The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-07-12
A COLONIAL HOUSE.
It Is Over Two Hundred Years
Old and Still Standing.
The First House isuilt in the Settlement
Of Milford. Conn. Some OF the
Curious and Historic Relics
That IL Contains.

There stands on the road to Bridge
port. about 4 mile from the depot, In
the historic old town of Milford. an old
yellow house that was built by Ensign
George Clark in 1854. and was the first
house built outside of the row of logs,
stood on end. that cncircled the settle
mcnt of Milford. says the New Haven
Register. These logs or palisades.
a. they called them then. were to keep
Indians from their homes. and when
Ensign Clark started to build his home
five rods away from the palisades he
was ieered at. and predictions were
,lanv that his house would not stand
year But there it stands as sound as
the day it was built. its big oak tim
brrs surrounding Il chimney built OF
stone twenty-five by twenty-five feet ut
its base and tapcring to ten feet square
at It's top In this chimney. as it pushes
Il; massive self through the ground OK
,i.>t floor. are two of the rarest tire
places in New Haven county.
In the south room is Il fireplace big
enough to hold Il doZen men. though
some years ago ii was partly bricked
mp This room. with its long. low cell
INC of oak has eight doors: running
along the ceiling i, Il big oallen beam
called the husband" for it supports
the house. In the fireplace is a huge
io.,. too heavy for two men to lift. and
banging from Il hook is the iron flip
dog used to heat the flip at Gov.
Treat : wedding in l641. At one side
il, the old brick Dutch oven that is used
IN large occasions at the present day.
over the fireplace hang several his
torical flintloclls. One is seven feet in
length and was used by one of Mr..
Ponds ancestors in the Queen Anne
war. Under it hangs sword carried
in the war of 1872.
At one side of this room hangs a little
frame inclosing IL rare piece of news
paper lore. 1t is an original copy of
the Boston Post Boy of Monday. Feb
ruary 8. 1744. On the first page is a
letter dated London. October 20. 1743.
and among the news items are: The
marriage of the Infanta Maria Theresa
with the dauphin will be declared on
;hc quccns birthday" The same letter
assert, that his royal highness will
pass the inter at Paris: al! the diff
clllUicS to the ceremony ling adjusted,
particularly with regard to the duke
III Orleans; on his account it has been
hitherto delayed" Among the ads
The following:
Any tavernkeepers, innhOlders or
t.,hcrs that want any choice good
acllcd cyder the ensuing spring may
b supplied by giving their names and
quantity they need at the post office at
lorty shillings per barrel they finding
c.SllS'
In the front room, the parlOr, is a
li;itc to the fireplace in the south room.
Tins. while not larger, is much more
elegant. The woodwork about it is
panclcd in elaborate pattern and has
what the other lacks. Il cupboard, the
onl y one in the house. In this cupboard
l., stored Il rare and beautiful individual
tex! set made FROM Mr. Ponds design
Each piece has burned in its beautiful
surface picture of houses and memo
rial, in which he was interested. On
the big tray is the Milford memorial
bridge. that he was instrumental il
producing. encircled with ribbon de
ign Oil which is the motto of the
bridge. On the teapot are lil1enesses OF
sir Charles Hobby. Mr.. Pond S ancestor
and of the Strong and Pond houses
The province house and the Peter Prud
den stone are on either side of the sugar
bowl: on the milk jar is the coat OF
arms of the Hobby family. and on the
two cups arc the insignia of the soci
cites of Cincinnati and Colonial wars.