Charles Merriman House (1750)

Charles Merriman House

The Charles Merriman House, located at 75 Woodbury Road in Watertown, across from the Taft School, was built in the eighteenth century and been much altered and enlarged over the years. The oldest part of the house dates to 1750. In 1812, Charles Merriam added the large Federal-style front section. Merriam, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, was a tailor (and later merchant) whose shop and store was located just up the street, on what is now Hamilton Avenue. According to New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Volume IV (1914):

Charles, son of Amasa Merriman, was born at Wallingford, Connecticut, August 20, 1762. He served in the revolution, enlisting as a drummer in 1775, when he was thirteen years of age. He was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered. He finally became drum major and served throughout the entire war. While he was in the army he also made clothes for the men, and it is said that when he married, his only worldly possession was a tailor’s goose. When the war was ended, he and his boy chum, a lad named Punderson, walked to the latter’s home in Connecticut, and there Merriman met his future wife, Anna Punderson, a sister of his army chum. He settled at Watertown, Connecticut, where he commenced business as a tailor. He was, however, compelled to give up this trade on account of ill health, and he then “rode post” from New Haven to Suffield for four years, after which he made a voyage to the West Indies. He then became engaged in business as a merchant in Watertown, where he continued until his death, which occurred August 26, 1829. He was of a genial nature, and was distinguished for decision of character and stern integrity.

Merriam was also a Mason. As related in the History of Ancient Westbury and Present Watertown from its Settlement to 1907 (1907):

The first Masonic Lodge was held December 22, 1790. […] This meeting was held at Landlord (David) Turner’s, where they continued to meet until March 11, 1793, when they removed to the Charles Merriman house (opposite Taft’s School), now occupied by Miss Mary Merriman. Brother Merriman was “to find the Lodge with house room, wood, candles, etc. for the term of one year, and to have for his reward twelve dollars and find the Lodge with Liquor at Prime cost in New York, allowing freight and transportation.”

A rear addition to the house was built circa 1890-1910. The house was altered in the Colonial Revival style in 1912, when the columned south portico was added.

Captain Thomas Ransom House (1839)

Captain Thomas Ransom House (1839)

At 237 Brewster Street in the Bridgeport village of Black Rock is a transitional Federal/Greek Revival house built in 1839. It is one of several on the street built at the time by housewright David Smith. It was the home of Captain Thomas Ransom, a ship captain and one of the trustees of the Bridgeport Savings Bank. He built a carriage shop on Calderwood Court in 1830 and founded the select school (private school) that met on the carriage shop’s upper floor. The school later had its own building.

Byron Tuttle House (1793)

Byron Tuttle House

At 655 Main Street in Plymouth is a Federal/Greek Revival house built in 1793. It was later the home of Byron Tuttle. As related in the Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut (1891):

Mr. Tuttle was born in Plymouth, Conn., August 23, 1825, the son of a farmer, and his early years were spent at home with the best of life training, that of a New England farmer boy; having the advantages of the common district school of those days. On the 26th of August, 1847, he entered the carriage establishment of Augustus C. Shelton of Plymouth, afterward entering into partnership with him under the firm name of Shelton & Tuttle.

As described in the History of the Town of Plymouth, Connecticut (1895):

Byron Tuttle entered the employ of Mr. Shelton August 26, 1847, for $13 per month and board. The next three years he worked for $1.00 per day and board. January 1, 1855, he was taken into partnership with one-half interest. Their trade originally was with the southern market. From 1854 to 1860 every carriage was sold through their house at Chicago. Their western business proved a great success owing to large advance in price of their goods. In 1864 they built a repository on Madison street, Chicago, which they occupied until April 1, 1870, when the business declining the building was disposed of and the partnership so far as the manufacturing was concerned was dissolved. From that time forward Mr. Shelton carried on the business in a limited way until his death in 1880.

Again from the Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut:

In 1864 they built a repository on Madison street, Chicago, which was burned in the great fire of 1872, without much loss to the company, when the property was sold and Mr. Tuttle retired from the business. […] Aside from private business Mr. Tuttle has occupied a prominent place in the affairs of the town, having been elected justice of the peace in 1864 and selectman in 1878, which offices he has filled continuously to the present time. […] Mr. Tuttle’s characteristics as a business man are energy, promptness, thoroughness, and integrity. It is perhaps the secret of his general success in life, that in whatever he engages he observes the same rules of conduct that govern him in the management of his business affairs.

Joseph Wright House (1808)

2033 Main Street, Glastonbury

Joseph Wright was a prosperous farmer in Glastonbury. He kept detailed diaries for over 30 years that are an important source for Glastonbury history. His house, at 2033 Main Street, was built in 1808. According to tradition, two bricklayers worked on each half of the house and when they got to the middle of the front facade, they discovered that their work did not line up. This is why the brickwork above the front door does not line up today. The house’s ell is part of an earlier Wright family home that was located on Wrights Island in the Connecticut River.

Heli Hoadley House (1805)

37 Park Street, Guilford

The Federal-style house at 37 Park Street in Guilford was constructed in 1805 by builder Abraham Coan for Heli Hoadley and his wife, Mabel Ann Seward. Hoadley soon moved to New Haven. As described in The Hoadley Genealogy (1894) by Francis Bacon Trowbridge:

Heli Hoadley resided in New Haven, Conn., and carried on the business of making trucks, carts, wheelbarrows, etc. His shop was situated on State street on the homestead lot, where Osborne street has since been cut through. After his wife’s death he gave up his flourishing business, and the property was sold and divided between the children. He died at his son John’s in North Haven and was buried in the Grove Street cemetery in New Haven.

The house was then owned by the Reverend Aaron Dutton, who was minister at the First Congregational Church of Guilford from 1806 to 1842. He resigned because of dissension in the church concerning his abolitionist views, which his congregation deemed too radical. The house was also once home to Charles Hubbard, a writer, teacher and artist. Hubbard referred to his third floor studio as Hobgoblin Hall.