Elmer Risley House (1895)

Elmer Risley House

Elmer Risley, a farmer, built the house at 252 Naubuc Avenue in East Hartford in 1895. After his father Ralph Risley died in 1899, Elmer’s son Cassius married moved into his grandfather’s house at 266 Naubuc Avenue. Elmer’s daughter Nellie, who married Merritt Smart, owned the house at 252 Naubuc Avenue after her father’s death. The house has notable decoration on its front porch with a wave lattice pattern under the roof in which the carpenter utilized machine-made wooden balls at regular intervals. Elmer Risley and his family are described in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Hartford County, Connecticut (1901):

Elmer Risley, who was born on Main street, in Hockanum, attended his first school in that village, and then entered the East Hartford high school, from which he graduated in 1868. He then engaged in farming on the place now ocupied [sic] by his son, Cassius E., and has carried on agriculture ever since, with the exception of the year 1871, when he was employed in William Rogers & Co.’s plating works. On Dec. 3, 1872, he was married, by Rev. William A. Turkenston, to Miss Adelaide M. Selen, who was born Sept. 3, 1852, and is a daughter of John and Maria (Hills) Selen. To this union have been born two children: Cassius E., born Feb. 6, 1876, married Jessie Wadsworth, of Glastonburv, Oct. 10, 1898, is a very industrious, upright young man, and now occupies the farm formerly owned by his grandfather[;] Nellie S., born May 25, 1880, is a young lady of rare musical ability, and is giving instruction in her art.

Elmer Risley is Democratic in his political proclivities, but votes for the candidate he deems best fitted for office, rather than for a less worthy one that may happen to be the nominee of his party, He is a charter member of East Hartford Council, No. 1237. Royal Arcanum, has held several offices in the council, and is also past master in the East Hartford Grange. He aid his wife and daughter are members of the Hockanum Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Risley is a member of the board of trustees of that society. In addition to his farming operations, Mr. Risley acts as agent for Olds & Whipple’s fertilizers. He is enterprising, industrious and strictly upright, and no family in East Hartford town is more sincerely respected than that of Elmer Risley.

Dr. Charles L. Smith House (1829)

Dr. Charles L. Smith House

Dr. Charles L. Smith built the house at 9 Long Hill Road in Middle Haddam (in East Hampton) in 1829, replacing a smaller house that stood on the site. In 1854 the house was purchased by Sophie Gardner, whose husband Edward C. Gardner was the first captain of the clipper ship Comet. Built in 1851 by William H. Webb in New York, the Comet was an extreme clipper, a very fast sailing ship that under Captain Gardner’s command gained a high reputation for speed. In February to May 1853, she raced the Flying Dutchman, another clipper built by Webb, from San Francisco to New York, beating her by 30 hours in a time of 83 days and 18 hours. She made a record time in December 1853 to March 1854, sailing from San Francisco to New York in 76 days 7 hours anchor to anchor (76 days pilot to pilot). She later sailed from Liverpool to Hong Kong, arriving there in 4 days 16 hours anchor to anchor (83 days 21 hours pilot to pilot) on September 9, 1854, another record time. Her best days run on that voyage was 350 miles. E. C. Gardner was captain of the Comet until August 1855. Gardner descendants owned the house in Middle Haddam until 1928, using it as a summer home called “Lawn View.” The Federal-style brick house was altered in the mid-nineteenth century, when an ell was constructed.

183-197 South Main Street, Suffield (1850)

183-197 South Main Street, Suffield

In the third quarter of the nineteenth century, Neland Loomis of Suffield built a group of houses (which formed an enclave called “Baghdad”) on South Main Street to house his tobacco workers. Pictured above are the Greek Revival houses at 195-197 (left) and 183-185 (center), built c. 1850. On the left is building (173-179 South Main Street) erected in 1918 as a store with apartments above.

Turner-Brundage House (1816)

Turner-Brundage House

The house at 661 Middle Turnpike in Mansfield was built sometime before 1816, when the property was first noted in town records. In 1853 the house was acquired by Anson Turner. From 1915 to 1940 the house and farm were owned by the John and Mary Tomaskovic, immigrants from Slovakia. In 1940 it was acquired by Augustus and Ruth Brundage and was owned by the family until 1988. A 1910 graduate of the Connecticut Agricultural College at Storrs (today’s UCONN), Augustus Brundage (born 1890) was appointed State Club Leader for the Extension Service of the Connecticut Agricultural College and the United States Department of Agriculture in 1917. The agricultural clubs became the 4-H and Brundage remained active in the organization after his retirement in 1948. Two of Augustus and Ruth’s sons, Granville and Roger, were killed in action during World War II. Brundage pool in Greer Field House at UCONN was named in their honor. For more information on the house, see Mansfield Four Corners (2003) by Rudy J. Favretti, pp. 89-92.

Hyde Kingsley House (1883)

133 Prospect Street, Willimantic

Hyde Kingsley of Willimatic became wealthy in the lumber and coal business in the 1860s and 1870s. He was partner in the firm of Loomer & Kingsley with Silas Loomer, who would build the Loomer Opera House in Willimantic (torn down in 1940). In 1883 Kingsley retired and the lumberyard was acquired by George K. Nason. That same year Kingsley built a Queen Anne house at 133 Prospect Street in Willimantic.

St. John’s Episcopal Church Rectory, North Haven (1855)

St. John's Church Rectory

At 1 Trumbull Place in North Haven is the rectory (priest’s residence) of St. John’s Episcopal Church. The rectory was built in 1855 and the third floor and mansard roof were added in the 1880s. As related in North Haven Annals (1892), by Sheldon B. Thorpe:

On the removal of Mr. [Rev. Alonzo G.] Shears to New Haven, the Rev. Seth Davis came from Woodbury, Conn., and officiated part of the time. During his term the present rectory was built—-1855-—and he was its first occupant. He remained two years and was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Scott. This clergyman was the first, in the long list of clergymen, to be “called” as rector. He gave his whole time to the people and became greatly beloved by them. His salary was $500 and the use of the rectory.

(more…)