Historic Homes Magazine Summer 2024

The Editor tast was a warm, Look Goes to a loudless ditor's choice seaside colonial morning in village uaint Warwick when we visited ne of the randest homes n this seaside illage

re to be transported to one of Warwick's most ficent coastal estates, where opulence meets the ng caress of the sea. Immerse yourself in the eur of this architectural masterpiece as you turn each savoring every exquisite detail. sue is a veritable feast for the senses, inviting you to e in the quintessential delights of the summer season. ne the tantalizing aroma of sizzling barbecues, the er of loved ones echoing through the warm evening d the rejuvenating embrace of nature's vibrant hues. ese pages guide cherished memories that will h your soul long after the summer sun has set. We ly thank you, our valued readers, for your ering support and enthusiasm. Your passion for our zine fuels our dedication to delivering the highest y content, issue after issue. to a summer brimming with joy, adventure, and the pleasures that make life extraordinary. Embrace gic, and let the pages of our Summer issue be your rt to endless possibilities.

est regards, a

14 Inside this Issue America's John Frederick Updike Van House -Industry Cortlandt Indigo The - The - TheCortlandt John Van Updike sky on a houseday.

House clear (c. is the 1745) The is the second oldest water of known theoldest house inRobin surviving oceans. town, house in having what eggs in is been anow nest.built the A by the Bronx pair of grandson jeans. of the town's founder.

Special oroughgood endship euse bees were an

Thoroughgood rt to the American se is one of the nent, beeswax t extant in ed to be ahouses valuable was British rican export. nial America. in 1719-1720

Sheila M. Belanger Owner/Editor/Publisher/Photographer Dennis Belanger Design and Layout Matt Belanger Director of Digital and Social Media In Print Visit www.historichomesmagazine.com Online: Visit www.historichomesmagazine.com Newsletter: Visit www.historichomesmagaine.com Social Media: Instagram: www.instagram.com/historichomesmagazine Facebook: www.facebook.com/historichomesmagazine You Tube: www.youtube.com/@historichomesmagazine Questions contact@historichomesmagazine.com 860-413-2361 Historic Homes Magazine, Summer 2024 ©

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JOHN UPDIKE HOUSE c.1745

JOHN UPDIKE HOUSE c.1745

Wickford's Grandest Century House

18th

Wickford's Grandest Century House

18th

A

ruction date has never been definitively mined. The original parcel of land was deeded by e founder Lodowick Updike to his son Richard. n Richard’s sudden death in 1734, and with the ng of a great stone at Cocumscossuc, the place was ified only as Richard’s estate, passed down to his Capt. John Updike, a prominent Newport and ford mariner. No description of this “estate” was ed in the will and probate record at the time of ard Updike’s demise. rdless of its actual construction date, the house was in the style of a Newport mansion of the time and he grandest home in the village, worthy of a ber of this prominent family. It was originally ed right on the frontage of Main Street, now ant Street, and included a large wharf, a substantial house, a stable and other outbuildings. Updike rship ended in 1752 when John sold it to Peleg e and moved to Providence, where he later married ife, Ann, daughter of John Crawford of the inent Providence merchant and ship-owning y. he next 75 years or so, this house, due to its rtance as a commercial parcel rather than a ential one, changed hands numerous times. Indeed, home has had perhaps more owners than any other d Wickford proper. Most of these owners were r mariners themselves or sailing vessel owners who ed the warehouse and expansive wharf associated the home as a focus of their business enterprises.

Pearce owned the home for only one year and then t to house carpenter Ebenezer Cahoone, who held it until 1757, when he sold it to Joshua Pearce. In Joshua Pearce sold it to Jonathan Vaughn, who ownership for one year, followed by Thomas combe, also for one year. The next owner was inent Wickford banker, merchant, and property r Benjamin Fowler, who lived there until 1765. er, who built his own fine home just up the Grand way in 1769, sold it to John Reynolds, who ntly purchased it speculatively, as he resold it in a er of a few months to prominent Newporter Samuel ton. Brenton, too, kept the property for just one and then turned around and sold it to prominent mariner Capt. Ebenezer Slocum.

A construction date has never been definitively determined. The original parcel of land was deeded by village founder Lodowick Updike to his son Richard.

Upon Richard’s sudden death in 1734, and with the moving of a great stone at Cocumscossuc, the place was identified only as Richard’s estate, passed down to his son Capt. John Updike, a prominent Newport and Wickford mariner. No description of this “estate” was detailed in the will and probate record at the time of Richard Updike’s demise.

Regardless of its actual construction date, the house was built in the style of a Newport mansion of the time and was the grandest home in the village, worthy of a member of this prominent family. It was originally located right on the frontage of Main Street, now Pleasant Street, and included a large wharf, a substantial warehouse, a stable and other outbuildings. Updike ownership ended in 1752 when John sold it to Peleg Pearce and moved to Providence, where he later married his wife, Ann, daughter of John Crawford of the prominent Providence merchant and ship-owning family.

For the next 75 years or so, this house, due to its importance as a commercial parcel rather than a residential one, changed hands numerous times. Indeed, this home has had perhaps more owners than any other in Old Wickford proper. Most of these owners were either mariners themselves or sailing vessel owners who utilized the warehouse and expansive wharf associated with the home as a focus of their business enterprises.

Peleg Pearce owned the home for only one year and then sold it to house carpenter Ebenezer Cahoone, who held on to it until 1757, when he sold it to Joshua Pearce. In 1760, Joshua Pearce sold it to Jonathan Vaughn, who held ownership for one year, followed by Thomas Newcombe, also for one year. The next owner was prominent Wickford banker, merchant, and property owner Benjamin Fowler, who lived there until 1765.

Fowler, who built his own fine home just up the Grand Highway in 1769, sold it to John Reynolds, who evidently purchased it speculatively, as he resold it in a matter of a few months to prominent Newporter Samuel Brenton. Brenton, too, kept the property for just one year and then turned around and sold it to prominent local mariner Capt. Ebenezer Slocum.

S

wn, on, gment vessels were Despatch from convinced Elamsville a life andatSwift. sea, that andhe the Additionally, George. opened Day of Cottrell aAtonement, ship’s he dlery the ually Jesus original and sold would general the charter return home store toand tooperate just Capt. take around Oliver the a ferry faithful the Spink, atcorner to en, hhis Ferry, would home located occur at a location precisely just south on on Main of Oct. Plum Street.

22, 1844.

Upon When his rchant and farmer who also had ownership did h.

He not 1885, owned happen, the house the Joshua property and Himes the and store isbased credited were his leftwith to his sin in the vessels Fame and Mary.

In 1824, ng Oliver hisbusiness followers Spink Westcott, enterprise together who from and was forming here a Brown forfrom the Advent .ime John Westcott purchased the home stian yersity-trained awho decade.

Faith.

He educator thenHimes soldserving it is inthought 1775 as the to of aprincipal as the k, was aIndeed, relation. prominent der on, of Samuel this Chicago faith.

Slocum, high who school. wasofa the merchant cott, master at various times sailing part owner of the vessel Fair America. As evolutionary War kicked into high gear, el Slocum sold the house and property homas Cutler, a vocal and ardent Tory. rently, Cutler was too vocal a loyalist to rown and its cause; during the end of the s the property was seized by the fledgling rnment of the new State of Rhode Island n 1782, was auctioned off to help ce the war debt. It was purchased from de Island General Treasurer Joseph ke by local real estate mogul Peter ps and quickly resold to Jonathan Bates, retained ownership of the house and iated property for the next decade. han Bates was part owner of the Rhode d privateer schooner Betty, which was e during the Revolutionary War. 92, Bates sold the property to merchant essel owner Joshua Vaughn, who later t to Capt. James Cooper, master of the ail. In 1801, it was purchased by Capt. amin Davis, master of the ship Union chooner Ocean. In 1805, Davis sold it to ess associate Stukely Himes, who was wner of the sailing vessel Ocean.

Indies trader and local merchant Stukely es was married to Elizabeth Vaughn, the hter of an earlier owner of the house, ua Vaughn. Sadly, Stukely Himes was yed by his business partners in the rship of the Ocean; Capt. Samuel Carter argo officer Alexander Stuart sold the and cargo at their first port of call and with the proceeds. ely and Elizabeth lost much of their h because of this and had to move in the Vaughn family. Their son, Joshua hn Himes, upon reaching adulthood,

S

retirement Vernon, known, sailing vessels were Despatch from convinced Elamsville a life andatSwift. sea, that andhe the Additionally, George. opened Day of Cottrell aAtonement, ship’s he held the when eventually chandlery Jesus original and sold would general the charter return home store toand tooperate just Capt. take around Oliver the a ferry faithful the Spink, atcorner to North from his Ferry, would home located occur at a location precisely just south on on Main of Oct. Plum Street.

22, 1844.

Upon When his aheaven, merchant and farmer who also had ownership Beach. this death did in He not 1885, owned happen, the house the Joshua property and Himes the and store isbased credited were his leftwith to his shares in the vessels Fame and Mary.

In 1824, maritime pulling son, Oliver hisbusiness followers Spink Westcott, enterprise together who from and was forming here a Brown forfrom the Advent Capt.

John Westcott purchased the home nearly awho Christian University-trained decade.

Faith.

He educator thenHimes soldserving it is inthought 1775 as the to of aprincipal as the Spink, was aIndeed, relation. relation, founder of a prominent of Samuel this Chicago faith.

Slocum, high who school. wasofa the merchant Westcott, master at various times sailing and part owner of the vessel Fair America. As the Revolutionary War kicked into high gear, Samuel Slocum sold the house and property to Thomas Cutler, a vocal and ardent Tory.

Apparently, Cutler was too vocal a loyalist to the crown and its cause; during the end of the 1770s the property was seized by the fledgling government of the new State of Rhode Island and, in 1782, was auctioned off to help finance the war debt. It was purchased from Rhode Island General Treasurer Joseph Clarke by local real estate mogul Peter Phillips and quickly resold to Jonathan Bates, who retained ownership of the house and associated property for the next decade.

Jonathan Bates was part owner of the Rhode Island privateer schooner Betty, which was active during the Revolutionary War. In 1792, Bates sold the property to merchant and vessel owner Joshua Vaughn, who later sold it to Capt. James Cooper, master of the Abigail. In 1801, it was purchased by Capt.

Benjamin Davis, master of the ship Union and schooner Ocean. In 1805, Davis sold it to business associate Stukely Himes, who was the owner of the sailing vessel Ocean.

West Indies trader and local merchant Stukely Himes was married to Elizabeth Vaughn, the daughter of an earlier owner of the house, Joshua Vaughn. Sadly, Stukely Himes was betrayed by his business partners in the ownership of the Ocean; Capt. Samuel Carter and cargo officer Alexander Stuart sold the ship and cargo at their first port of call and fled with the proceeds.

Stukely and Elizabeth lost much of their wealth because of this and had to move in with the Vaughn family. Their son, Joshua Vaughn Himes, upon reaching adulthood,

ade ship model, late 19th or early 20th

re scrimshaw vane, modern octant, J. M. Kleman & Zoon, Amsterdam, h century

O

renowned entomologist with a personal collection of over 40,000 different insect species. When Oliver sold the home to Asel P. Bartlett in 1899, just a few years after receiving an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in Providence, 75 years of Westcott ownership ended.

Providence merchant Asel Bartlett only owned the home for two years before he sold it in 1901 to Wickford house carpenter James H. Bullock. Bullock resold it within a few months to local real estate agent Frank L. Holloway, who retained ownership until 1920. In 1920, the house was purchased by Alonzo Cross.

Cross, president and founder of Cross Pen & Pencil, hired architect Norman Isham to oversee the restoration, remodeling and relocation of the house, which had fallen into disrepair over the years, for himself, his wife and his son, professor Herbert R. Cross. The house was moved back 40 feet to a new foundation and then completely restored to its former majesty by restoration carpenter Joseph Bullock, utilizing Isham’s plans.

The Cross family and their descendants retained ownership of the home until 1967. Later owners of Crossholme, as it came to be known, were Gil and Nancy Thorpe and Bill and Mary Anne Sabo. The house was lovingly maintained by the Sabo family for 37 years.

op-fluted legs, 1780–1800. rt side chairs. Stop-fluted legs, scroll-carved ears ter an arched, incised, and dot-punched date 1780–1800. ht: Banjo clock by Lemuel Curtis, circa 1815. of a Connecticut gentleman or ship captain. y by William Jennys 1774–1859.

edge, stop-fluted legs, 1780–1800.

Newport side chairs. Stop-fluted legs, scroll-carved ears that center an arched, incised, and dot-punched reserve, date 1780–1800.

Top right: Banjo clock by Lemuel Curtis, circa 1815.

Portrait of a Connecticut gentleman or ship captain.

Possibly by William Jennys 1774–1859.

century

ht: Federal eglomise looking glass, probably usetts about 1815 ht: Liverpool Creamware Ship Jug for n Market with polychrome image of Joiners th the ship Victory on the reverse. Early 19th

Top right: Federal eglomise looking glass, probably Massachusetts about 1815 Top right: Liverpool Creamware Ship Jug for American Market with polychrome image of Joiners Arms with the ship Victory on the reverse. Early 19th century.

70.

1765-1770.

for a home. Our perfect dream home was an antique home, preferably a ship captain's home near the water. oked at several houses in Connecticut and Rhode Island. We had previously seen this house in Wickford the arlier, and were pleasantly surprised to see it still was available. I was familiar with Wickford and the John e house. I had driven by it many years before as I explored Rhode Island's wonderful small towns as a graduate t at Brown. I remember seeing the John Updike house and thinking that's the kind of house I want someday, it ook us thirty-seven years to get back here!

ord is a seaport village founded at the start of the 18th century. It has one of Rhode Island's largest collection of reserved historic homes, most of which were built and lived in by generations of ship captains and seafarers. hn Updike house (c. 1745) is the second oldest house in town, having been built by the grandson of the town's er. John Updike was a ship captain from Newport and he built the house on the scale of houses owned by the ng greats of Newport. When Ellen and I found the house was still available, we visited the house again. We've being the house's latest caretaker and have found Wickford to be the perfect place for us."

search for a home. Our perfect dream home was an antique home, preferably a ship captain's home near the water.

We looked at several houses in Connecticut and Rhode Island. We had previously seen this house in Wickford the year earlier, and were pleasantly surprised to see it still was available. I was familiar with Wickford and the John Updike house. I had driven by it many years before as I explored Rhode Island's wonderful small towns as a graduate student at Brown. I remember seeing the John Updike house and thinking that's the kind of house I want someday, it only took us thirty-seven years to get back here!

Wickford is a seaport village founded at the start of the 18th century. It has one of Rhode Island's largest collection of well-preserved historic homes, most of which were built and lived in by generations of ship captains and seafarers.

The John Updike house (c. 1745) is the second oldest house in town, having been built by the grandson of the town's founder. John Updike was a ship captain from Newport and he built the house on the scale of houses owned by the shipping greats of Newport. When Ellen and I found the house was still available, we visited the house again. We've loved being the house's latest caretaker and have found Wickford to be the perfect place for us."

Chris

IM BOWEN

E-mail: info@timbowenantiques.co.uk

ANTIQUES

www.timbowenantiques.co.uk

Happy Father's Day from Historic Homes Magazine

Where are we going?

Son, we are on our way to the Post House to gather our Summer Edition of Historic Homes Magazine

vanfrederick cortlandt plantation.

1748

ion, brother. and Jacobus there was Vana Cortlandt nearby Native acquired American parcels e Philipse known asthrough Keskeskick.

1699 Adriaen and dammed van derTibbetts Donck, kchtosettler, create was Van the Cortlandt first European Lake. Hetoand occupy his wife the Cortlandt y lived in House's Manhattan site,but having usedbought the estate the as landa ation the Dutch in theWest early India 18th Company century. The in 1646. property's Van Donck mity todied Tibbetts in 1655.

Brook, Following which drained the takeover into the of Netherland m River andbySpuyten the British Duyvil in Creek 1664, to thethe claim south, to state it easy was awarded for Van toCortlandt van der Donck's to ship brother-ingrain and Elias r products Doughty, by water. who proceeded In 1732, to VansellCortlandt off the ons red of an the additional property. parcel Doughty from the soldTippett a 2,000-acre family. including estate wasthepassed site of the in Van 1739Cortlandt to Jacobus's House,son to rick Van Philipse, Cortlandt.

Thomas When Delavall, Frederick and inherited Thomas nd, . Philipse the sitebought was considered out Delavall's part of and lower Lewis's Yonkers land Westchester s, making County. the land Horses, part oxen, of thecattle, expansive hogs, psburg , and hens Manor. roamed When across Philipse's the farm, wifewhile died, crops he rried as flax the and fruits daughter were grown of Dutch there.brewer Several slaves Oloff worked nse VanonCortlandt, the plantation. herself a widow.

“en suite”

n the 18th-century. An elaborate display of ported fabric such as this s possible only in the home of a wealthy family.”

“en suite” in the 18th-century. An elaborate display of imported fabric such as this was possible only in the home of a wealthy family.”

The Van Cortlandt House is the oldest known surviving house in what is now the Bronx

Frederick was Cortlandt House interred Museum, there. Frederick After its completion, likely did not the build Cortlandt Van the house House himself,was despite often being called credited the manor as the builder.although house, Frederick's this was family a misnomer, used the Tippett as the "manor" house while their name applied newtostructure the Vanwas Cortlandt being built.

Manor The inmansion Crotonwas built in New on-Hudson, a valeYork. that The the historian mansion was Robert alsoBolton called described "Lower Cortlandt's" as "about to reduce one mile confusion northwith from Frederick Kings Bridge", Van Cortlandt's next tofarm, what"Upper is now Cortlandt's", Broadway.westOne of descendant wrote that the mansion was probably built Broadway. on the The family site of, used or close the grist to, Van mill der andDonck's sawmill farmhouse; next to the the foundation lake.

Within the house, of Van the der familyDonck's salted theold pork house and remained beef; curedintact the ham in front and of bacon; the Van and stored Cortlandt the House. various East of fruits that thegrew mansion on thewas premises. a mill dam The across Van Cortland’s Tibbetts Brook, did not aprimarily small mill, liveand in that the Van house, Cortlandt’s' instead staying previous in residence. To Manhattan mosttheof northeast the time. ofTwo the early mansion historians were woodlands. wrote that James In Frederick's Van Cortlandt will, signed frequently on October intervened 2, 1749, on behalf he ofindicated neighborsthat whothe had house been robbed. was almost The complete. family often invited civilian and military officials to the Frederick serving mansion, died before lobsters thefrom house thewas Long finished, Island and Sound he bequeathed and hams from the the estate estate's to hisgrounds. son, Jacobus Slaves(James) performed Van Cortlandt. many of theHis tasks request aroundalso the included house, including either 11 laundry, or 12 slaves whoand cleaning, worked cooking. on the plantation.

i nd igo

digo plant. Indigo became a popular crop to grow in a specific region of the southern colonies and is an pected agricultural product that came from America’s colonial period. o is a tropical plant that when put through a fermentation process produces a blue-colored dye which was to make blue-colored clothing and other textiles. It is believed that indigo production first started in ancient and it was produced in other parts of Asia and the Middle East. Trade on the Silk Road brought indigo to oman world and later Medieval Europe. In Europe blue dye was produced through a plant called woad, ver indigo produced a better color than woad so it quickly became a preferred option.

i nd igo the indigo plant. Indigo became a popular crop to grow in a specific region of the southern colonies and is an unexpected agricultural product that came from America’s colonial period.

Indigo is a tropical plant that when put through a fermentation process produces a blue-colored dye which was used to make blue-colored clothing and other textiles. It is believed that indigo production first started in ancient India, and it was produced in other parts of Asia and the Middle East. Trade on the Silk Road brought indigo to the Roman world and later Medieval Europe. In Europe blue dye was produced through a plant called woad, however indigo produced a better color than woad so it quickly became a preferred option.

beaten” ation orld, imited indigo produced to success with became paddles enough selling one the of and ofthe aproduct stirred crops crop that for around to was dye the uction. antly. ern ptedcolonies to Lime She besent was grown and ausually sample the in French, parts added to Britain ofto although North this calling vatand the to it olina uctup America was the Indigo” process. used and where to the Eventually, make itCaribbean. was well some the received.

The of water the Spanish would blue French blue. rms marrying ofWith the bothContinental continued found the wealthy success beating Army. growing planter The a chemical war itCharles initself the in ater bean damaged ney, called and a convert Louisiana. the indican lands towould indigo The used Dutch form production to leaving grow attempted indigo a after blue to ment gnting itherinon progress, the present-day the cropbottom she fromwas New being ofable the York grown tovat. further with at Once alllimited spread for thisa o ed ss. seeds the For water theand British would knowledge colonies, be drained with indigo into neighboring was thenot third as ations. aving andustry priority behind While recovered although “indigo Eliza Pinckney briefly mud” there in in iswas the evidence not second latethe 1780s, they first vat.

Britain mud pted ly person growing was soon then in the itturned as hung Lowcountry early to inascloth India the 1670s region bags to source to intoSouth drain. grow its o,ina. o. drained she With The didthe British no help indigo bounty focused kickstart would from their South be molded efforts theCarolina’s British more into ks” onment eindustry. highly or smaller tolucrative growsquares thesugar crop and production and dried a diminished where in their they dbean nt seeing then of be holdings the trading ready initialfor and partners success export. tobacco ofindigo growing production production indigo in ndigo-making ly ofCarolina decreased the American andprocess in lobbying the colonies 1790s was efforts not and and a relied pleasant by wascolonial on mostly task the ehby fermentation James to the supply early Crokatt, indigo.

1800s. process theMany emitted British indigo angovernment incredibly planters uted hed tench. changed, to a Indigo bounty growing however, processing ofcotton sixduring pence assites itthe per was were 1740s. pound becoming at least King ona oer ge’s lucrative dyemile War, in 1749. away and alsoWith again called from thefitthe plantation incentive into War thein ofplantation dwellings place Jenkins’ the omy. disrupted was se the grown smell relations in was more between soearnest. bad. Great The In 1747 smell Britain South often and eted ina e indigo meaning exported flies,hasthe mosquitos, a138,300 British longer needed and pounds anddeeper aother new of history indigo supplier insects, to in digo. ng n. parts By things They of thethe more peak turned world, of difficult to indigo thetheir plant for production colonies played the slaves atorole infulfill that the in need uced iesAmerican init. and 1775, The indigo S.C. agriculture. longproduction exports periodsgrew Indigo exposed began to 1,122,200 growing toto take the hded dsincould of an southern important blue be nauseating dye colonies product to for the likefor those mother South thewho burgeoning Carolina, country. worked gia, gia’s hketextile the and production dye. the industry. territory peaked The of plant Florida. in at brought 22,000 (Florida pounds a great was of 70. nged leads wealth between ustotothethe colony British important ofand South Spanish reality Carolina that control asthe it me al oialfarmers times indigo the ingrew industry colony’s the different 18thwas second-largest century. dependent speciesRegardless of the onexport plant slave of ewas en Indigo colonies. the controlling 1740s growing There and it,took 1790s. was indigo hold a wild Also, remained inindigo the the industry’s southern aspecies major ndence produced ies classified because on inas the the slave Indigofera area.) warmer labor climate perpetuated caroliniana was more that the ation ally leCarolina togrew system growinbecame the areas ofplant, agriculture from theand British Virginia because in colonies’ the to indigo Louisiana.

American main was ucer ever, p which that of thiscould indigo wild would easily species andultimately this bedidis produced not often play produce attributed awithin role a very the to in dy nt ng efforts established or the lasting Civil of a War blue woman plantation later. dye.named Today, style Growers ofEliza ruins agriculture. preferred of Lucas the oorted ney. could fermenting varieties.

Pinckney be grown vats Indigofera was on remain land borntinctoria not in onsuitable parts thecame island offor South from rice of ua ng ina, and which asand was herthe was father known plant thewas primary as remains “French” the British crop an important indigo grown governor at inpart the of eernmost land. and cultural Indigofera From colonies. history an early suffruticosa in So,the plantation age,areas shewas where developed owners native it who was toa n. on ed al America for on botany. growing andInwas rice 1738 known would at the assometimes age “Guatemalan” of sixteen, add o. o was asBoth asent secondary these to live varieties crop. on Slaves made one of would better her work products family’s the ations he planting Guatemalan near andCharleston harvesting indigo became the in South crops, theas Carolina. primary well as mplish most y grown Lowcountry the in processing the colonies.

South of indigo Carolina to turn plantations it into Slaves indigo ropertywho growing grewhadrice, season the however skillsbegan andEliza knowledge in April set about and to imenting rsthe would dye get towere two determine sometimes to threeanother cuttings referred profitable a year to of as go ndigo heyslaves” could plants grow. and between were June considered and September. to be of erdye-making failed value.experiments processwith began plantsbylike taking figs and the Indigo gs reesto Eliza aindustry processing triedinout the siteindigo colonies whichand was wasitusually damaged showeda he ed ise.outbreak area For with several ofthree years the large American she vats. cultivated Plants Revolution. indigo were nican-grown with into the the first helpindigo vat of filled a French was with water grower sold called named almost the er. sively errat After and to Great anywhere a mulatto Britain. from slave12 named to 24 Quash. hours in the er the plants would ferment.

had“beaten” the plantation be world, limited indigo produced to success with became paddles enough selling one the of and ofthe aproduct stirred crops crop that for around to was dye the attemptedcolonies production. constantly. northern to Lime She besent was grown and ausually sample the in French, parts added to Britain ofto although North this calling vatand the to it South up “Carolina speed product America was the Indigo” process. used and where to the Eventually, make itCaribbean. was well some the received.

The of water the Spanish would blue and French After turn uniforms blue. marrying ofWith the bothContinental continued found the wealthy success beating Army. growing planter The a chemical war itCharles initself the in Caribbean Pinckney, the also water damaged called and a convert Louisiana. the indican lands towould indigo The used Dutch form production to leaving grow attempted indigo a after blue to grow itherinon seeing sediment preventing progress, the present-day the cropbottom she fromwas New being ofable the York grown tovat. further with at Once alllimited spread for thisa success. seeds indigo formed time. the For water theand British would knowledge colonies, be drained with indigo into neighboring was thenot third as highleaving plantations. vat The industry a priority behind While recovered although “indigo Eliza Pinckney briefly mud” there in in iswas the evidence not second latethe 1780s, they first vat. attempted or The but only Britain mud person growing was soon then in the itturned as hung Lowcountry early to inascloth India the 1670s region bags to source to intoSouth drain. grow its Carolina. indigo, Once indigo. drained she With The didthe British no help indigo bounty focused kickstart would from their South be molded efforts theCarolina’s British more into on theindustry. indigo “bricks” government highly or smaller tolucrative growsquares thesugar crop and production and dried a diminished where in their they Caribbean After would amount seeing then of be holdings the trading ready initialfor and partners success export. tobacco ofindigo growing production production indigo in parts indigo-making South The steadily ofCarolina decreased the American andprocess in lobbying the colonies 1790s was efforts not and and a relied pleasant by wascolonial on mostly task the French agent as gone the by fermentation James to the supply early Crokatt, indigo.

1800s. process theMany emitted British indigo angovernment incredibly planters This stench. instituted foul switched changed, to a Indigo bounty growing however, processing ofcotton sixduring pence assites itthe per was were 1740s. pound becoming at least King ona George’s indigo quarter more lucrative dyemile War, in 1749. away and alsoWith again called from thefitthe plantation incentive into War thein ofplantation dwellings place Jenkins’ the Ear, disrupted crop because economy. wasthe grown smell relations in was more between soearnest. bad. Great The In 1747 smell Britain South often and France indigo Carolina attracted While meaning exported flies,hasthe mosquitos, a138,300 British longer needed and pounds anddeeper aother new of history indigo supplier insects, to in of indigo.

Britain. making other parts By things They of thethe more peak turned world, of difficult to indigo thetheir plant for production colonies played the slaves atorole infulfill that the in this need colonies produced early American init. and 1775, The indigo S.C. agriculture. longproduction exports periodsgrew Indigo exposed began to 1,122,200 growing toto take the place incould pounds stench provided of an southern important blue be nauseating dye colonies product to for the likefor those mother South thewho burgeoning Carolina, country. worked Georgia, Georgia’s to British maketextile the and production dye. the industry. territory peaked The of plant Florida. in at brought 22,000 (Florida pounds a great was exchanged in This deal 1770. ofleads wealth between ustotothethe colony British important ofand South Spanish reality Carolina that control asthe it several farmers Indigo colonial became times indigo the ingrew industry colony’s the different 18thwas second-largest century. dependent speciesRegardless of the onexport plant slave of whothewas in labor. between Indigo colonies. the controlling 1740s growing There and it,took 1790s. was indigo hold a wild Also, remained inindigo the the industry’s southern aspecies major crop produced now colonies dependence classified because on inas the the slave Indigofera area.) warmer labor climate perpetuated caroliniana was more that the South Carolina naturally suitable plantation togrew system growinbecame the areas ofplant, agriculture from theand British Virginia because in colonies’ the to indigo Louisiana.

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Pinckney be grown vats Indigofera was on remain land borntinctoria not in onsuitable parts thecame island offor South from rice of Antigua India growing Carolina, and which asand was herthe was father known plant thewas primary as remains “French” the British crop an important indigo grown governor at inpart the of thethe time, southernmost of island. and cultural Indigofera From colonies. history an early suffruticosa in So,the plantation age,areas shewas where developed owners native it who was toa passion America Central focused grown. for on botany. growing andInwas rice 1738 known would at the assometimes age “Guatemalan” of sixteen, add she was indigo. indigo asBoth asent secondary these to live varieties crop. on Slaves made one of would better her work products family’s the plantations and fields the planting Guatemalan near andCharleston harvesting indigo became the in South crops, theas Carolina. primary well as Like most variety accomplish grown Lowcountry the in processing the colonies.

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sed by both the Loyalists and the Patriots. On 30, 1775, the New York Provincial Congress d James Van Cortlandt on a committee to create ort on whether it was feasible to build a fort near mily's house. Although James was described as aving been "a very active loyalist", he was not fully mitted to the Patriots' cause either, and the Van andt’s wished to stay neutral. Augustus Van andt hid city records under Vault Hill to protect during the war, turning them over to the new ican government afterward. Some members of an Cortlandt family continued to reside at the on during most of the war. grounds were used by Patriot militia leaders e de Rochambeau, Marquis de Lafayette, and ge Washington. The house itself was hington's headquarters after his troops were ted in the 1776 Battle of Long Island, and hington stayed at the house prior to the Battle of e Plains. After Washington's troops were ted in the Battle of White Plains, British ral William Howe made the house his quarters on November 13, 1776, placing it d British-held ground.

ve ar, the and British Digby gifted into thinking Augustusthat VanhisCortlandt troops a pair of wooden bird sculptures that had been taken from a sh stillprivateer. on the grounds.

AmericanWashington troops unsuccessfully used the tried to retake the house in 1777. A British captain surnamed e was one severely final time wounded in 1783inafter a battle the Treaty nearbyofin 1780, and he died in the house just after his fiancée arrived, The rise to British rumors hadthat justRowe's withdrawn ghosttheir haunted troops the house. s Manhattan, Van Cortlandt and moved Washington away during and George the war because of his poor health, and he died in 1781. Because on s had were no getting children, ready his to younger enter the brother, island, New York City Clerk Augustus Van Cortlandt, took over the erty. ing over Washington at the house returned beforetodoing the house so. in 1781 to strategize with Rochambeau while their troops waited de on what is now the Parade Ground and Vault Hill. Although Washington had wanted to scout British n Upper Manhattan, his troops instead headed south to Virginia,

deceive the war, the and British Digby gifted into thinking Augustusthat VanhisCortlandt troops a pair of wooden bird sculptures that had been taken from a Spanish were stillprivateer. on the grounds.

AmericanWashington troops unsuccessfully used the tried to retake the house in 1777. A British captain surnamed Rowe was house one severely final time wounded in 1783inafter a battle the Treaty nearbyofin 1780, and he died in the house just after his fiancée arrived, giving rise to Paris.The British rumors hadthat justRowe's withdrawn ghosttheir haunted troops the house.

James Manhattan, from Van Cortlandt and moved Washington away during and George the war because of his poor health, and he died in 1781. Because James had Clinton were no getting children, ready his to younger enter the brother, island, New York City Clerk Augustus Van Cortlandt, took over the property.over stopping Washington at the house returned beforetodoing the house so. in 1781 to strategize with Rochambeau while their troops waited outside on what is now the Parade Ground and Vault Hill. Although Washington had wanted to scout British forts in Upper Manhattan, his troops instead headed south to Virginia,

ground, so there are several entrances with wooden porches, each of which contains a small stoop with railings.

The original doors were replaced with Dutch-style doors at some point in the house's history. The exterior of the house largely lacks elaborate decorations. Despite the paucity of ornate ornamentation, one descendant, Catharine Van Cortlandt Mathews, wrote that the design "suggests to a large degree the substantial comfort of the era which it represents".Next to the original L-shaped structure is the caretaker's apartment, which also has a rubblestone facade and brick window frames. The caretaker's apartment occupies the northern portion of the grounds, creating a Cshaped structure.

The window openings are surrounded by brick frames and contain sash windows with twelve panes over twelve.

The original windows were transparent but, by the end of the 19th century, had gained the appearance of ground glass. The windowsills were incorporated into the outer walls, and the sills on the second story are of a slightly different design from those on the first story. There are keystones above the windows, which contain carvings of grotesque masks. The grotesques bear various facial expressions, and each mask has a distinct design, representing a different Cortlandt. Local historian William Arthur Tieck said that the bricks were laid so the highest-quality brick faced outward, while ordinary brick faced inward. According to the National Park Service, the Van Cortlandt House was the only structure in the area that used grotesque masks as decoration, although Mathews cited the decorations as having been common in the Netherlands.

Van Cortlandt

Van Cortlandt

Thoroughgood The Hall

House

Thoroughgood The Hall

House

South Room

South Room

North Hall

Parlor

North Hall

Parlor

Master

Chamber

Master

Chamber

B

ed after demographics stabilized and plantation life became the norm in the early Chesapeake region of yland and Virginia. Its small scale, expensive building materials, and quality of craftsmanship exemplify aracter of many planters’ houses now long lost. Studying the form and interior room arrangements reveals uction techniques as well as about the lives and daily rituals constructed within those walls. The houses anters built, more so than the land they worked, offer insights to the world of the Chesapeake. The ials of construction, namely the brick masonry walls, helped ensure the survival of the Thoroughgood e from the eighteenth century into the twentieth century. At that time, the historic character of the roughgood House became known and steps were taken to preserve it. The smaller size of the house than f other dwellings recognized from the colonial period, such as the two story mansions on the James er such as William Byrd III’s Westover (ca. 1750) or Northern Neck of Virginia like John loe’s Mount Airy (1760s), led many to think of the early Chesapeake as an architectural landscape of and large-scale, well-built brick dwellings. In fact, brick houses were unusual because of the labor costs nt in building them. Most buildings were wood. Many consisted of only one room. And many early nians found shelter in spaces containing one room or less. This intimate and less permanent form of ng in wood proliferated throughout Chesapeake. The construction of the Thoroughgood House falls n a significant period of American architectural history wherein English building traditions were ed to a Virginia context. Especially important are the use of a tilted false plate and the tapering of the s in the common rafter roof system seen in the Thoroughgood House. The tilted false plate alleviated the or complicated joinery at the point where the roof superstructure met the wall framing, whereas the tapering raged the roof sheathing to lay flat. The practice of tapering the rafters came from traditional heavy r framing, whereas the use of a false plate simplified house building in the Chesapeake and was further ed by being tilted or set on edge (45-degree angle) to resist water and torque. Both modifications in ng the Chesapeake house occurred in the 1710s. The Thoroughgood House, therefore, is an early ple of the evolving carpentry and construction methods used in the framing of dwellings in the Chesapeake box frame known in England was pared down and refined in Virginia. . Similar to the carpentry oped in the Chesapeake, the bricks used in the construction of the Thoroughgood House speak to the ion of regional building practice. The front façade of the house is made of bricks laid in Flemish bond the remaining three facades are laid in English bond. This hierarchy, or importance paid to the front, ests in brick bonds and at times accentuated with glazed headers appeared by ca. 1700 in buildings in apeake. Besides the Thoroughgood House, the earliest examples include Yeocomino Church (1706) in moreland County and the house known as Weblin in Princess Anne County. Long standing ences for structural ornamentation, such as exposed framing members and patterns in brick bonds created

the eighteenth century. The Thoroughgood House exhibits these as well.

Another legacy of seventeenth century construction is found in the practice of building houses only 20’ in depth. This limitation in scale accommodated the common rafter roof which was a mainstay of Chesapeake framing techniques well into the nineteenth century.

Expediency and experimentation characterized house building in the seventeenth century Chesapeake. A variety of floor plans, or the arrangement of rooms in a building, were tried. These choices reflected regional preferences known from England and on-going adaptations of those building practices in Virginia and the Chesapeake region. By the century’s end, the floor plans of the Chesapeake house predominantly consisted of one room or two as households accommodated servants and enslaved laborers in increasingly segregated ways. Outbuildings assumed the functions once housed in the dwelling; inside the house, social screening occurred on the porch, in the lobby or inside the multi-purpose and primary living area known as the hall. In houses with a two-room floor plan, the rooms were called a hall and a chamber. The hall-chamber house of the Chesapeake resembles that of the hall-parlor house built elsewhere in British Colonial America. The chamber (or parlor) was a semi-private space furnished with the best bed and seating furniture suggesting a social nature unfamiliar to our contemporary understandings of a private bedroom. Refinements to domestic space continued into the eighteenth century. The emergence of the central passage is a particularly important evolution in Chesapeake house design. The Thoroughgood House is one of the earliest examples of a house with the central passage floor plan to be built in British Colonial America, and in the Chesapeake in particular. Others of similar scale and with similar spatial arrangements soon followed in Princess Anne County. As those buildings suggest happened, houses with center-passage plans began to proliferate in the predominantly wooden Chesapeake landscape of oneand two room structures of varying quality from ramshackle to refined.

Their presence in this setting was pronounced. So much so in 1732 a

h dwellings consisting of two rooms to either side of a passage and chimneys at ble ends. These were the houses in which to seek hospitality and a bed for the As the traveler quickly learned, and architectural historians later vered, the significance of the central passage lies in its influence over how s were used in the house. The passage realigned spatial hierarchies and ed for an increasingly specialized use of rooms, like the hall and chamber, as stratification and genteel ritual demanded. The passage ushered a ated entry space into the house proper and, as Chesapeake social lines fied, the passage facilitated a drawing of boundaries according to status. It became an informal living space because it was cooler in the summer months. , as house plans expanded in the eighteenth century, it too evolved. Stairways, hose seen in the Thoroughgood House, ceased to be built in the passage. rating the passage and the stairs further restricted access to rooms upstairs and r encouraged social engagement in the passage itself. Architectural lishments, such as the wainscot and paneling of the Thoroughgood House or ticulation of the central block in Mount Airy, followed. By the end of the enth century, the passage was a symbol of social rank as much as any other in the house. It evolved from a space where that rank was enforced through control – who could come in, who could go where – to a space that rred distinction on its owner-occupant. Understanding the trajectory of the ge elucidates how the gentry house evolved and gives insight to the structures of life in the colonial period. The Thoroughgood House is one of the oldest t houses in what was British Colonial America. Its survival facilitated udy of how buildings were constructed in the period which in turn cast light on ociety was constructed. These insights into the past affected the interpretation historic house throughout the twentieth century. Scholars and tourists ed again and again to the house, each time coming closer to solving presentuzzles of a partially known story. Architectural, archaeological and cal research together placed the Thoroughgood House’s construction in the um of Chesapeake house design. Innovations and continuities in construction to its early date, while the floor plan heralds an arrangement and reordering mestic space that proved integral to Colonial Chesapeake society and the onic planter culture that underpinned it. The socio-economic system gave rise mansions of Virginia and supported the politics of Revolution in the 1770s.

Elevation South & East

Mantel North Parlor Room

Window Elevations

Staircase External Door

A Special Friendship Bees and their Medical Uses in the Colonial Period

A Special Friendship Bees and their Medical Uses in the Colonial Period

T

ofsofforaging like course, Jamaica, where nativewhere honey bees throughout itis was collected produced the from Americas, through wild hives rather than kept in domesticated hives. practice as ic slave bumblebees of labor. keeping Honey andbees stingless provided is ancient. bees, a cheaper, but Archaeologically, they local, were we know that the ancient Egyptians were keepers of he ening as Europeanized the alternative.

Egyptians used bees Likewise, that honeywere tobees sweeten (and provided stillfoods, are) preserve foods, as a medical salve, and as a tool for mification. in er important beekeeping.

The resource: European Egyptians wax.kept bees hives are better on small honey boats which they would move up and down the lush banks eucers wax Nile candles, and in search were theseen ofstaple flowers as more fortolighting pollinate. useful the forBeekeeping colonial is mentioned at length by ancient writers like Virgil, ers. the . After Elder,1622, and Aristotle, the cultivation Greekofand bees Roman became naturalists an and historians. Outside of Europe, beekeeping has occurred wax rtantwas partan in ofimportant China life in the since ingredient American antiquity.for colonies.

Likewise, the colonial In the the Maya domesticated a sort of sting-less bee long before pean .enth It could century, contact.beThomas Byused the as time Jefferson a of lubricant Europe’s wrote and about encounter asbee a with America, the raising of bees was happening ation, proofer. ghout saying theMore “Old “the importantly, World” honey-bee and itwas iscould not anaimportant also nativebeofused our part of the ecosystem. nent…The ake candles.

Indians In theconcur eighteenth with uscentury, in the tradition candles tamps was brought would befrom the Europe; only source but, of when, light and in the by m, atwenight. knowBeeswax not. The proved beesto have be a generally reliable ded ial for themselves candles, into whichtheburned country, for aa little lengthy in dceofoftime theand white did settlers. not stinkThe like Indians some alternatives therefore hem as tallow, the white or rendered man’s animal fly, andfat). consider Wax would their elted ach as and indicating used to make the approach candles of in the settlements fall. Often, me whites.” would make enough candles to get through ntire teresting year. sideWhile story of now beekeeping we mightand think the body of the is ial ought home thatasbeekeepers lit by beautiful needed candlelight, to be morally the reality and at cally candles pure towere visit an their important bees, who resource would punish to be mpure ed. Very beekeeper often, in afor home theirlike transgressions. the Morgan Log A an e, writer people noted probably that only “very used great one carecandle must be at by This thewas mana in time charge, before when ourhemodern must handle reality the of pollution and does and not approach electricity:them the when darkness drunk, of and the after enth-century washing himself, night would and thatbehehard abstain forfrom us all to es ne.which have a strong flavor.” e bees bees dowere not an takeimport this sort to ofthediscretion American in nent, ng people beeswax (they proved onlytosting be a valuable when it’sAmerican the last ble t. In resort), 1771,this twenty-nine shows thatthousand bees and two theirhundred keeping gotten ixty-onetied pounds intoofcultural beeswaxand weremoral exported ideas from in pe ort and of Philadelphia. in the colonial period. yused was long bees part as a of metaphor medicine. forInindustrious part, this could work. ecause society honey was considered is a naturalperfectly preservative: ordered it rarely and trious. rancid Bees and contains were alsosome seennaturally as honoring occurring their rch gen and peroxide, performing so it their is antiseptic. task well for Honey the hive, was, ically, is something used as that a method the Crown of preservation, wished to enforce for the gand its colonists. keeping of all sorts of thing. We know, too, honey ymbolwas of the used beehive for the forpreservation a good society of bodies, was coding by the by Continental ancientCongress Egyptians in 1779inwhensome they mification the symboland of the a bee body skep of Alexander and thirteen the stars Great. on rncy uses as aare symbol moreofdubious. the industrious Ranging new from nation. curing ess colonial ( “Rubfarmers that Part (and Morning households) and Evening, would have with bees ns, ’till as important it is red;livestock. and rub Bees it had afterward a variety with of Most y,” or importantly, “When you honey take yefrom bees bees take ym was&used Hony as etener. semary & still it wet your Hair with it every morn ning with a spunge or ye Leaves of

persay, they might make the person feel better, especially with the use of Venice Treacle on a venomous bite.

Venice Treacle was a medical concoction that contained 64 ingredients, including viper flesh, cinnamon, asphalt, and gum arabic. The active ingredient was opium. Opium was introduced to Europe during the crusades and was used medically and recreationally. Then, as now, it was highly addictive.

This is just a sampling of the ways that honey was used medicinally in the colonial period. It’s important to remember that, while modern medicine has come a far way from the sorts of treatments talked about here, when they were written doctors, physicians, and other medical practitioners felt that these were the best of modern medicine. People sought these treatments because of a genuine belief in their ability to work: and sometimes belief is just enough.

Bees and their byproducts are still used medicinally in the modern era. Honey has many functions. It’s a great additive for tea and is known to help a sore thought. Some research points towards the use of bee venom being helpful for treating and preventing rheumatoid arthritis.

Bees are an important part of our ecosystem, and we rely on them to pollinate food sources. Today, they are threatened by pollution and pests such as mites.

Courtesy Morgan Log House

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Noah Tooker House

Resources irca, 1734

r chimney Colonial on www.timbowenantiques.co.uk Street was first home to a uilder named Noah Historic Rockford er. It’s picturesque caping, granite stone wall eredwww.historicrockford.org birdhouse create one nnecticut’s most charming entialCortlandt settings. House Museum Van www.vchm.org

Thoroughgood House www.vbmuseums.org

roughgood House Drawings www.loc.gov

Colonial America's Indigo Industry www.morningagclips.com

Special Friendship: Bees and

their Medical Uses in the Colonial Period http://www.morganloghouse.org

John Updike House G.T. Cranston www.independentri.com

Noah Tooker House circa, 1734 Resources

center chimney Colonial on www.timbowenantiques.co.uk Main Street was first home to a shipbuilder named Noah Historic Rockford Tooker. It’s picturesque landscaping, granite stone wall and tieredwww.historicrockford.org birdhouse create one of Connecticut’s most charming residential settings. House Museum Van Cortlandt www.vchm.org

Thoroughgood House www.vbmuseums.org

Thoroughgood House Drawings www.loc.gov

Colonial America's Indigo Industry www.morningagclips.com

A Special Friendship: Bees and their Medical Uses in the Colonial Period http://www.morganloghouse.org

John Updike House G.T. Cranston www.independentri.com

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