Milford chronicle., 1922-11-10
The STORY OF AN INTER-
ESTING MILFORD HOUSE

The closeness of the bond between
people who live in country towns, is
found not so much upon the surface
of the present as in family tradition;
not so much in the fact that our chill
dren play together, as in the fact that
our fathers and grandfathers played,
wrought, and suffered tOgether-deep
unseen roots which the stranger IN
our midst cannot see, but from which
our chief strength as a community is
drawn. This applies to houses as
we'll as to people, which become to
us so much more than brick, wood
and mortar when we link these
life of our town, which is ESSENTIALLY
our own development.
In reading recently Historical
Etchings of Milford" edited by George
B. Hynson, Esq, we happened upon
brief history of the home of the late
James F. Anderson, the General Tor
bert residence, at the corner OF Sec
Ond and Walnut streets. Especial in
terest attaches itself to this old Mil
ford home in view of the fact that ow-
ing to the death of Mr.. Anderson
the home which Mr.. Anderson pur-
chased from the late DR.. James 5.
Stanton, may soon be sold. We quote
here what Mr.. Hynson says of its ear
ly history:
But few of the many who have set
tied here in the far-oif past have left
such indelible evidence of public spir-
it, business enterprise and sound
Judgment as Benjamin B. Wadhams,
who was born at New Milford, Conn.,,
in 1889 and died here at the age OF
AZ years. Some say he appeared as
peddler; but that is not material to
this account. He purchased all the
west side of Walnut street between
Front and Second streets, now owned
by Mrs. Mary e. Lofland and DR..
James G. Stanton.
Before Wadhams came, there stood
a brick tavern on the northwest cor
ner of Front and Walnut streets, kept
by Abner Dill. There he built two
story brick store house and dwelling
(utilizing the east and south walls
and chimney of the Dill Hotel, as
plainly seen before the building was
rough cast. 1t is now occupied in
part by the First National Bank. The
third story was added by the late Col.
Fiddeman after his purchase of it
from the late Mr. Causey.
Wadhams next built tavern, as
seen in the lower stories of the Tor
bert residence, and one James Starr
kept it. He next embarked in the mer-
camille business where the bank now
is, and continued up to the time of his
death. He carried a. heavy stock OF
miscellaneous merchandise and ship
ped large quantities of farm products,
bark, wood, etc. He left one son,
Henry Wadhams, who disposed Of all
the property to Peter F. Causey, went
to New Orleans and died there.
Mr.. Causey sold the Starr tavern
to. Daniel Currey, who employed a
skillful architect (Alonzo Reynolds, of
Port Deposit, Md to add a third
story and modernize the building as
it now appears.
Daniel Currey married Miss Mary
Polk, sister of Governor Trusten Polk
of Missouri, and aunt of Mrs. William
F. Causey. His only daughter, Mary 3.
Currey, married the late Major Gen.
Torbert." The delightful and bril-
liant social life of the Torberts in this
house forms a very happy chapter in
the history of the life of Milford.
Since the time Of Mr.. Hynson's ar
ticle, the late DR.. Stanton has added
a large south porch looking out upon
the beautiful garden with its two
southern magnolia trees and old box
wood borders and thoroughly reno
waited the house. When the property |
was, a few years ago, purchased by
Mr.. Anderson the house was again
completely renovated and without any
impairment to the delightful colonial
tures-thoroughly modernized as
to heating, lighting, plumbing and
hardwood flooring, which now makes
it without question one of the finest |
old homes in Delaware.