The Wyllys-Orton House, on Main Street in Farmington, was divided in half, probably in the 1790s. It was originally built around 1659 by Thomas Orton, on land that had once been owned by Samuel Wyllys, son of the early Connecticut Governor George Wyllys. The house had various later owners who made numerous changes, the most significant being the removal of the original house’s north section to an adjacent lot on Main Street. This northern section was later enlarged. There are a number of stories as to why the house was divided. According to one, a mother and her daughter-in-law both lived in the home but each wanted to rule in her own kitchen, so the house was split in two.
The Wyllys-Orton House (South Half) (1659)
This was built by my ancestor, Thomas Orton. Nice to see picture in living color! Thank you. My Aunt created a full genealogy book back to Thomas and his son, John, for our family. It was accepted by the Windsor Historical Society and is called, The Orton Family Genealogy by Pamela Orton Mokritski. She lived in East Longmeadow, MA till she passed away.