, . . 59, 92, 5 McCabe, Joseph, . . 62 McDonald, Rev. James, 83 McDowefl, Archibald, . 244 " Fergus, . -244 " Mary, . 245 Merrifl, Frank, . .218 Miller, Gen., . 117 Mflley, Robert, . . 35 Miner, Ambrose, . . 6 c " Charles, . . 216 " Clement, . . r8r " Cornelius, . . 7 David, . . 61 " Elias, . 218, 19, 20 " Elnathan, . . 61 " Mrs. EHsha, . 75 " Ephriam, . 12, r8o " Erastus, . . 204, 16 " Grace, ... 62 " Harriet, . . 153 " Hempstead, . . 127 " Isaac, . . 219 " Jesse, . . . 6r " Joseph, . . 14 " Latham, . 9, 2x9 " Mary, . . 174 " Nathaniel, . 144, 53 " Mrs. Remembrance, 153 INDEX. 281 Page Miner, Samuel, . . 179 " Thomas, 5, 6, 8, 12, 59, . .62, 95 " William, . . 6r Mint House, . . 35 Mistuxet Ave., . . 103 Montauk Ave., . . r r Montville, ... 5 Morey, Mr., ... 45 Morrell, Capt. Benjamin, . 147 Moss, Caroline, . 62 " Jesse, . . 208, 9 " William C, . . 40, 62 MuHer, August, . . 144 Mumford, Robert, . . 126 " Robertson, . 126 " Thomas, 126, 38 Munroe, Pres. James, 117, 18 Mix, Zebediah, . . 51, r96 Mystic, . . r, 20, 96 Meeting-house, . 134 " River, 97 " Valley Water Co., 46, 53 N Nichols, John, . . 241 Niles, Charlotte, . .114 " Eliza, . . -115 " Capt. Lodowick, 1x3,14,37 Norman, James, . 36, 90 North Stonington, . 69 Noyes, Capt. Ben., . .104 " Betsey, . . 105 " Charles, 20, 9, 159, 96, 202 "• Cyrus, . . -171 " Denison, . . 2or, 9 " Edmund S., . . 31 " Esther, . . 212 " Frank, . . 34, 130 " Francis, . . 38, r62 " George, . 40, 207 " Hoxie, . . 206 James, ir, 12, 13, 27, 31, 104, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 25 Page Noyes, Jesse, . . 34, 205 John, 27, 3x, 197, 207, 8 Joseph, 31, T 76, 96, 7, 206, 8, 29 Martha, 68, 207, 29 Mary, . . 206 Nancy, . . .62 Nathan, 20, 7, 34, 62, x6r Nathaniel, 105, 165, 200 Paul, . . 205 Peleg, . . .206 Mrs. Sarah, . 131 Thomas, 14, 38, 103, 8, 196, 7, 205, 6 O Ocean Bank, 125 Old Mystic, . Osbrook Grove, . 81 233 • P Page, Joseph, Palmer, Albert, " Alden, 37 130, 46 62, 19S " Mrs. Alden ) • ¦ 236 " Alec, . " Amos, T I 53 2, 14 , 55, 62 , 16, 20, 2, 3, 37 " Andrew, 46 250, r " Benjamin, " Delia, " Denison, 16 210, 38 35,62 2, 241, 6 " Dudley, . " Edwin, 140 56 " Elihu, . " Elijah, ¦' Emma W., 238, 51 140108 '' Eugene, " Fanny, " Frank, . 21, 53,194 . 116 • 56 " George, 119, 22, 3, 4, ,249 " Gershom, 195, 217, 18, 19, 20 " Grace, • 5, 1 + 282 INDEX. Page Palmer, Harriet, . . 146 " Henry, n, 95, lor, 95 " Ira, . . -153 " James, . . 214, 36 " John, . . . 237 " Jonathan, 114,36,8 " Juliet, . . X20 " Justice, . . 14 " Lemuel, . 236 " Lucretia, . .252 " Luke, . . 208 " Widow Luke, . 146 " Mary, . . 15 " Moses, . 12, 239 " Nathan, . -153, 241 " Nathaniel, ro8, 20, 208 " Nehemiah, 12, 221, 40 " Noyes, 62, 8, rox, 96 " Mrs. Paul, . 237 " Phebe, . 201 " Prudence, . 136 " Reuben, . .241 " Rhoda, . -. 109, 40 " Robert, 113, 14, 34 " Sally or Sarah, 68, 252 " Samuel, . .214 " Susan, . . 151 " Theodore, . -179 " Thomas, 20, 33, 5, 6r, 2 " Walter, I, 5, xo, 12, 120, 195, 218, 38 " William, . . 171 " Mrs. William, . 146 " Mrs. Zeba, . 237 Park Burrows, . .164 " Leander, . . .42 " Robert, ... 9 Pawcatuck, . . 2, 9, iri " Rock, . . I, X2 Pendleton, Benjamin, 146, 214 " Frank, . 20, 210 " Gurdon,,. . 152 " John, . 212, 25 " Capt. Joshua, 148 " Moses, . . 147 Page Pendleton, Oscar, . i47 Pennsylvania, . . .20 Pequotsepos Valley, . -65 Phelps, Charles, 32, 104, 13, 22, 35, 57, 9,60 " Erskine, . -31 " Hannah, . 135 " Hebsibeth, . . 204 " Jonathan, . 114, 200 Joseph, . . 159 " Place, . . .12 " Stiles, . 149, 79, 200 Pickering, Thomas, . 155 Pistol Point, . . -97 Post Office at Stonington, 136 Potter, Ann, . . . 34 " Sarah, . . • 204 Powers, Thomas, . . 155 Prentice, Chester, . -171 Preston, . . . . X29 Pumping Station, . . 55,56 Putnam Corners, 13, 113, 93 " Jedediah, . -193 Q Quatautaug, . . i, 9, 92 Quiambaug, . . . 12, 15 Quiambaug Cove, r, 8, 62, roi R Randall, Abigail, . . 146 " Charles, . . 2 " Desire, . . 176 " Dudley, . .2x6 " Elias, . . 218 " Ehzabeth, . . 68 John, . . '2x7 " Thomas, . . iSo " Col. William, 117, 76, 217 Railroad, Stonington, . 146 Rathbone, Rev. John, . 108 Revolution, Children of, 14 Reynolds, John, . -92 Rhodes, Mrs. Henry, . 237 " Capt. Simon, 54, 2x6 INDEX. 283 Page Riding Way, . . .96 Richardson, Jonathan, . 228 " Prudence, . 103 " Stephen, . 14 Ringold, Capt., . . 82 Road, . . 9, 19, 20, 9 " Church, . . . 135 " Cemetery, . . 35 " Cong. Society, . 385 *' Meeting-house, 9, xo, 17, 36, 53, 78 " Society land, Robinson, Joshua, . . 244 " William, . 228 Rodgers, Admiral, . . 82 " Commodore George, 82 " Mrs. George, . 136 " Mrs. Orson, . 207 " Lieut. A. P., . 83 Rodman, William, . . 69 Rogers, Mrs. George, 136 " Mrs. Orson, . 207 Rossiter, Rev. Ebenezer, 16, 32, 3, 4, 8, 75, 84 " Hannah, . 34 " Mary, . . 35 " Mehitable, . 35, 84 Rouse, Mr., . . .20 Russell, Col. Giles, 3r, 2or, 9 " Mrs. Content, . 38 Sanford, Elizabeth, . 207 " Gov. Peleg, . 207 Saxton, Capt. Joseph, . .37 " Mary, . . i8r Scholfields, The, . . .51 " Capt. Thomas, 154 Scott, Rebecca, . -225 Seabury, Esther, . . .43 " John, . . 43, 199 " Samuel, . . 199 Searle, Benjamin, . -36 " John, . . 9 Shaw, Amos, . " Hirdm " Jeremiah, " John, . Sheffield Acors, " Amos, " George, " Sally, Sherman, Maria, Short, Bridget, " Edward, Slack, Mary, " William, Smith, Alexander, Page ¦ 77 171 . 170 ¦ 9. 192 • 145 ¦ 144,5 . 227 107, 144 . 156 59 • 59 200200 125, 132 Charles, i6r, 96, 7, 217 " Edward, . 99, 125 " Emma A., . . 27, 146 " Frank, . . 193, 6 " Giles, . . 217 Henry, . . 16, 2 r 7, 36 " Israel, * . . 12 '•' Jane, . . 64 " Col. Joseph, 131, 54, 97, 217, 237 " Lucinda, . . 137 " Mary, . . -237 '¦ Nancy, . 114, 132 " Nathan, . . .2x7 " Col. Oliver, . 101, 99 " Orsemus, . .165 Smithsonian Institution, . 44 Spalding, Mr. Burrows, . 48 Sparger, Edward, . . 27 States, Adam, 197, 212, 25 '• Gilbert, . . .215 " Honor, . . 144 Stanton, Amariah, . -174 " Bridget, . . 69 " Brothers, . 44, 53 " Charles, . . r7x " David, . . -90 " Daniel, . 186, 9 " Dorothy, 5, n, 101 '• Eldredge, . .55 " Edward, . . 70 281 INDEX. Page Stanton, Elias, . 92, 236, 42 " Elizabeth, . -113 " Enoch, . . 29, 186 Frank, ... 45 " Mrs. Harriet, . 2 " Henry Clay, . -31 " Jimmy, . . 142 " Maria, . . 45, 62 " Mercy, . . 1 1 1 " Nathan, ixx, 12, 201 Phineas, . . 53, 5 " Prudence, . -31 " Samuel, iii, 201, 9, 42, 8, 52 " Thomas, 2, 5, 12, 94, 126,208,33,36,40,41 " Wait, . . 29 " William, 14, 92, 235 "{ Zebulon, 29, 136, 8 " Zerviah, . .241 Stewart, Denison; . . 180 Stillman, William, .222 Stoney Brook, . . 18 Stonington, i, 7, 9, 14, 95, 6 " Borough, . -103 Streets, Broad, . . 112 " Charles, . . no, 72 " Harmony, . . ro8 " Main, 112, 25, 8, 38 " Wall, . . 125 " Water, 108, 12, 15, 16, 25 Swan, George, . . .146 " John, . . . 146, 76 " Joshua, . 113, 39 " Phebe, . . -159 " Roswell, . 146 " Thomas, 116, 17, 18 Swift, Gen., . . . 117 Sylvia, . . . 18 Page Thompson, Abigail, 229, 30- " Bridget, S, 8 " Mary. . 103 Polly. . 66 Samuel, 229 Taugwank, 9 Tavern House, ¦ 19 Taylor, Constant, . . 248 Terrett, John, . 153 William, XII, r2 " Wifliam, xo, 94, 193. Trerice. John, ... 5 Trumbull, Frank, . . r 1 5 " Gurdon, rT8, 23, 47, 54 " H.Clay, . 1x8,47 " Horace N., . 14 " John, . . ri2, 15 " Samuel, . . 1 12, 13 Turner, Hannah, . 170, i " Molly, . .174- " Wealthy, . .170- Turnpike, . . 71 Tyler, President, . .119- U Umphrey's Orchard, . 103. V Van Buren, Vice Pres., r 18 Vargus, . . . iS- Venture, . . 67, 125, 67 " Stone, . 128,181 A''incent, Albert, . .205: " Asa, . . .251 " John, . -205 " William, . 225, Vose, Grace, . 195 W Wamphassett, . . ro4 Waldo, S. Putnam, . -117 Wadawanuck Hotel, . 119 " Square, . 139 War, King Philip's, . . 4 Wallworth, Sylvester, . 40' Washington, George, 84, 125, 37 Wayland, Charles N., .150- Waldron, George, . 151 " Jonathan, . . i5c>> " Nathaniel, . 151 Wequetequock, . 5, 10, X2 " Cove, . 12: INDEX. 285 Page AVentworth, Erastus, 212, 13, 14 Webster, . . . 85, 6 Whale Walk, . . .135 Wheeler, Arthur, . . x8o " Avenue, . -174 " Avery, . . 170 " Caroline, . .178 " Cyrus, . . 176 " David, . . .169 " Dudley, . . 165 " Elam, . . .171 " Eleazer, . . 38 " Pflias, . . .174 " Elisha, . . 191 " Esther, . .166, 86 *' Ezra, . . . 205 ¦" Fernando, . .196 " Giles, . . 71 " Hannah, . .107 ¦" Isaac, . 177, 88, 250 " John, . 173, 4, 205 " Jonathan, 59, 165,9, 74, 86, 89 " Joseph,. . . 165 . ¦" Joshua, . . 174 *' Lester, . 164, 9, 70 " Lucy, . . 62, 9, 70 " Mary, 73, r77, 8, 88, 216 " Nancy, . .174 •" Nat, . . 52, 66 " Nathan, 27, 71, 177 ¦" Nelson, . .165 " Paul, . 175, 67, 216 " Perez, . .176 " Prentice, . 166 " Ralph, . .171 " Richard, 62, 164, 7, 7r 82, 88, 205 " Robert, . .163, " Rufus, . . x8i " Russefi, . . 85 " Samuel, . .165 " Si'as, . . .66 " Thomas, X2, 73, 163, 77 " Warren, . .173 Page Wheeler, William, 67, 70, r Whiting, John, . 105, 6 Whitefield, George, 14, 78, 133, 81, 226 White Hah Mansion, . 68 White, Martin, . . 77 " Meeting House, 14, X13 " Hepsibah, . 228 Whipple, Cyprian, . . 41 '• Dorothy, . .41 " Samuel, . . 41 " Symonds, . 36, 40 Whistler, Major and Mrs., 123 Whitford, Clark N., . 170 Whittlesey, Rev. Mr., 171 Wilbur, Peleg, . . 153 Wickham, Joseph, . . 99 " Mrs. Phebe, . 99 Wilcox, Asa, . . 152 " Fanny, . -153 '• Jarei, . . 69 " Theo, . . 141 " 'Ihomas, . . 143 Willey, Rev. Mr., . 146 Williams, Abby, . -76 " Amos, . . 86 " B. F., . . 20 " Calvin, . 170 " Charles, 149, 204, 50 " Denison, . 52 Ebenezer, . 73, 75, " Ellen, . . 1 10 " Eleazer, . . 93 " Elisha, . 52, 166 " Efias, . . 94 " Elijah, . . 84 " Emmeline, . 116 " Ephraim, iio, 202, 4, 48, 50 " Esther, . 8t, 203 " Eunice, . . 166 " Horace, . . 85 " Isaac, . . 176 " John, . . 66 " Joseph, . 94 286 INDEX. Page Page Williams, Joshua, . 92 Woodmff, Rev. Hezekiah, x 34, 5^ il Leonard, 85,6 46. 11 Martha, • 93 VVoggs, Barbara, 173 It Mary, 170 Wolf Neck, . 77, 9 « Nathan, ¦ 94 Worthington, Rev. William, 69. •( Nathaniel, 173 Wright, Joseph, ng. It Nehemiah, • 91, 2 Yale College. II ti Park, . . 92 Yeomans, Moses, 246- 11 Prentice, . 91, 2 York, Bertha, 72 It Priscflla, 169 " Hotel, . 139 il Robert, . 66,7 " James, . . 9 ,216 it Russell, 174 " Jesse, . x6o ti Sally, • 76 " Oliver, 139- it Sanford, 92 " Wiiham, 196 It Stanton, . • 9 4 It Thomas, ' . 75, 6 Index to Addenda. it Warham, . . 170 Customs and Fashions, ¦ 254 It William, no, 9 I, 5, 9 Death of Canonchet, 267 it Zerviah, • 37 Emancipation of slaves. 269 Wilkenson House, XX2 Indenture, 26S Wilson, Rev. R. S., . . 146 Letter to the Commander of Winthrop, Gov., . 80 the ship " Minerva " 266 Witch Woods, 79 Location of the old houses, 270 Witter, Josiah, . 9 Naming the cross streets, 262 Wood, Thomas, . 176 Old names on records, . 273 Woodburn, Margaret, 225 Poetry upon the battle of Woodbridge, Dudley, 37, 68, 70 Stonington, . 264 ti WiUiam, r93 , 230, 3 Reviews and trainings. 258 Woodcock, George, . 59, 60 Schools of ye olden time 259 Stonington Batteries, 265 YALE UNIVERSITY a39002 003172930b mmmmmm m im IB I m m Ttji'l I ¦Jli',!