Smyrna times., 1939-05-18
HISTORIC HOME
MISS SPRUANCE
Continued Prom Page One)


old locks have as many as four diff
ferent settings for locking the
door, one for the spring latch, two
for the lock bar, and a fourth, a
separate bar, which slides into
place individually without respect
to the other parts of the lock. The
fine hand carved wooden mantel
pieces, and carved wooden cornices
about the ceiling, Immediately well
come the visitor as he goes from
room to room. There are ten fire
places in the house, the ones down.
stairs having splendid tile hearths
and those upstairs being of brick.
1t is interesting to note, in regard
to Enoch Spruance, that he was a
member of the Legislature, and
that Presley Spruance was a Unit
ed States Senator from Delaware.
In 1874, Enoch Spruance was one
of the three electors from Della
ware on the Wing ticket, when
Henry Clay and Polk were running
for President and Vice President.
The other two from Delaware were
Alfred DUPONT and Thomas Davis.
Just when the Spruance mansion
was constructed is not known, but
it was built, according to Miss
Mary Spruance, either during or
before the Revolutionary days.
When a house across the street
was reconstructed recently which
is believed to have been built at
about the same time, several in
teresting articles were found below
the old floor. In the ground be
meath the house, two cannon balls,
evidently of the type used in the
Revolutionary war, were found,
probably souvenirs of returning
soldier.
Was Used as Smyrna First Bank
The parlor of the Spruance house
was at one time the first bank of
Smyrna, when Smyrna was known
and marked as Duck Creek Cross
Roads. The doors in the house
are heavy and strongly construct
ed, and this probably resulted
partly in the choice of this house
for a bank room. The huge lock
on the door leading from the front
of the house to the hall, and the
heavy door, are marvels of streng-
tn and substantial construction
and the heavy brass knocker adds
to the impressive appearance. The
kitchen was located between the
family dining-room and the state
dining-room, in a corner formed by
the main part Of the house and a
wing which contains the family
dining-room. Over the kitchen, in
the rear wing, a separate part Of
the house, were the slaves quart
ers. One of the most admired
pieces of furniture in the house
stands in the family dining-room.
It is a Duncan Beard grandfath-
ers' clock constructed by Duncan
Beard. who lived near Blackbird in
Appoquinimink Hundred in the
Revolutionary days. Beard was in
his prime during the period of
about 1765. 1t is family tradition
that the late Judge Henry G. Con-
rad, a great admirer Of such splen-
did examples of Colonial construc-
tion, always greeted the clock, the
active representative of Duncan
Beard in the Spruance household,
when he visited the house. Dun
can Boards house is said to be
still standing on the old road from
Blackbird to Wilmington, near
Blackbird. The clock, with its
heavy etched brass face, and with
the delicately f1uted and carved
woodwork, is a splendid example
of early Delaware workmanship.
The family dining-room contains a
regular treasure trove of splendid
antique furniture, including the
heavy mahogany sideboard, the
mirrors, the small double leaf side
table and the chairs. Even the
plate and tableware are antique. A
rare set Of Little Boy Blue"
chinaware is on the sideboard, and
many persons, interested in the
subject have photographed exam
pies of the set and made copies.
The first coal stove to be used IN
Smyrna is now in the Spruance
house. 1t is an old Franklin stove.
The stove was brought to Smyrna
by the members of p. e. E. Spru-
ance, to prove that "the black
stuff" (coa) would burn. Miss
Mary Spruance visiting the Ses-
quicentennial in Philadelphia, IN
1926, as a matter of necessity,
took the front door key with her
in a handbag. When she was in
the d. A. r. building a woman ap-
peared with display Of keys from
antique locks, which she collected,
and she called attention to their
great size as g. mark of their an
tiquity and genuine use at one
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