USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > New Canaan > Landmarks of New Canaan > Part 50
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The panelling of the fireplace wall in three of the front rooms is an arrangement of irregu- lar, rectangular panels, identical to the earliest examples used in the better houses of the cen- tral-chimney type. The windows of each front room are very close together, really in pairs. The space between them is too narrow to per- mit the use of shutters, a treatment belonging mainly to the house of lean-to type of plan.
These details have been given space for two reasons: first, to substantiate Mrs. Comstock's notation that Ephraim Smith and his wife may have lived here in 1740 or earlier, and second, because it seems unlikely that Martha (Sher- man) Mitchell, wife of the Rev. Justus would have been satisfied with the central chimney type of house when she arrived in New Canaan during the last quarter of the 18th century. She was a fastidious young lady who had been brought up in a beautiful home. If the house had been built from the very foundations in 1783, would she not have preferred a central hall arrangement? This type had made its ap- pearance as early as 1740 and by the third quar- ter of the 18th century it was fairly well estab- lished and representative of the majority of the houses built from that time on.
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Before resuming the record of ownership it would be advisable to understand William Haynes' will and testament. The extensive es- tate in Canaan Parish was divided, one half thereof to the children of John Bartlett, born and unborn, husband of his loving daughter Elizabeth. The other half of the estate was be- queathed to the children of his loving son Sam- uel Hanford "that he has and will have by Isabell." John Bartlett and Samuel Hanford were to have the care and improvement of the estate until the children "became of age to have their equal share."
Since there were many grandchildren and great grandchildren, there were numerous di- visions, sub-divisions and transfers of property as each heir became of age from 1720 to 1775. These unending partitions cause confusion in the existing records.
In 1751, the year in which Ephraim Smith is reported in Stamford, we find that Jonas Seeley and wife Sarah, heirs to part of the estate and then living in the County of Orange, New York, received 102 acres of land at Haynes Ridge on east side of the road. In January 1752 these same Seeleys sold for 60 pounds to Eli- phalet Seely of Stamford, a piece of land "situ- ate on east side of Haynes Ridge, so-called, containing 10% acres bounded West by High- way, South by Captain Hanford's land, East by Captain Hanford's land, North by Ebenezer Smith's land together with the appurtenances, privileges and commodities to the same be- longing." Here is the first mention of this prop- erty being sold.
In April, 1767, Stephen Hanford, a great grandson of William Haynes, bought from Eli- phalet Seely of Stamford for 144 pounds, 20% acres of land situated on the east side of Haynes Ridge. The boundaries given indicate that the 1012 acres before mentioned were included in this purchase. In the subsequent transactions we shall see that the present Holmewood Inn property on Oenoke is a part of this tract with "appurtenances, privileges, and commodities to the same belonging.'
In January, 1783, the Rev. Justus Mitchell was called to be the fourth minister of the Con- gregational Church. Seven months elapsed be-
fore he bought the Stephen Hanford property for 165 pounds. It is likely that Mrs. Mitchell, with her two young children, joined her hus- band in New Canaan around this time. The ex- act date is not available, but it was summer and traveling was easy for the long journey from Woodbury.
She came of a distinguished, intellectual and wealthy family. Her father, the Rev. Josiah Sherman, was minister at Woburn, Mass., Goshen and Woodbridge, Conn. He received the honorary degree of M.A. at both Harvard and Yale. During the Revolution he was chap- lain in the Seventh Regiment, Connecticut Line, and commissioned on January 1, 1777. His regiment fought at Germantown and was stationed at Valley Forge during 1777-78.
Mrs. Mitchell's mother was the daughter of the Hon. James Minot of Concord, Mass. The Hon. Roger Minot, her brother, was one of the most brilliant and successful lawyers that Con- necticut has ever produced. A historian has said that "as a man, a jurist and a Christian, he was preeminent." For his eloquence he earned the name of the "Cicero of Fairfield County.'
Martha's uncle was the Hon. Roger Sher- man, a Connecticut signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mrs. Mitchell, herself, is de- scribed as an "individual of rare attainments," industrious and charming. Her unexpected callers never found her in working clothes.
The story is told that, "some of her parish complained that she was too dressy, a grave charge explained by her habit of sitting near a window while she sewed or knitted with fast moving fingers, a window from which she could look straight down the meadow to the Silliman dwelling almost one half mile away, and catch sight of any possible caller in time to change her dress."
There must have been many visitors, for the Rev. Mitchell kept a select school for boys who wished to go to college. Among them there were many New Canaan young men who suc- cessfully "fitted for college with him." Prob- ably their parents often called at the parson- age to check on the progress of their sons.
New Canaan owes a debt of gratitude to the Rev. Mitchell through whose efforts as an or-
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ganizer and educator the parish prospered and became known throughout Connecticut. Martha and the Rev. Justus married September 7, 1780, had four children, the first two, Eliza- beth and Sherman, who were born in Wood- bury in 1781 and 1782, respectively, then Minott and Chauncey Root in New Canaan in 1784 and 1786.
Minott Mitchell prepared for Yale in his father's school, and later moved to White Plains, with his bride Elizabeth (Leeds) Silli- man, granddaughter of the second minister of the Congregational Church. There he built a large square house with tall Ionic columns, ample enough to accommodate the seven chil- dren who were to grow there. It is said, that family ties in New Canaan brought visitors to the big house at all times, even for breakfast. "Old Jack," a negro, presided over the kitchen and patiently cooked for the big family. It was a common sight to see 25 pies at a time cooling on the hearth of the big fireplace.
Chauncey Root Mitchell's daughter, Martha Minott Mitchell, married Isaac Depew and be- came the proud mother of Chauncey Mitchell Depew, famous in America and abroad as a lawyer, senator and after-dinner speaker. As a wit and a humorist he acquired a name second to none.
The Rev. Justus Mitchell died in his sleep on February 24, 1806, when only 52 years old. "He was laid to rest on the brow of Church Hill, his grave enclosed with a picket fence, and overhung with a weeping willow tree." About 80 years ago when the ground in front of the Congregational Church was graded his grave was moved to Lakeview Cemetery.
One year after her husband's death, Mrs. Mitchell married William Battel, and her chil- dren who had inherited the property turned it over to Sherman Mitchell for a consideration of $3,350. This amount also included a meadow on Canoe Hill.
On January 18, 1809, the Rev. William Bon- ney who was ordained sixth pastor of the Con- gregational Church, bought from Sherman Mitchell for $3,050 "a certain tract of land ly- ing in New Canaan containing 26 acres, be the same more or less, bounded North by Aaron
Comstock's land, a line drawn from a pile of stones by the side of the highway to another pile of stones lying Southwesterly from said first pile, thence Southerly to Moses Hanford's land to another pile of stones, forms a part of said East boundary, South by said Hanford's land." This transaction included 10 acres on the west side of the highway.
Let us notice that even as late as 1809 deeds were very indefinite. There is no mention here of the dwelling, barn or other out houses that we know existed. Isn't it quite possible then that when the Rev. Justus Mitchell bought the property the foundation and framing of an old house was there, though no dwelling was men- tioned in the deed?
The Rev. Bonney continued in the tradition of his predecessor keeping a school for the edu- cation of young men. He was a diligent and capable minister, never missed a meeting and was always ready with the sermons assigned to him. During his 23 years here he became in- terested in foreign missions and even collected a yearly sum for the education of a Ceylonese boy to whom he had given the name "Justus Mitchell." His only son, Samuel, became a mis- sionary and went to China. His daughter, Lucy, married William B. Sherwood of Green- wich.
Pleading ill health, the Rev. Bonney asked to be dismissed in August, 1831, and retired to Portage County, Ohio. His son-in-law bought the entire property of 34 acres for $3,500 in October, 1836 (again no mention of dwelling). After two months he sold the entire farm to William Davenport, who in turn sold it four months later to Dr. Lewis Richards for $3,600, a profit of $100.
A colorful personality, "Old Doc Richards," who traveled about on horseback dispensing pills and powders carried in his saddlebags, which are now the property of the Historical Society. James J. Cody tells the following anec- dote:
"One day in 1854 shortly after Lucius M. Monroe had opened his drug store, Dr. Rich- ards strode in followed by a sickly looking man. He pulled a pill-mass out of his saddlebags, placed it on the counter, rolled up a few pills,
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made the patient take them and then strode out with him." Pretty discouraging for a young pharmacist trying to sell medicines. During the 30 years that Dr. Richards lived here the house must have been neglected, for it was described as an old frame, minus paint, in the shade of many maples.
And now we come to a period when New Ca- naan became the "pastoral retreat for the New York business man of wholesome taste and re- fined discernment." Dr. Willard Parker was one of the first professional men to choose New Canaan for his summer home. For a considera- tion of $5,000 he bought of Dr. Richards in 1867 27 acres of land on the east side of Haynes Ridge and nine acres on the west side of the road.
The property was a part of Dr. Parker's huge estate until his death, when Daniel M. Simson, executor of his will, sold in 1898 to William E. Bond, a New York financier "eleven acres, more or less, the same being a portion of the land purchased by Willard Parker, from Dr. Lewis Richards. In this deed appears for the first time the name "Oenoke Ridge." Dur- ing a movement before the turn of the century to restore Indian names in this locality the name "Haynes Ridge" was abandoned.
William E. Bond was a man of imposing presence, remembered by many of the present residents of New Canaan. He must have had great appreciation for the historical back- ground of his property, because he went to great expense to improve and enlarge his dwell- ing, and yet kept the outward aspect of the original house unchanged. At the time of the purchase he had been told that it was the sec- ond oldest house in New Canaan.
His twin daughters, Violet, who married Bishop Bertrand Stevens of Los Angeles and Edith, who married John Lawrence, have kind- ly sent me snapshots of the house as it was when their father bought it. The only outward changes are the addition of two dormer win- dows in the front to make the attic floor liv- able, enlarging the porch that ringed two sides of the house, and changing the driveway from west, facing Oenoke, to the north. In front of the main entrance stood two huge gnarled
maples guarding the secrets of generations past. In comparison with these, the maples on the outer edge of the property seem dwarfed.
What bride and groom planted these trees to commemorate their marriage? Mr. Bond val- ued them to the extent of naming his property "The Maples" and of insuring them for $1,000 each. They were said to be the first trees so in- sured against storm damage. But weather and tempest have taken their toll. Years after Mr. Bond's death one of these maples was split in half by lightning and the other was damaged in an ice storm of some years ago. Only a stump remains where their majestic heights once stood.
Mr. Bond completely remodeled the interior of the house. When purchased, there were two rooms in the front, the "keeping room" and the parlor, connected by a vestibule to which ad- mittance was gained by a panelled front door.
The narrow staircase that led to the second floor from the small hallway in the front of the house was removed. The "keeping room" with fireplace became the drawing room, the parlor also with fireplace, became the library.
The entire back section, where the kitchen and two other rooms had formerly been, was converted into a large central hallway with the main fireplace as a focal point. The approach to the second floor is now by an exceptionally graceful staircase illuminated by handsome leaded-glass windows covering the upper half of the north wall.
The two bedrooms on either side of the sec- ond floor front with the original wood panelling mentioned before were unaltered. A bathroom connecting the two bedrooms replaced the staircase landing. For more spacious quarters Mr. Bond built a complete residence at the rear, following closely the lines of the older front dwelling. He connected the two by means of an interior hall- way and an outside terrace, shaded by a grape arbor and pergola. This area has subsequently been enclosed and extended into the present sunny and cheerful lounge room. The beauti- fully proportioned Wedgewood dining-room with Tiffany stained glass windows remains as Mr. Bond designed it.
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Mrs. Lawrence speaks of certain facts that came to light when the old house was altered. Because of the vertical oak planks used in place of studding on the outer walls there was no space between the clapboards and the fram- ing in which to run electric wiring, modern plumbing and heating. The wood was so hard that workmen demanded to be reimbursed for all tools broken, and there were many of these. When the driveway was moved to the north side of the house it necessitated the removal of a very wide and old stone wall. In one spot in that wall were found five large keys, two were brass, six inches long, and three were iron. It was believed they were dropped there when the Indians came and were never found.
Mrs. Lawrence also relates this incident: When she was a young girl a car appeared one day (they were rare then) and out stepped Chauncey Depew. He asked to be allowed to come in and visit the house he had not seen since his childhood. He found the south bed-
room on the second floor and pointed it out as the one in which his great grandfather had taught. Then, on the ground floor, he opened the cupboard in the panelling in which the min- ister had kept his sermons. This cupboard still exists.
With July, 1925, a new phase began for the dwelling whose history I have tried to trace from its origin. Louise S. Tebbets purchased the property from her friend Mrs. Bond, widow of William E. Bond, and opened its doors as an inn. Those hospitable doors have not been closed since.
Mrs. Tebbets added two cottages to the property: Colonial Cottage with 10 rooms, and Parade View Cottage containing 14 rooms. The present owners, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Shea, who have been here almost four years will endeavor during their lifetime to continue the splendid traditions closely associated with the Mitchell-Bond House and Holmewood Inn
THE HUSTED-AVERY-PECK HOUSE
MARION H. FULLER, Author
EDMUND DAVENPORT, Artist
[June 15, 1950]
Captain Jonathan Husted, early landowner of Canaan Parish, and builder of the handsome house pictured on page 417, has been somewhat difficult to trace genealogically. However, he finally emerges from the old records as a vital personality with several definite proclivities. One of these, certainly, is a happy talent for both artistic design and firm construction. This house, built about 1772, on the corner of West Road and Oenoke, amply demonstrates this talent.
It stands today, excellently maintained and impeccably decorated by Mr. and Mrs. Mark B. Peck, the owners, as fine and square as it was
originally. It stands, also, as solid as were the many rocks hauled from the fields by wooden plows for its foundations; it is as gracious in line and form as Mistress Mary Carter herself doubtless was.
It is as warm in spirit as the huge open hearths of those Revolutionary times, with their Yule logs and spotless pewter and, cer- tainly, the house stands hospitable, as a lantern glowing for a late traveler-possibly the ubiq- uitous Rev. Drummond of the well known 1772 "Family Visitations," himself. It offers a mellow blend of formal mood and comfortable living, of a nicely starched informality, as it were.
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* EDMUND. DAVENPORT
The Husted-Avery-Peck House
Physically, the house has doubtless been changed through the years. But it has been a generous house, submitting to fashion trends without losing grace. In fact, the inherent beauty of the house, stemming from the utter structural simplicity of line, has probably en- hanced a few of the more horrible architectural aberrations of various periods, rather than suc- cumbing to them.
It has been fortunate to have had owners all through its 178 years who wisely left the original lines untouched. The changes have been mainly of two types, neither basically harmful. First, the arrangement and number of rooms have varied greatly with the needs and tastes of the some ten families who have lived in it. Secondly, only intelligently planned additions have been made.
There is no way of ascertaining exact details of the house as Jonathan Husted built it. It may have had six rooms, or so, and certainly it seems that all four of the present fireplaces are original. There were undoubtedly sheds at- tached which have been long since destroyed.
Today the Pecks use, as their dining room, what was apparently the main parlor, or pos- sibly even the big kitchen. The splendid origi- nal barn which probably sheltered the Husted and Comstock cattle and horses, is now the
Benington homestead, standing to the west of the house, on the next lot.
Today, under the deft and artistic touch of Mr. and Mrs. Peck, the house is a spacious, richly endowed home. While reinforcing any shaky walls, beams or underpinnings, they have at the same time converted what was ap- proximately 16 small, poorly arranged rooms, when they purchsed the house, into about six large, beautifully appointed ones. By eliminat- ing a number of maze-like walls, which only blocked the normal passageways, and closing up useless doorways, some 19 altogether, they have integrated the house into a well-planned unit. It is definitely designed-for-living, and designed for living of the most delightful sort.
The present living room, a lovely 26 feet in length and proportionately wide, is a combina- tion of three rooms-an old dining room, a kitchen, and what might have been a sort of buttery. A tiny, useless room adjacent to the front door is now a useful, roomy coat room and powder room. The master bedroom, one of the most charming of the entire house, was once five cubicles and two corridors. Thus, the house is really returned to what was probably its original number of rooms-some five to seven-and is much better for it.
The wing on the east end of the house was
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added by Mr. Harvey, one of the more recent owners, as a kitchen unit. And the Pecks took a small barn from the rear of the property, rolled it trimly alongside the wing, and thus have a convenient garage and summer house.
Realizing that the frame is almost as impor- tant as the picture, Mr. and Mrs. Peck have spent considerable effort on the exterior, trim- ming and landscaping. Handsome lanterns and carriage lights, well arranged planting and stone work, wide terrace and smaller brick patio, all of these blend in with the general atmosphere of gracious living. The rolling sweep of green lawn at the rear of the house adds the final touch of beauty.
The records are sketchy as far as personal details of Captain Husted's life are concerned, but there is evidence of his local importance during his residence in Canaan Parish. Drawn here, perhaps by the charms of Mary Carter, or by the obvious value of the land in this grow- ing community, he came from Norwalk about 1740. And certainly he prospered. The first re- corded land deal made by the shrewd Mr. Husted was in 1742, when he purchased ap- proximately two acres, with dwelling house and shop, from one Henry Inman. For this he paid 180 pounds.
In 1764, he sold what definitely appears to be the same property to David St. John for 300 pounds. Both transactions involved two acres of land, including a house, and bounded by the property of John Eells, by property of Rob- ert Silliman and on two sides by highways.
In 1744, he and Mary Carter, the daughter of Ebenezer Carter and Hannah St. John, were married, and for a time the young couple were known to have lived "in the old St. John place." Unfortunately, they were not blessed with chil- dren, but this probably enabled them to move about Canaan more freely, following Jona- than's purchases and sales. Many of the names with whom these business deals were consum- mated are very familiar today-such as Eleazar Bouton, Samuel Reed, Caleb Benedict, Thad- deus and Andrew Husted (Jonathan's broth- ers), and other early proprietors of Canaan.
Undoubtedly, Jonathan was descended orig- inally from the family of Angell Husted, who
is known as "the progenitor of the family in Fairfield." But through six generations, for more than 150 years, most of the Husteds stayed in the town of Greenwich. A few ven- tured into the Stamford area and at least one, braver than the rest, struck out for Norwalk. Both Jonathan and his father stem from this early adventurous Husted, as they appear in Norwalk almost as a separate family line.
Jonathan's immediate ancestors and descer .- dants do not seem to have been either doctors, lawyers, merchants, or teachers, but they cer- tainly were chief community spirits. They did- n't follow the profession of the church as min- isters, but they loyally supported it. They seem to have had no particular political bent, nor were they soldiers, or sailors, to any noticeable degree. However, it is said that both Peter, the father, and Jonathan, the son, had an im- portant voice in town activities, and wielded a large influence.
Jonathan must be brought into sharp focus as a personality, mainly by conjecture. But he certainly seems to have been the epitome of the New England Yankee, wise, industrious, honest. A man devoted to detail, keenly aware of the value of a pound note or an acre of land. He always appeared in person to sign his land deeds, and a beautiful example of the detailed method he used is found in the following de- scription of a boundary: "beginning at a white oak tree at the northwest corner, running East- erly to a heap of stones on the East side of the meadow and then running north to a heap of stones and running West in a straight line to a Chestnut Stump with stone laid by it." One can almost see Jonathan striding the length of this boundary, and setting the stones neatly in place.
He must have been a man who kept his own counsel, possibly stern, very likely taciturn; he was probably much respected, and was appar- ently a good husband. He discharged all the various duties demanded by the community life with thoroughness, although without ap- parent enthusiasm. With Mary, his wife, he joined the Congregational Church in 1754; he became a member of the Train Band, and re- ceived his Captaincy in 1773.
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The Train Band was a military organization founded in 1733, "a service required by law of every able-bodied man in the colony." Jona- than gave small parcels of land to both Nor- walk and Canaan for "the benefit of the whole community," proving definite regard for civic duty; and he is listed in the New York Records as a soldier in the Levies, one of the many Revolutionary soldiering groups.
So it seems that the Husteds were quiet, but very solid citizens of Canaan. When they moved away, apparently for good, about 1773, they probably left behind them many friends and a fine reputation. In 1773, Jonathan sold most of his property holdings, and the only later deal mentioned is a sale in 1785 of a three acre plot to John Seymour, 3rd.
Aside from being listed in the first U. S. Census, in 1790, nothing appears about either the captain or his lady to indicate later resid- ence in New Canaan. It is easy to imagine that Mary Husted was sorry to leave her fine, new house so soon. She must have been very proud of the graceful rooms. But in leaving the town such a handsome home, she must have enjoyed also a great satisfaction in both her husband's architectural success and a subtle sense of achievement herself.
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