Connecticut western news., 1910-02-03
CORNWALL HOUSE
 15O YEARS OLO
IN FINE STATE OF PRESERVATION

of the Eighteenth Century-To Be
 RemodeIed By Its Present Owner.
 Henry B. Chamberlain.
 er1ury American, gives description of a fine old mansion in Cornwall, which has been familiar sight to many of our readers, and to their fathers before them
 The Peirce homestead in Cornwall, which is about 150 years old, having been built long before the Revolutionary War, is soon to be repaired, which will take away the severe lines of the old colonial structure. The interior is we'll preserved, with it's low beams and rich paneling, aud quaint cupboards i'll i'm probable places; with the buffet adOrn ing corner of the keeping room, ill which was kept the fine chinh. and called in olden times the "bowfat" cup board. There are five fireplaces, bailt of native stone. all in excellent order, with the smoke going up the huge chim neys, as it has been doing for a century aud a half.
 The house was built by Joshua Peirce, the patriarch of the Peirce family of Cornwall. who bought the farm on which it is situated in 174S of Joshua Jewell, an early settler. who had purchased it of the original "proprietors" in TAO, and Tod E0 f, ho Second MT. Jewell built a log house near the site of the present one, and lived on the farm eight years, when Joshua Peirce of Pembroke, Mass, bought it of him, paying 93,OO0 for it, there being 456 acres of land.
 The conditions in those days were that a permanent settler should build frams house, to be not less than 16 feet square and [ feet in the clear. AS Joshua Peirce the first was a wealthy man for his day, he erected a frame building about 28x22 feet, with heavy oaken frame and beams. and divided Into two rooms, with an open chamber above. One side of the iving-room was taken up by large fireplace, with a crane for hanging up the cooking kettles, and an oven which would take a whole pig or large joints of meat into it's capacious depths.
 A settle was arranged so as to be folded back against the fireplace, and at even- ing, when the labors of the day were over, the head of the house gathered his numerous family around him, making semi-circle about the blazing log fire, and from there closed the day with blessing on his family. Truly, "he builded bet ter than he knew" and for three gene rations Cornwall received a benefit which has never left it. The last one of his name, @ grandson of the venerable Joshua, was Major Seth Peirce, grad uate of Yale in 1906, who from his father, Captain Seth Peirce, son of Joshua, inherited the homestead, and lived in this house until he was 96 years of age, passing away in 1882.
 As Captain Peirce waxei in riches he purposed to build mansion of solidity, beftting hls station, and large enough to accommodate his numerous family; one which has withstood the marks of time and will for another century. After the death of Major Seth Peirce the place was sold by his heirs, and the quaint old building, first built and attached as an ell, was ruthlessly torn down, and all that remains of it is in the memory of the few who are now living.
 The present house, rich in traditions, presents a plain exterior, without cor nice, but with fine futing under the caves. Over the broad front door is a figure ill diamond shape of the thirteen original states and the emblematlc pine tree of New England. The homestead is now owned by Henry B. Chamber lain, who will soon make it a modern dwelling for comfort, without destroy ing any of it's old-time features.
 There are so few left of the very old houses, 1t seems fitting to pay tribute to them, and one can but dwell with sad thoughts crowding the memory of the scenes which have been enacted there The old house stands strong and up right while the winter blasts have blown and the summer sun has been shining in at the windows as when, more than a century ago, little children battered on the panes, or made pictures when the frost-king gave them background for their artistic work And from beam to rafter there seem to be written whole pages of history.