Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-04-04
A COLONIAL HOUSE.
It Is Over Two Hundred Years
Old and Still Standing.
che First House Built In tho Settlement
OF Milford. Conn. - Some OF the
Curious and Historic Relics
That 1t Contains.

1
There stands on the road to Bridge.
port, about mile from the depot, in
the historic old town of Milford, an old
yellow house that was built by Ensign
George Clark in 1884, and was the first
house built outside of the row of logs,
stood on end, that encircled the settle
ment OF Milford, says the New Haven
Register These logs or palisades. /"
as 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 jeered at, and predictions were
many that his house would not stand a
year. But there it stands as sound as
the day it was built, it's big oak tim
oers surrounding chimney built of
stone twenty-five by twenty-five feet at
its base and tapering to ten feet square
at its top. In this chimney, as it pushes
its massive self through the ground or
hrst floor, are two of the rarest fire.
places in New Haven county.
In the south room is fireplace big
enough to hold dozen men, though
some years ago it was partly bricked
up. This room, with its long, low cell
ing of oak, has eight doors; running
along the ceiling is big oaken beam
called 1.-THE husband" for it supports
the house. In the fireplace is huge
log, too heavy for two men to lift, and
hanging from hook is the iron flip
dog, used to heat the flip at Gov.
Treats wedding in l647. At one side
is the old brick Dutch oven that is used
on large occasions at the present day.
Over the fireplace hang several his
torical flintlocks. 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 little
frame inclosing rare piece of news
paper lore 1t is an original copy of
the Boston Post Boy of Monday, Feb
ruary 8, l744. On the first page is
letter dated London, October 90, l74S,
and among the news items are: 1.-THE
marriage of the Infanta Maria Theresa
with the dauphin will be declared on
the queens birthday" Thesam letter
asserts that ''his royal highness will
pass the winter at Paris; all the diff
culties to the ceremony being adjusted,
with regard to the duke
of Orleans; on his account it has been
hitherto delayed" Among the lads"
is the following:
ANY tavernkeepers, innholdcrs or
others that want any choice good |
racked cyder the ensuing spring may |
be supplied by giving their pames and
quantity they need at the post office at
forty shillings per barrel they finding
casks"
In the front room, the parlor, is
nate to the fireplace in the south room.
This, while not larger, is much more
elegant. The woodwork about it is |
,aneled in elaborate pattern and has
what the other lacks, a cupboard, the
,nly one in the house. In this cupboard
S stored rare and beautiful individual
ga set made from Mr.. Ponds design
Zach piece has burned in its beautiful
urface picture of houses and memo
ials in which he was interested. On
he big tray is the Milford memorial
fridge, that he was instrumental in
encircled with ribbon de-
ign on which is the motto of the
ridge. On the teapot are likenesses of
,ir Charles Hobby, Mr.. Ponds ancestor,
nd of the Strong and Pond houses.
he province house and the Peter Prud-
en- stone are on either side OF the sugar
owl; on the milk jar is the coat OF
rms of the Hobby family, and on the
wo cups are the insignia of the soci-
ties of Cincinnati and Colonial wars.