Fred Morgan House (1899)

The Victorian Gothic house at 8 North Meadow Road in Windsor was built c. 1899. It was the home of Fred Morgan. Interestingly, in the Windsor Historical Society’s Oral History Collection is an item listed as “Fred Morgan Memoirs: An Interview with Frederick W. Morgan.” According to the description, the interview touched on a wide range of topics, including the North Meadow Road area.

Elisha Strong House (1780)

The house at 10 (listed as 20 on the town Assessors page) North Meadow Road in Windsor was built c. 1780 on land once occupied by Elder John Strong, one of the early settlers of the town. The house was erected by Elisha Strong (1748-1826). According to Vol. I of The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass. (1871), by Benjamin W. Dwight,

In the Revolutionary war he was appointed agent for his native town to clothe the Connecticut troops in the Continental army, and authorized to borrow on the credit of the town three thousand pounds lawful money. On June 13, 1823, the first board of trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Windsor was organized at his house, and he was chosen one of its trustees. He d[ied] at Windsor, Feb. 28,1826, aged 78

Deacon Jasper Morgan, Sr. purchased the house in 1829 and altered it to its current Greek Revival appearance. The above picture was taken about a decade ago.

Eli Phelps House (1860)

Eli Phelps House

Eli Phelps was a prosperous tobacco farmer in Windsor. Around 1860 he built the impressive Italianate house that stands at 18 Marshall Phelps Road in Poquonock. As related in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Hartford County (1901):

Hon. Eli Phelps was born at Poquonock, Sept, 1, 1807, and had only such educational advantages as the local schools of that day provided. He was but a young man when his father died, and as the only son the care of the estate fell to him before he had a chance to acquire business experience, yet he managed affairs with conspicuous ability and became one of the most successful farmers of the town, obtaining good results under all circumstances. For some years after his marriage he resided at his father’s old home, later locating at the farm now occupied by our subject. While he left a handsome estate to his children, he was never grasping or unduly economical, and many worthy enterprises were helped forward by his liberality. He was a man of fine physique, six feet tall, weighing 200 pounds, and his mental ability was above the average, his reading and observation enabling him to gain a wide range of practical knowledge. He took an active interest in religious work, serving as treasurer of the Ecclesiastical Society of his town for a long time, and politically he was prominent as a member of the local Democratic organization. At various times he held offices in his town, and for several years he was a member of the General Assembly. He died Sept. 1, 1879, and his remains now rest in the cemetery at Poquonock.