Asa E. Perkins House (1835)

The history of the house at 584 Main Street in New Hartford is related in Sketches Of The People And Places Of New Hartford In The Past And Present (1883), by Henry R. Jones, where it is described as

a pretty two-story house, with a veranda on the south side and along the front of the ell part, the whole painted a pinkish tint. The house was built by Asa E. Perkins, a cabinet maker, who was well known in this town fifty years ago. He was a brother of Mrs Caleb C. Goodwin and Mrs Grove S. Marsh. Mr Perkins purchased the land of Richard B. Cowles in 1835, and probably built the house immediately after. He lived there a number of years, after which he removed to the hotel in this village, of which he was the proprietor a year or two, when he removed with his family to Michigan, where he died in 1882.

After Mr Perkins, the house was occupied by “Deacon” Wentworth for several years. L. Frank Fuller was its owner and occupant for some years; from his hands it became the property of Mr and Mrs Reed Anderson, an aged couple who resided there from the time of purchase in 1863 until their death. Mr Anderson died April 20, 1878, at the age of eighty-six, Mrs Anderson Oct. 14, 1880, aged eighty-three. Mr and Mrs Anderson came to this town from East Haddam. After the death of Mrs Anderson, the place was purchased by her sister, Mrs J. C. Smith, who immediately remodeled and enlarged it. The place was then used by the Cong’l society as a parsonage, and was occupied for several years by the pastor of that church, Rev Frederic H. Adams, the father of Dr. Walter B. Adams who married Anna L. Carter. Afterwards it was occupied by Wm. McAlpine, a tailor in town, and his family. In 1892 this place was purchased by Jacob Widmer, who was for many years a master machinist for the Greenwoods Company. Mr Widmer’s wife is the daughter of Mrs Anson J. Hawley of Town Hill. Mr and Mrs Widmer had three children, Frederick, who died in the South in 1894; Howard J. and Mary, twins, the latter the wife of Frank B. Munn, Esq., a lawyer practising in Winsted and New Hartford; Howard is a machinist, now working in Brooklyn, L. I. Mr Widmer carries on a jewelry and variety store in town.