Eli Curtiss, a successful manufacturer of Panama hats in Watertown, married Alma Southmayd DeForest in 1832. Although Curtiss had a Greek Revival house, built in 1837 on North Street, he soon decided to erect a larger residence (c. 1840) at 90 DeForest Street on land his wife received from her father in 1839. The house is transitional in style, displaying Greek Revival corner pilasters and a Federal doorway. At one time the hip-roofed house also had a cupola.
Built circa 1820, the Justin Swift House is a brick Federal-style residence at 9 North Road in Windham. Justin Swift (1793-1884) is described in the first volume of the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (1903):
Justin Swift, son of William, was born in Lebanon, Conn., Nov. 3, 1793, and married Lucy, daughter of John and Sally Lathrop. Mrs. Swift was born June 8, 1799, and died Sept. 20, 1876. To Justin and Lucy Swift came children as follows: Abby, born Jan. 22, 1821, died Sept. 14, 1835; William was born March 16. 1823; Sarah, born April 26, 1830, died Sept. 1, 1835; Julia A., born May 21, 1832, resides in Windham. and is the efficient librarian of the Windham Library. At the age of twenty-two years Justin Swift came to Windham. When a mere boy he engaged in merchandising, as a clerk, and later for himself, carrying on a general store in Windham for many years. For a period of five or six years he was interested with others in the manufacture of boots in Windham, but this venture was not successful. For a short time, also, he was interested in cottonmaking at Willimantic, and purchased the old paper mill property at North Windham, put in cottonmaking machinery, and carried it on very successfully until 1862, when he disposed of the property to the Merricks. This property was twice destroyed by fire, the first time by the torch of an incendiary, and second by lightning. Through life Justin Swift was an active, energetic man. In politics he was first a Federalist, then a Whig, finally a Republican, and he was a factor in the public life of the town. Twice he served as Representative, elected in a strong Democratic town, on the Whig ticket, after holding all of the local offices, including those of selectman, assessor, member of the board of relief, etc. For many years he was judge of probate, remaining in office until disqualified by the age limit, seventy years. In belief he adhered to the Christian religion, and he was one of the leading men of his day. His death occurred in Windham, Oct. 17, 1884.
The house at 258 Bank Street in New London was built in 1833 (or as early as 1817?) with granite quarried from the ledge behind the building, known as Tongues Rock. Sailing ships would tie up at the shore at this granite outcrop. The building was constructed as the home and whaling office of Benjamin Brown, who produced soap and candles. According to an article (“Pioneers of Tilley Street Prominent in City Affairs,” by R.B. Wall) that appeared in the New London Day on February 13, 1815:
Benjamin Brown was a prominent figure in the whaling industry and he also had a slaughter house and candle factory. He cured beef and pork and shipped it in barrels to other places. After buying the Canada house in Tilley Street he bought considerably more land adjoining ion the west bounds. On this vacant land he used to store hundreds of barrels of oil while waiting for the market to advance. Benjamin Brown was a native of Waterford and came to New London a poor and friendless boy. The building connected with his enterprises once occupied the site of the coal ad lumber business of the F.H. & A.H. Chappell Co. in Bank street. His stone house alone remains on the east side of Bank street, opposite Tilley.
Brown’s property once extended to the water behind the house and had a well that supplied whaling and merchant ships. The house survived a fire that started during the 1938 hurricane and devastated Bank Street.
Built around 1800-1802, the brick house at 200 Broad Street in Wethersfield is attributed to the local builder, James Francis. The Colonial Revival front porch is a later addition. The house was originally the residence of Dr. Abner Moseley (1766-1811). Born in Glastonbury, Dr. Moseley was a graduate of Yale. In 1814, his daughter, Eunice, married Winthrop Buck, the son of Daniel and Sarah Saltonstall Buck. Sarah’s sister Elizabeth was the second wife of Silas Deane.
According to Edward Sweetser Tillotson’s Wethersfield Inscriptions (1899), Dr. Moseley’s stone in Wethersfield’s Old Burying Ground reads as follows:
In Memory of Abner Moseley, | a Physician of skill & eminence, | who died Sept. 20-th A.D. 1811, | Aged Forty five. | His Wife Eunice who died Jan. 26 | 1811. Aged Forty three. | Their second daughter Hope, who | died Sept. 29-th 1806, Aged 11. | Their eldest son Robert, who | died Oct. 16-th 1811, Aged 17. | Their youngest Daughter Maria | who died Sept. 30-th 1818. Aged 11. | Their second Son Joseph died July 1 | 1838. Aged 40. Their third Son Walter | died July II, 1838, Aged 39. | Their eldest Daughter Eunice. Wife of | Winthrop Buck, died Aug. 24, 1862. Aged 69. | Their youngest Son William | died March 19, 1868. Aged 62. | Their third Daughter Harriet | died July 15. 1877, Aged 75. | Their fourth daughter Emily | died May 17, 1887. Aged 84.
The house at 1665 Main Street in Glastonbury was built, according to a beam over the attic stairway, by Joseph Kilbourn (1765-1851) in 1829. The brick front section of the house and the rear ell, which is of wood frame construction, have the same brick foundation. This is an unusual feature and may indicate that the house was actually built later than 1829 or that the brick section was moved to its current location.
The brick house at 954 Main Street in South Windsor was built in 1805. There have been additions since that time. The house was built for Arnold Allen (1759-1846) of Massachusetts, a Revolutionary War veteran, the year of his marriage to Mary Elmer, who was born in South Windsor in 1775.
At 181 Bank Street in New London is a former house that now has a commercial facade on the ground floor. The house was built in 1790 for Jonathan Starr, whose earlier house, built in 1702, had stood on the same site. Starr operated a lumber yard that was located right across the street from his home. From 1914 to 1996 the Starr House was used as the James Drug Store and more recently has housed a restaurant, an antiques store and a hair salon.
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