Autumn, 2003
| New & Noteworthy | ||
| SHS Library & Archives | ||
| Collections Connection |
[Originally published in the magazine The Lure of the Litchfield Hills, Volume 27, No. 13, Summer, 1967, the following article details the history of the Gay-Hoyt House, owned by the Sharon Historical Society at that time for sixteen years. For the past ten years the Gay-Hoyt House has been home to changing exhibits, collections storage, program and meeting areas. As the museum embarks on its long range planning process [see article page 5], it behooves us all to take a closer look at the roots of this little museum, and vision of those who made our present possible.]
On the edge of the lovely village green in Sharon stands a charming old brick house known as the Gay-Hoyt House, the home of the Sharon Historical Society. It derives its name from those of its original owner, Ebenezer Gay, and Miss Anne Hoyt who presented it to the Society in 1951 after residing in it for some years.
We are indebted to Mr. William L. Warren for the research which has made the following description of the house and its history possible.
The Gay-Hoyt house may be said to be a typical example of a Yankee village home of the better kind with its central hall, and chimneys, conventional fenestration and room plan, built in brick rather than wood. The use of brick in Connecticut was never very common. The front and south walls are laid in Flemish bond, while the north and rear are so-called American. So strong was the Yankee tradition, that instead of running the end walls above the gable end, as in the Dutch houses, the overhanging, sloping gable was preferred. The fine points are the interesting treatment of the window heads, the simple light over the front door with the slight arching of the brick work above. The string course was merely to break the monotony of the wall surface and mark the stories. The front porch is an elegant one but may date a few years later than the house.
It is fortunate that the Gay-Hoyt house has a come down to use with so few changes. The interior of the house has suffered very little. Each room has had some alteration but those parts which the builder considered a luxury in those times remain as originally constructed. These are the fireplaces set at an angle in each room, with their arched openings and handsome chimney-breast paneling. This fireplace arrangement seems to have been the fashion during the 1770s. The old kitchen, just back of the front rooms, has been changed drastically, and the ell is certainly a 19th century addition, when it was the custom to have the kitchen furnished with a new-fashioned cast-iron stove, sink with running water and golden oak ice-box, all separate from the main part of the house.
The Gay-Hoyt house stands on the twenty-fifth home lot which Ebenezer Mudge, an original proprietor, drew in 1738. In 1740 he sold this home lot to Cornelius Hamlin, who came to Sharon from Massachusetts. He built a house on the property which is believed to have been destroyed when the present brick house was erected.
Ebenezer Gay, who built the brick house in 1775, was born in Litchfield in 1725, the son of John Gay of Massachusetts, who removed to Sharon from Litchfield in 1743 with his wife and eleven children.
In 1756, when Ebenezer was only thirty-one, the selectmen of Sharon asked the General Assembly to appoint him Tax Collector. This indicates that the young man was a citizen of good standing and interested in Town affairs. From 1774 to 1780 he was named five times representative or deputy from Sharon to the General Assembly.
In May, 1763, the Assembly "established" Ebenezer Gay as Ensign
of the North Company or Trainband in Sharon. Tracing his rapid rise in the
military service, he became Ensign in 1763, Lieutenant in 1768, Captain in
1772, Major in 1774, and in 1780 Lieutenant Colonel of the 14th Regiment of
Militia, formerly the North Trainband. He was active all during the Revolution.
At the time of the sacking of Danbury, he mustered the Sharon militia and
marched down to Danbury, pursuing the retreating British. The next year, he
commanded the Sharon men who hurried north to fight Burgoyne's Army and was
in all the engagements until the surrender.
Colonel Gay must have had means, for he was chosen one of three in the county to purchases and secure arms, food an clothing for the Army in 1778. In the State archives are several fragmentary bills for guns and supplies bought by Colonel Gay, some of considerable amounts.
Colonel Gay bought a part of the twenty-fifth home lot in 1768 and it was probably at this time that he commenced his mercantile business on this favorable site for a store and house. It has been established that he had a store by 1774, and perhaps four years earlier, when Lieutenant James Brewster came to Sharon from Windham. He was a clerk in Colonel Gay's store in 1775 when he was sent to Litchfield to learn the facts about the Battle of Lexington.
During the Revolution, Sharon was prosperous and booming, like Litchfield to the south. These western lands were a wilderness no longer but humming with war business, mining, gun making, the manufacture of salt-peter, nails and tools, beef and hog raising and staple products from the soil such as wheat and corn. There was a continual coming and going, an exchange of ideas along with the rumors and gossip. A man with a store could not help but benefit and hear of ways to invest his profits. With the struggle for independence, American prosperity was a dream and there were many for whom the dream seemed a reality right at hand. Ebenezer Gay was one of these and so he built his brick house in 1775, a home that a merchant and important, active militiaman might well be proud to own. But fortune did not continue for Colonel Ebenezer Gay. He resigned his commission in 1783 due to ill health. He was only 58. He died insolvent in 1787, aged 62.
The house had been mortgaged to a New York merchant, a Mr. Eleazer Miller, who had loaned Colonel Gay money to buy imported goods for his store. Towards the end of the war, the military activity that had brought prosperity to Sharon, had moved to the south, and after peace was established, business all but ceased. Colonel Gay, like many others, had invested heavily in land and soldiers' notes. Whatever the reason, we know that Mr. Miller had taken possession of the house before he died, for non-payment, and that it belonged to the Gay family no longer.
In 1793, Isaac Hunt brought the house and property from Mr. Miller, and it remained in the Hunt family until the death of Reuben K. Hunt in 1874. Over this long period, the house was principally known as the Reuben Hunt place. Mr. Hunt was a gentleman of generous and hospitable nature, whose home was a rendezvous for his intimate friends.
Mr. Frederick Carter bought the property from the Hunt heirs in 1887 and lived there with his family until his death in 1908. Mrs. Carter and their daughter remained there until her death in 1924. The daughter, who inherited the property, occupied the house until she sold it to Miss Anne Sherman Hoyt in 1936.
The Sharon Historical Society was founded on January 20th, 1911 upon which date twenty-one residents of Sharon met for this purpose. The name chosen for the Society at that time was the Poconnuck Historical Society, the name being that of a tribe of Indians which has resided in the area. The name was changed to the Sharon Historical Society at a meeting held January 22nd, 1918.
According to its constitution the object of the Society was "to collect and preserve in some suitable place such articles as may tend to illustrate the life and history of the early settlers of this region, and to create and foster an interest in local history and tradition."
A few days later the executive committee met with the trustees of the Hotchkiss Library to ascertain if the latter could arrange space in the Library to accommodate the Society. The trustees were most cooperative and agreed to allow the Society to make use of the two upper rooms and also to provide doors to them and otherwise make them suitable to the needs of the Society. All of this was to be done without charge.
The first public meeting was held on July 11, 1911. Although mention is made in the minutes from time to time of "exhibits" the early meetings were primarily devoted to the reading of papers prepared by the members. It is to be regretted that copies of the papers read, with few exceptions, have not been preserved.
Upon receiving the house the financial situation of the Society made it impossible to maintain it so an arrangement was entered into with the Nightingale Shop, which was operated for the benefit of the Sharon Hospital, to use the first floor in return for which the Shop would assume the maintenance of the building. At this time the Library felt that it needed the space occupied by the Society and requested the Society to remove its collection which was transferred to the upper floor of the Gay-Hoyt house.
Early in 1965 the Shop closed its business. By the time the Society, through the generosity of its friends has established an endowment fund, the income from which would go far toward maintaining the house. A complete renovation and redecoration of it was made that spring. The added space not only provided for the proper showing of the articles then in the possession of the Society but for many additional articles which were presented or loaned to it now that they might be satisfactorily displayed.
The house was formally reopened on July 10th, 1965 and some two hundred people attended the event. Since the house was presented to the Society about twenty-five hundred persons have visited it, individually and in groups, both on days when it was merely open for inspection and on those days when there were special occasions such as a house tour by the Antiquarian and Landmarks Association's House Tour, the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Society, the reopening of the house after its renovation and a house tour held for the benefit of the endowment fund. From time to time groups of school children visit the house in order to become acquainted with the mode of life as it was in the village in former days, and the events which have occurred there.
The house and its contents are well worth a visit. On the first floor are four large rooms, one designated as the arms room as it contains a large and unusual collection of early guns, pistols and swords presented many years ago by a friend of the Society. An adjoining room is named for a former member, Frank Spencer, who did a vast amount of research concerning the early days of the town particularly as to the boundaries of the early "home lots," their owners, and the highways as they were originally laid out. This might also be called the document room as it contains many books, reports, histories of the town, diaries, and other material dealing not only with the early days but with recent years, together with volumes of photographs, programs of events, etc.
Across the hall are the rooms named for the prominent families of the town, Gay and Smith, containing portraits of them and glass, china and metal ware presented or loaned by various families of the town. In one room is a case containing examples of fine lace, jewelry, miniatures, etc. from the same sources. An additional room has been fitted up to represent a one-room school, common in this region for a hundred years or more. Adjoining this is an exhibit of small articles formerly made in Sharon, household equipment of bygone days, tools, etc.
On the second floor is a colonial bedroom containing an unusually fine bedstead and furniture appropriate to the period. On this floor is also the "costume" room in which apparel for all ages is displayed. In cases along one wall are small articles for personal use going back over the years and souvenirs.
In a room on the third floor is a large loom which saw service for many years in one of the oldest houses in Sharon.
From time to time a special exhibit is held such as one of fans and shawls held in the summer of 1966. As the Society has no paid curator the house is only open on specified days, generally one or two afternoons a week which may be learned by writing, or by consulting a local newspaper. Should a group care to visit, it will be opened upon notice in advance.
* Please note, current museum hours are Tuesday through Friday, 1-4 p.m. and by appointment.
Sharon Did Build a Better Mousetrap!
On display in the Children's Hands On Room at the Historical Society are two curious wood-and-wire blocks. One is a triangle, with a hole in one side, the other is oblong with three holes on one side. Both are made of bass wood and have complex wire gadgets on top. They are beautiful examples of the once famous Sharon Valley Mousetraps.
Invented in Sharon by Joseph Bostwick, and produced by the Jewett Manufacturing Company in the mid 1800s, the oddly shaped traps were turned out in such quantity that Sharon Valley became known as the "Mouse Trap Headquarters of the Western World"! One of the reasons for Jewett's success was that the actual production of the traps was done by countless Sharon area residents, at home, as piece work. The rough bass wood lumber was cut into blocks of triangular, oblong, square or hexagonal shape, then stained, and holes were bored into the side of the block and out through the bottom with a complex augur-and-bit machine. The number of holes ranged from one on the triangular trap to six on the hexagonal one. Wire trapping mechanisms were threaded through smaller holes on top of the block. The traps were later baited from the bottom. The mouse stuck its head in the hole, tripping the wire, which snapped down and caught the pest by the neck. Mice and rats were a terrible nuisance in the days when most people had horses and other livestock that depended on large stores of grain.
Lawrence Van Alstyne described the industry in Manufacturing in Sharon, an article he wrote for the Poconnuck Historical Society in 1912. "The shaping of the traps from the rough lumber gave employment to many hands, many of them boys and some of them girls, for the work required nimble fingers rather than bodily strength. It also made quantities of chips which were carted away for use as bedding for horses and cattle. It was a common sight to see people carrying away great sacks full of traps and wires to be put together at their homes during the long winter evenings. It was a source of income to many that was greatly missed after the burning of the mouse trap shop."
Our mousetraps were given to the Historical Society by Mrs. Robert Scribner in 1996. Other mousetraps recently loaned to the Historical Society by Tom Casey came from his mother's childhood home in theValley. Dell Middlebrook Casey grew up in the house previously owned by the Hotchkiss family. She said that her parents had kept some of the house the way the Hotchkiss family had left it, and that the mousetraps were among the Hotchkiss possessions. Hotchkiss Brothers did manufacture rat traps, and it is possible that the company was also involved in mouse trap production.
So, the next time someone asks you where you live, you can proudly reply (the former) "Mouse Trap Headquarters of the Western World".
Marge McAvoy
Open
House and Book Signing
Come and join the fun at the second annual Sharon Historical Society Open
House on Saturday, December 6, from 2-4:30 p.m.
Visitors to the museum will enjoy the grand opening of the exhibit, Playtime!, featuring vintage toys and games from the collection of toy connoisseur, collector and inventor, Vic Reiling of Kent, Connecticut. It is rapidly becoming a tradition at the museum to showcase antique toys in the galleries during the holidays. This sampling from Mr. Reiling's collection will feature some particularly interesting toy collectibles including a four-foot skyscraper made from a 1920s metal building set and a variety of antique wooden farms, barns, trucks and ships.
In addition to refreshments and the opportunity to tour the museum and its new addition, author and Sharon Historical Society president Ed Kirby will be on hand to sign copies of the newly reprinted Echoes of Iron in Connecticut's Northwest Corner. Originally published in 1998, the book has been out of print for over a year. A second printing was completed in August and includes some small additions to the text, a redesigned cover and an overall improvement in the quality of the many historic photographs contained within. Whether or not you've purchased and enjoyed the first printing, this latest printing is well worth an additional look.
If you're a visitor with mom and dad in tow, looking for cool things to touch and explore, you won't want to miss our new exhibit on Sharon's iron heritage in the Hands-On History center. Picture-book style murals by artist Eric Forstmann enhance both the walls and the total learning experience for visitors of all ages. Activity boxes with loads of fun projects are yours to play with, and you won't want to miss the chance to build your very own model of the Sharon Valley Lime Kiln.
Come on over for a fun afternoon and explore Sharon's history in a relaxed and informal setting. Sharon's tree lighting is scheduled to take place at 4:45 p.m. following the open house, so dress warmly and be prepared for an afternoon of old-time fun.
SHS Library and Archives Up and Running
A visit to the Sharon Historical Society library will yield a cozy and inviting setting, a comfy couch, and a selection of books ranging from local history to decorative arts and architecture to museum theory and practice.
Although the library is non-circulating, visitors are invited to drop by Tuesday through Friday from 1-4 p.m. to browse the library collections in the spacious, sunny room. A large collection of books on decorative arts-including specialized works on pottery (from ironstone and delftware to Ming dynasty porcelain), silver, furniture (from the noble Windsor to the rustic Adirondack style) - is augmented by the classic works of Wallace Nutting and Eric Sloane. This collection of decorative arts and architecture books is believed to be the largest open to the public in Litchfield County and is a wonderful resource for collectors, dealers and decorators.
A small but noteworthy subset of the collection includes books about historic gardens and gardening practices. The works of modern author May Brawley Hill sit nestled next to such titles as The Weekend Gardener, published in 1950 and The Complete Home Landscape, published in 1923.
The museum's
archives are in the capable hands of archivist Meg Szalewicz. The archives
collection comprises a wide variety of materials including account books,
diaries, photographs and photograph albums, maps, school records, playbills
and family genealogies. Although we encourage archives patrons to make
appointments for more in-depth research requests, anyone interested in browsing
our extensive collection of photographs is welcome at almost any time.
Finally,
we are always looking for volunteers to help staff our library and archives.
In addition to assisting patrons, there are many tasks to be done. If you
can spare an hour or two each week, we can quickly turn you into the local
expert on a select aspect of the collection. Call Meg at (860) 364-5688 or
e-mail to director@sharonhist.org
for more information.
Work
on Phase V of the Valley Kiln Nears Completion
During August, September and October additional work was completed on the
Sharon Valley Kiln project. With the preparation / stabilization / preservation
process initiated in 2001, the structural work in Phase I through IV on the
Town of Sharon / Sharon Historical Society shared project was completed in
June of this year.
Work in Phase V included construction of a wall and protective fence on the
east side of the kiln, cosmetic contouring of the ground immediately surrounding
the kiln, seeding of the surrounding grounds, placement of a crushed stone
walking area around the kiln and the development and installation of an informational
sign for the kiln site.
On August 27th the Sharon Town Highway Department workers, under the direction of Foreman Charles Godfrey, assisted by Raymond Aakjar, Sr., Floyd Ellis, Sr. and Rob Gilpatrick, constructed a retaining wall between the kiln and Sharon Station Road. Rocks retained from the 1999 replacement abutments of the bridge across the Webatuck Creek were used in the wall. Quarried in Sharon Valley many years ago, the large marble blocks proved to be ideal for the stabilization of the highway next to the kiln. By the following day, August 28th, the fence barrier was in place.
Financed by monies remaining from the STEAP Grant, Upcountry Services was contracted as follows: