Built around 1759 for the merchant, Ezekiel Williams, on Broad Street in Wethersfield. Williams was the sheriff of Hartford County from 1767 to 1789 and, during the Revolutionary War, he served as a member of the Committee of the Pay Table and Deputy Commissary General of Prisoners in Connecticut. Ezekiel Williams‘ son, Ezekiel, married a daughter of Oliver Ellsworth.
Ezekiel Williams House (1759)
My fiance and I have lived here for 6 years. When we first moved in; the front of the house looked very different, the stone wall was not there. The ground sloped gently to the sidewalk.
As an architect/builder, I created a plan and built the wall shown.
We excavated the soil to prepare for wall construction.
We found many interesting artifacts (clay pipes, ceramics & glasswares).
After finishing the wall; we had extra stones; this material was used for a low garden enclosure on the south side (facing the green) and a terrace to the southeast.
Ezekiel Williams is my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather. 🙂 Some of his descendants now live in Colorado. He had many children and they had many children, so it would be easy to assume there are many of us out there. I discovered my heritage through a book titled “The Ancestors and Descendants of Ezekiel Williams of Wethersfield.” The book was originally published in 1907, but was updated to include up to my Great Grandmother… there are now 4 generations following her that should be added. I would love to some day visit the house of my ancestor and (if the owner is willing) allow me to see inside. I’ve never been to CT, but it’s on my post-pandemic list of travel destinations! Thank you for sharing this important landmark, and to the owner for preserving it.
I assume this home is privately held? If not, are there opportunities to visit and see the inside and the surrounding grounds?
I recently acquired a promissory note dating to 1764 between Joseph Talcott and Ezekiel Williams. Perhaps the historical society or the current owners would like to see this.
Anthony,
This is a private home, but you might consider contacting the Wethersfield Historical Society.
Dan