Jeremiah Pickard House (circa 1800)
Ownership:
Joseph & Thomas Lyford to Jeremiah Pickard – 1796
Various Members of the Pickard Family – 1823-1900
Lucy M. Pickard to Ernest & Josephine Ambeau – 1910
Ambeau to Francis P. Cass 1923
Est. of James T. Cass to Benjamin Ladd – 1974
Ladd to Jeffrey & Claudia Leidinger – 1976
History:
The original purchase was for a vacant parcel of land, as the “old barn” located northeast of the current residence was not included in the purchase. Lyford (page 434) lists the age of the residence as “1811”; however, given the date of the purchase and the construction elements included, an earlier date of construction closer to the turn of the century is likely. The house appears to have been constructed as a “duplex”, given that the layout includes two large cooking fireplaces with beehive ovens. Tax and inventory records support the belief that the property remained a multi-generational residence through the 19th century. The property remained a working farm through the 1800’s and into the mid 1900’s.
Renovations and Additions:
The residence was “updated” in the 1880’s with the replacement of the 12 over 12 double hung windows with four lite sash and the removal of the original triangular pediment over the main entrance with a horizontal lintel and side lites. The size of doorway was reduced to accommodate the side lites. During the renovations to the structure in the 1980’s, specifically the replacement of the clapboard siding, the outline of the original triangular pediment and molding was uncovered and replaced, including returning the doorway to its original size by eliminating the side lites. During this same period the original style divided lite windows (12 over 12 and 12 over 8) were installed, a 16′ x 28′ ell and 24′ x 24′ garage added to the eastern side of the structure (location of the original buttery), and the interior plaster restored. The interior of the residence retains most of its original moldings, mantels, doors, and hardware. All of the original six “Rumford” fireplaces have been retained and remain operable.
In 2021 a 30′ x 37′ post and beam barn frame (believed to date from the early 1800’s) was moved from Chichester and re-erected on the property. The frame was erected on a granite foundation and sheathed with locally harvested lumber. Oliver Fifield, from Canterbury, moved and erected the barn applying traditional building techniques. Erik Baker, also of Canterbury, constructed all of the windows for the barn, including the 36 lite transom.
Anecdotes:
The property is reported to have had “an 80′ ell” extending off the north side of the residence which was dynamited to prevent a fire in the attached barn (located parallel to the road) from spreading to the house. Remnants of the ell foundation and barn silo were uncovered during renovations to the property in the 1970’s; however, no formal record of the fire has been identified.
When the “Shell Meeting House” (located 1/4 mile east of the residence at the intersection of Baptist Hill Road and Hackleboro Road) fell down in 18xx, church services were reported to have been held in the “parlor” of the residence for an undetermined amount of time.