Putnam patriot., 1915-10-08
HISTORIC P0NFRET
HearthS and Homes in POmfret
The Ripley Homestead in Abingdon


ii hundred and fifty winters. The eN
terror has been so modernized by
piazza and bay-windows that only the
huge chimney in the center of the roof
indicates to the passerby its venerable
age. There is large square room on
each side of the front entrance, and n
kitchen in the rear of these rooms.Five
open fireplaees are suggestive of
warmth and cheer.
The house was built by the first
"settledn minister in Abingdon, Rev.
David Ripley was bern IN Windham
of good colonial ancestry, being Of the
fifth generation from William Ripley
who came to New England in 1888 and
also the nth from Gov. Bradford of
Plymouth colony. Graduating from
Yale in l74a he received the degree Of
Master of Arts from Harvard in t1oi.
The congregational church was or.
ganized Dee. 81, 1852. The ordination
of the young minister the 18th Of Feb
ruafy, 1888, in the cold, bare, untinish.
ed meeting house must have been i'm
pressive The congregation dressed in
eumbrous homespun coats and cloaks,
ugly caps and quilted hoods came on
sleds or horseback, glad and proud
that they had attained parish and
church organization, meeting house
and n brand new minister. The soele,
" had "voled that the ministers and
messengers and other gentlemen of a
liberal education with Mr.. Ripley's
friends ana relatives should be enter
tanned at the house of Mr. William Os-
good.n MIR. Ripley's "settement"
was 1900 pounds to be paid in two
years. His salary was to begin at 900
and rise gradually to 800 pounds an.
nually, the money being equal 10
wheat ut 40 shillings, rye at 30, Indian
corn at 20 and oats at 10 shillings per
bushel, pork at shillings and beef at
16 pence per pound.
A few lines from the deed of the
homestead read as follows: "Galeb
Dana of Cambridge, Mass, county OF
Middlesex and province of Mass,
in New England, gentleman, sendeth
/ greeting, =. for the sum OF 1000
/ Spanish miled dollars -. paid by
/ David Ripley, two tracts of land one
the other consists by esiima.
, ton of 50 acres bounded westerly on
/ land OF james Ingalls,, northerly on
/ land of Joseph Craft, Esq, easterly,
partly on Wfndham road and partly
| on land of Zechnriah Goodell, souther-
ly, ON land of Beechem Goodell.
May u, 1903, and in ye 9Th year of
his Majesty's reign George ye Second.
Probably the house was built soon
after this purchase.
The grand elm northwest of the
house was planted by Mr.. Ripley in
| 1857 with the aid of a lad, William 0s
good, (the great grandfather OF Hon.
I. o. Elliott
Mr.. Ripley married Betsy Eliot,
daughter OF Rev. Jacob Eliot Of Leba.
non.
| This item is found in the town rec
ords-Jenpy, a negro girl, owned by
Mrs. Betsy Ripley, born January 10,
17S3-the only known instance of slave
holding in Abingdon.
Mr.. Ripley taught pupils in his
home and fitted young men for college,
In his ministry of twenty-five years he
baptized 495 children. The church
and parish pfospered under Mr.. Rip.
ley's faithful care until falling health
compelled bis resignation in ITS but
he lived TO see his successor harmoni-
ously settled over the people before be
passed away.
Inscription on gravestone--
In memory of Rev'd David Ripley,
the late worthy pastor OF the church
| in Abingdon whose literary and min
| isterial accom- plishment with his ex.
emplary christian life will longer per
petuate his worth than this perishabIe
| stone erected by his affeclionate,
| mournful widow and dutiful children
as a monument of their esteem of him,
who though dead, yet speaketh TO
them and to his late flock.
0piit Sept. End, 1888
A T. tat 55 yrs.
Rev. David Bradford Ripley, son Of
Mr. Ripley, was minister in MARI
borough shout twenty five years.
DR.. Jared Warner married Mary,
daughter Of MIR. Ripley, and came into
| possession of the homestead.
Since the property passed from the
Warner family there has been success.
sion Of owners to the present owner,
William Harris.
The Lyon Homestead
short distance south OF the church
and somewhat back from the Wind
ham road is large old-fashioned two
| story house similar in appearance Il
many Others ia Pomfret erected just
prior TO the Revolution. IL has large
chimney IN the center, square front
rooms with window seats and shutters
and very mple kitchen.
4 m 49,. A. f~taraotf1o the horno