The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-08-09
A COLONIAL HOUSE.
Il Is Over Two Hundred Years
Old and Still Standing.
The First House Built In the Settlements
of Milford. Conn. = Some of the
Curious and Historic Relics
That IL Contains


There stands on the road To Bridge
port, about a 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 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
bers surrounding a 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
first floor, are two of the rarest fire.
places in New Haven county.
In the south room is a fireplace big
enough 10 hold dozen men, though
some years ago it was partly bricked
up. This room, with it's long, low cell
ing of oak, has eight doors; running
along the ceiling is big oaken beam
called 1.-The husband" for il 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.
. 10
is the old brick Dutch oven that is used
on large occasions at the present day.
Over the fireplace hang several his
torical fintlocixs. One is seven feet in
length and was used by one of Mr..
Ponds ancestors in the Queen Anne
war. Under il hangs a sword carried
in the war of 1912.
At one side of this room hangs little
frame inclosing a 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 rs, l743,
and among the news items are: The
marriage of the lnfanta Maria Theresa
with the dauYhin will be declared on
The queens bihhday." The same letter
asserts that his royal highness will
pass the winter at Paris; all the diff
culties to the ceremony being adjusted
particularly with regard to the duke
Of Orleans; on his account it has been
hitherto delayed" Among the ads"
is the following:
Any tavernleepers, innholders or
others that want any choice good
racked cyder the ensuing spring may
be supplied by giving their names and
quantity they need at the post Office at
forty shillings per barrel they finding
casks"
In the front room, the parlor, is a
mate to the fireplace in the south room.
This, while not larger, is much more
elegant. The woodwork about it is
paneled in elaborate pattern and has
what the other lacks, a cupboard, the
only one in the house. In this cupboard
is stored a rare and beautiful individual
tea set made from Mr.. Ponds design.
Each piece has burned in its beautiful
surface picture of houses and memo
rails in which he was interested. On
the big tray is the Milford memorial
bridge, that he was instrumental in
producing, encircled with a ribbon de-
sign on which is the motto of the
bridge. On the teapot are likenesses of
Sir Charles Hobby Mr.. Ponds 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 are the insignia Of the soci-
cites of Cincinnati and Colonial wars.