A Curious Family
Cellar Hole survey newsletter #14
The Questions
What is that corroded and rotten artifact on that rock?
Three families joined to occupy prime farmland. Why were they gone in one generation?
The Families
At the request of the current owners of this land, the 3 families of this story remain anonymous, depicted as the first, second, and third families. In addition, the names of the people are fictitious.
Much of their one-half mile long lot contained a significant portion of land suitable for agriculture, and it is no surprise that three prosperous Canterbury families settled here. Two houses and a barn were constructed. For simplicity we designated one as the South House, and the second as the North House.
With reliable circumstantial evidence in hand, we believe the first family built the South House around 1791, as part of a marriage agreement. The first-born from this marriage, Samuel, apparently lived his 30 years at the family homestead without marrying. The first daughter, Molly, was supposedly about 60 years old before her first marriage created the second family to occupy the house around 1857.
Two more children rounded out the first family. Comfort married and moved to Loudon. Ezekiel did not marry and died young as did his younger brother Samuel. Thus, by the time the parents died, only Molly was still living in the South House.
Meanwhile, second daughter Elizabeth married the day after Christmas in 1820, which formalized the connection to the third family. We surmise that this couple built their home around that year, and sited it just 20 feet north of the first family homestead where she was born. Their only children, two daughters, moved to Massachusetts as young adults. Leaving the parents alone in the North House.
A Curious Configuration
We find it curious that rather than the usual practice of enlarging a home by extending the original South House structure, or attaching a smaller living space, here the “addition”, the North House, is out of alignment with the South House. We interpret that the second family wanted a physically separate space to occupy.
SCALE 1”=10’
The North House foundation is centered in the photo, with the South House foundation about 20 feet away.
Was there embarrassment that one daughter had only two children, while the other daughter was first-married “late” in life? Is that why they were there for only one generation?
In the meantime, we invite reviews and questions be sent to cellarholesurveys@gmail.com.
Next month we will announce the answer to the first question. The next three answers are up to you!
Bill Adams for the Cellar Hole Committee of the Canterbury Historical Society.