BULLETIN OF THE CONNECfiCUT STATE LIBRARY HART FORD Number 1 o CONNECTICUT HOUSES A List of Manuscript Histories of Early Connecticut Homes Compiled by and P resented to the Connecticut State Library BY THE CONNECTICUT SOCIETY COLONIAL DAMES of AMERICA Compiled in Co-operation with MRS. ELFORD PARRY TROWBRIDGE Chairman Committee on Old Homes Hartford, Conn . PUBLISHED BY THH STATE 1924 NOTE As the regular edition of the report of the State Librarian for the two years ended June 30, 1922, is small, that portion of the report relating to Connecticut Houses, ''A List of Manuscript Histories of Early Connecticut Homes Com piled by and Presented to the Connecticut State Library by the Con­ necticut Society of Colonial Dames," is here reprinted in bulletin form in order that its contents may be more widely distributed and available. Connecticut State Library, State Librarian. Hartford, Nov. 3, 1924 EARLY CONNECTICUT HOUSES 3 EARLY CONNECTICUT H OUSES Through the Committee on Old Houses of the Connecticut Society of Colonial Dames the manuscript histories of about four hundred early Connecticut houses have been compiled and per­ manently deposited in the Connecticut State Library. These histories, which usually represent the results of much time and research of the compiler, are written upon a special form pre­ pared by the committee having this work in charge. Such ques­ tions are asked and such typical floor-plans are given as will enable the compiler to make his or her contribution more com­ plete and uniform. The photographs which accompany these sketches and the family and community traditions often given will make this series relating to the homes of our fathers of increasing value and interest. Two series of histories have thus far been compiled. The first series known as " Colonial Houses of Connecticut " was compiled between the years 1902 and 1912 under the imme­ diate direction of Mrs. Henry F. Ferguson and Miss Mary E. Beach respectively who served as chairmen of the Committee on Old Houses during this period. By vote of the Society these were presented to the State Library in 1912. The second series known as "Old Houses of Connecticut" has been compiled since 1912 under the immediate direction of Mrs. Elford Parry Trowbridge, Chairman of the Committee on Old Houses, and have been presented to the State Library from time to time as the histories have been approved by the Committee. The sketches have been uniformly bound in "Connecticut blue" imperial morocco cloth, plainly lettered in gold. The back and the front cover of each volume both bear the name of the house, date when built and the town in which it is located. The front cover also bears the name of the series and the seal of the society. The binding has been done by the State Library. The publication of the material found in these unique volumes -except that found upon the pages of the certificate, is reserved by the Connecticut Society of Colonial Dames which has ar­ ranged with THE YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS to publish a 4 CONNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY worthy voltime based on a selection from these histories, under the editorship of Mrs. Elford Parry Trowbridge, who has been Chairman of the Committee on Old Houses since 1912. The instructions which accompany each blank questionnaire indicate something of the spirit and thoroughness with which the work of collecting the data for these histories has been undertaken. INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CO MPILER OF THIS RECORD "Your report will be placed in the State Library at Hartford, where it will be bound and carefully preserved, accessible to any one in­ terested. Facts and anecdotes connected with . the lives of early occupants of the House, extracts from old letters, diaries, wills, and land records, and photographs from family portraits or early furnishings, or any details of the building, will add both value and attraction to the Record. I. Most early Connecticut houses were built on one of two general plans, which are described under heading, Plan I or Plan II -later buildings may come under Plan III. If your house is one of these early ones, choose description No. I -if it has one great central chimney; or No. II, if it has two chimneys in the main building, or K o. III if, of an unusual or late type and in this last case describe as far as possible on the same general lines as given for Plans I and II. Then, if you will look first around the out­ side of the House, and afterwards through the inside, selecting details from pages 6 to r I, as you go, you will find that they supply (with the exception of the locality, points of compass, and some minor de­ tails) a fairly complete description, covering what is absolutely neces­ sary. The value of the paper will, however, be much enhanced if you can add the principal measurements of the house and of the apartments; or indicate them on plans. Also details of the framing, etc., which may be observed in the garret; the use of straw and brick to line the walls; of clay, straw, shell or lime mortar in the masonry (determined by visiting the old cellar). These points are of much architectural value, and go far to prove the date of the building; but where it is impracti­ cable to add them, we will welcome the record for its other and more generally enjoyable data." Please Notice- Plans I, II and III are paged with the same number, and only the plan you use will be bound. Do not write or paste photo­ graphs on the pages of the other two, which will be removed. Rule out with ink all printed matter which does not apply to the house you are describing. Any person compiling a paper will be given a form to fill out and to place in their town library, and also one for their own use on applica­ tion to any member of the Old House Committee. The Cert!ficate page is to be filled in by the compiler of the history EARLY CONNECTICUT HOUSES 5 and signed. In case the compiler is a member of the committee, she should sign as compiler and as member of the Committee. It should also be signed by the Chairman of the Old House Committee and the Librarian of the Connecticut State Library. One copy of the certificate will be on file in the Connecticut State Library with the history and the duplicate copy of the certificate in the archives of the Connecticut Society of Colonial Dames of America. At a meeting of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects on 1\Iarch 29th, 1913, it was voted that their Committee on Public Information be designated as a Committee to which any person, filling out these records, could refer for information and as­ sistance. Names of the Architects on this Committee may be had on application to the Committee on Old Houses. EARLY CONNECTICUT HOUSES BY TOWNS A list ontaining two hundred seventy-one histories o E " Early Connecticut Houses ", arranged alphabetically by Compilers was published by the State Library in I9I6 as " Connecticut State Library Bulletin No. 7." It had the following title-page: CONNECTICUT HOUSES A List of Manuscript Histories of Early Connecticut Homes Presented to the Connecticut State Library BY THE CONNECTICUT SOCIETY COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA Compiled by J\IIRs. ELFORD pARRY TROWBRIDGE Chairman Committee on Old Houses Hartford CoNNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY November, 1922 The following is a list of the four hundred manuscript histories of "Early Connecticut Houses" presented to the Connecticut State Library by the Connecticut Society of Colonial Dames, arranged alphabetically by towns in which the houses are located. It is planned to publish this list revised and amended as a sepa­ rate publication for the convenience of those interested. HISTORIES OF COLONIAL HOUSES OF CONNECTICUT. Town of Compiled by Commo~~ly Known as House Built for Now Owned by Date Berlin Bryan H. Atwater "Fuller Tavern" Bryan H. Atwater 1769 Berlin Julia Welles Griswold Raymond or Wilcox House Mrs. Alexander B. Huston 18o1 ? Smith Bethel Rev .. F. S. Child, D.D. & Barnums Mrs. D. B. Smith Miss A. B. Jennings Bethel Henry B. Betts Sally Beebe Place Joseph or James Beebe Samuel Clark estate Pre-Revo- lution Bethel Henry B. Betts Niram Benedict Place Eleazur Benedict Mrs. James Goux 1791? Bethel Henry B. Betts Starr Benedict Place Starr Benedict ? Lath Holmgren 18oo? Bethel Henry B. Betts Major Dikeman Place Nathaniel Benedict Alrich A. Wohlken Pre-Revo- lution Bethel Henry B. Betts Vail Homestead Moses Vail John D. Vail 1792? Branford Mrs. George Francis Thomas Merwin Smith Nathaniel Harrison Mrs. T. M. Smith 1690 Eaton House Bridgeport Rev. F. S. Child, D.D. & Pixley House Robert Bates 1700 Miss A. B. Jennings Brookfield Rev. F. S. Child, D.D. & Lee Place Isaac Merwin Mr. J. H. Dewson 1774 Miss A. B. Jennings Brookfield Henry B. Betts Old Dibble Place Dil;ble Family William Kerr Brookfield Rev. F. S. Child, D.D. & White Turkey Inn Charles. C. Morgan Miss A. B. Jennings Brookfield Rev. F. S. Child, D.D. & Brookfield Center Inn E. A. Housman r6g8 Addi­ Center Miss A. B. Jennings tion in 1740 Brookfield Rev. F. S. Child, D.D. & Wildman House Mrs. W. F. Wildman Center Miss A. B. Jennings Canaan Henry C. Dean Ye Holabird House Mr. H. B. Smith 1740-1760? Canaan Mrs. Fanny C. Eddy Lawrence House Isaac Lawrence Mrs. Fanny C. Eddy 1751 Cheshire Mrs. VanBuren Thayer Brooks Homestead Enos Brooks !732 Cheshire Alice M.