Morning journal and courier., 1894-05-04
HILLHoUsE AVENUE.

Vnef0 In Years Gone IVA "OIO About Some of the Houses on This Beautiful Avenue.
 Hillhouse avenue, which is now the or nament and pride of New Haven, presented : much different appearance fifty or even forty years ego from what it now does. At the present time this beautiful broad avenue with it's stately elms and elegant residences is almost in the heart of the city. Then it vas suburb, but with the steady growth of the city the avenue has ever been pressed nearer the center of the town.
 Half century ago there were only two houses on the east side of the avenue north of Trumbull street. One of these was the residence of the late President Porter and the other was the Pritchard house, where Mrs. Collins, widow of the late David 0. Collins, resides. One of the daughters of the late Mrs. Pritchard who built the house married Rev. Prof. William Goodrich of Yale. Another elder daughter became the wife of President Woolssy of Yale.
 The house, which was recently purchased by ex,Jadge Lynde Harrison, w.s built about fifty years ago by John Pltkin Nor VOAt AcPAOW VA 4b0vs AAAAOvoy AAtA4A1 who for many years was assistant rector of Trinity church under the renowned Rev. Dr. Croswell. - MT. Norton was for merly in partnership with the famous Erastus Corning in the iron business at Albany, N. Y., the firm name being Corn ing, Norton & Co. Later in life Hr. Nor. ton wac professor of agriculture at Yale. After his death the property was sold to the Davenport family. John A. Daven- port, head of the firm of Davenport, Nal lory & Co. of this city, man of distin- guished presence, occupied the house for years. He was g descendant of Rev. John Davenport, the first minister of New Ha- ven colony. After his death his daughter, Miss Davenport, who died recently, occu- pied the residence. Another daughter of MT. Davenport married Russell Wheeler, father of John Davenport Wheeler, who is the present head of the firm of Mallory, Wheeler & Co. He resides at present at the old Fellowes residence on Whitney avenue, which he purchased in late years. The residence which President Arthur D. Osborn of the Second National bank recently bought, was owned fifty years ago by F. l.. Chester, a prominent New York merchant. He left 2 family at his death in the Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph system, and was in this city when it was put in here. The house next became the property of Mrs. John A. Porter, who is daughter of the late Joseph E. Sheffield, the founder of Sheffield scientific school of Yale university and mother of John Addison Porter, editor of the Hartford Post, and also of the late Edward Sheffield Porter, who died three years ago. The Chester house is the fourth north from Trumbull street.
  of natural science in Yale college for many years, and whose statue now stands on the campus near the Chittenden Memorial li- brary, built the house which formerly l stood on the northwest corner of Hillhouse | avenue and Trumbull street, and which a | few years ago was moved back on Trum- bull street to near the railroad cut. Charles H. Farnam, son of the late Henry Farnam and brother of Treasurer W. w. Farnam and Professor Henry Farnam of Yale college, built the house which stands at present on the site and is occupied by Henry F. English, who gave the New Ha- ven Colony Historical society it's elegant building which ntands on Grove street op posite the south entrance to the avenue. Professor James D. Dana, the renowned geologist. built the substantial residence on the southwest corner shortly after his marriage to Miss Henrietta Silliman, daughter of the elder Professor Benismin Silliman. The golden anniversary of thell marriage will occur next month.
 Professor Silliman, the younger, built 2 house a few doors north on the same side of the avenue.
 Forty years ago ex-Tax Collector Will
 fam HiIlhouss built the house he now oc cupies next to St. Mary's church. A com
 mon, but erroneous, impression prevails that ex-United States Senator Hillhouse l who was an uncle of William Hillhouse
 and who planted SO many of the beautiful
 elms which adorn the streets of New He | ven, built the house which now stands or
 the old Hillhouse estate, in the grove at
 the head of the avenue. This house wal
 really built by his son. The senator re
 sided there, however, in the latter part o1
 his life until the time of his death.
 The families who have lived on HillhousI
 avenue through the past fifty years ar,
 those who have been most prominently
 connected with the growth and develop
 ment of both the city and university
 Among the present residents of the avenue
 are Professor Fisher, the eminent theolo
 gian ard author; Mrs. Fsrnam, widow G.
 the late Henry Farnam, who gave Farnan
 icaries Farnam drive, East Rock park, 1,
 named; and Henry l.. Hotohkiss, presiden
 of the L. Candee Rubber company, who's,
 elegant home was formerly the home of thu
 late Pelstiah Psrit, a noted and wealthy
 man from New York. The fine house st
 long the home of the late Joseph E. Shef
 field forms now 8 part of the Sheffield
 school.