Utley-Hubbard House (1830)

The house at 127 Chaplin Street in Chaplin was built c. 1830 (with an ell added c. 1840) for James Russell Utley (1811-1896), a farmer who had a 1,500 acre farm and whose brother, John Kingsbury Utley, lived next door. James R. Utley also served in the state assembly in 1866. In 1938, the Hubbard family moved to the house (also known as the Holt House) and farm from New Britain. After her parents death, Mary MacNaughton Hubbard (called Mollie) lived in the house until 1987. A nature enthusiast, she worked as a scientific illustrator and an academic advisor in the Biology Department at the University of Connecticut. In 1985, Mollie Hubbard donated 38 acres in Chaplin to Joshua’s Trust. The land is known as Hubbard Sanctuary. She also donated land to the Town of Chaplin for its town offices and Edward Garrison Park.

31 Chaplin Street, Chaplin (1830)

The building at 31 Chaplin Street in Chaplin is an interesting composite structure, made up of what were once three separate buildings. They were brought together to form the current house in 1936. The earliest section was a mercantile store, erected between 1830 and 1832 by Edward Eaton. The next section was a tin shop, erected in the 1840s. It was operated by Alexander Dorrance, who most likely used the store building as his residence. The largest part of the current building was built as a school house, c. 1850. When these three buildings were joined, the school section was raised to be two stories, thus giving the completed structure a classic saltbox profile. The building is described under the heading “Rindge-Dorrance Tin Shop, c. 1840” on p. 15 of the pamphlet Historic Homes of Chaplin Village, by Johanne Philbrick. It is listed in the Chaplin Historic District as “Eaton’s Store” with a date of 1850.

Utley-Storrs House (1835)

Joseph C. Martin, a builder, acquired the land at what is now 115 Chaplin Street in Chaplin in 1835. He sold the property in 1838 to James Russell Utley (1811-1896), a farmer. The existing house was built circa 1835-1840. In 1847, the house and barn were transferred to James’s brother, John Kingsbury Utley (1815-1899). As related in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (1903):

John Kingsbury Utley was born in Chaplin on the home farm, and attended only the common schools of his native town. Before he had attained his majority, he began to learn the trade of boot-maker in Chaplin, and followed that trade the greater part of his life, always making his home in that town. For many years he was in company with Ephraim Day, engaged in bootmaking, but when machine made goods were placed on the market, the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Utley retired from active business life about a dozen years prior to his death, although he devoted his attention to conducting a small farm, always having a deep interest in agricultural pursuits. His death occurred Sept. 1, 1899, and he is buried at Chaplin. During his long life he was a hard working man, and by industry, frugality and thrift, he amassed a considerable fortune. In politics he was a staunch Republican, and represented Chaplin in the State Legislature in 1863 and also held many of the town offices. While serving on the board of selectmen, his administration was marked by the careful and economical way in which the affairs of the town were managed. Early in life he joined the Congregational Church, of which he continued a consistent member: he served on the church committee for many years, and also brought into play his economical ideas with regard to its conduct. For many years he served voluntarily as janitor, in order to save the church the expense of hiring one. Being a man of the highest integrity and honor, when he felt he was in the right nothing could ever move him from his purpose, and he gained the highest respect of all who knew him.

Before his death, Utley resided in the house with his widowed sister, Jane M. Storrs (1826-1902). Her son, Henry Chesebrough Storrs, became a machinist for Pratt & Whitney in Hartford. The Storrs family used the house in Chaplin as a summer home through the mid-1970s. The house was later owned by Warren and Marguerite Church. (more…)

Goodell-Lincoln General Store (1828)

Goodell-Lincoln General Store (1828)
Goodell-Lincoln General Store (1828)

The building at 46 Chaplin Street in Chaplin was erected c. 1828 as a general store, most likely by Isaac Goodell, who lived next door at 44 Chaplin Street and in 1835 sold his house to his brother Walter Goodell. The store was later owned by Allen Lincoln (1816-1882). According to Vol. II of A Modern History of Windham County, Connecticut (1920), edited by Allen’s son, Allen B. Lincoln:

The late Allen Lincoln, well known as a merchant in Chaplin and Willimantic during the years about 1850-1882, won an excellent reputation for square dealing, combined with Yankee thrift and shrewdness. In earlier life a farmer, he never really enjoyed it, and varied that life by occasional trips via stage and canal to New York State and Ohio, then the “far west” and there to trade in wools.

As noted in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (1903):

In 1853 Mr. Lincoln removed to Chaplin village and opened a country store. About four years from this time he came to Willimantic, and opened a country store in what was then the principal part of the village (the corner of Bridge and Main streets), in the building occupied in after years by tenants. He retained the Chaplin store meanwhile, but finally he sold that out to his brother, Jared W. Lincoln, and cast his lot with the growing village of Willimantic, removing his family there in 1864.

Allen’s brother, Jared W. Lincoln, continued to run the store for about twenty years until he sold it to his son, Edgar S. Lincoln, who later moved to Waterbury. Jared Lincoln was postmaster of Chaplin from 1863 to 1901 and the store served as the community’s post office from 1828 until 1950.

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Lincoln House (1844)

The house at 50 Chaplin Street in Chaplin was built c. 1844-1846. For many years it was the home of Jared W. Lincoln, who ran the adjacent general store and was a leading citizen of Chaplin, holding a number of public offices. In 1871, Lincoln moved to another house (35 Chaplin Street) and sold the house at 50 Chaplin Street to his son, Edgar, who would also eventually take over the store from his father.

As described in Vol. I of A Modern History of Windham County, Connecticut (1920), edited by Edgar’s cousin, Allen B. Lincoln:

Edgar S. Lincoln, continued to reside in Chaplin and was honored in manners similar to the father, chosen judge of probate, to the General Assembly and to various local offices. Later, he removed to Waterbury, retiring from active business, but assisting his son-in-law, Attorney Ulysses G. Church, and was also chosen clerk of the Second Congregational Church, where the Rev. C. A. Dinsmore was pastor. He died in Waterbury September 1, 1919, and was buried in Chaplin, the Rev. C. A. Dinsmore ofliciating at the service.