On tours we often tell visitors that Deacon Mather built the house on land that was inherited by his mother, Hannah Bell. Until now little else has been known. However, a recently examined cache of deeds stored in the Homestead safe goes a long way to adding to the property’s history.
We now have nine deeds attesting to land purchases made by the Deacon from five years after the house was built through 1827. A brief listing…
1783. Joseph Mather from John Bates. For One hundred twenty seven pounds, sixteen shillings New York money, 12 acres, 3 roods, and 5 rods for land bounded northerly by Joseph Mather’s land.
1793. Joseph Mather from John Bates. For Fourteen pounds, 14 shillings New York money,
1 acre, 3 roods and 14 rods bounded on the north by Joseph Mather’s land.
1793. Joseph Mather from Selectmen of Stamford. 2 acres from north end of Middlesex Meeting House to the dwelling house of said Mather in exchange for a ‘highway.’
1797. Joseph Mather from Jesse Raymond and his wife Hannah. For “a valuable consideration” 3 acres more or less of Salt Meadow. Hannah was the Deacon’s sister and daughter of Moses Mather and Hannah Bell. Assumption can be made she also received land from her mother.
1797. Joseph Mather from Jesse Raymond and wife Hannah. For 27 pounds New York money 5 acres, 3 roods and 25 rods.
1801. Joseph Mather from Josiah Whitney. For 50 dollars, “half of 2 acres of Salt Meadow.”
1803. Joseph Mather from Jesse Raymond and wife Hannah. For One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-eight Dollars, 75 cents, 64 acres, one-half and 28 rods.
1826 Joseph Mather and Joseph Mather Jr. from Henry Morehouse for Three hundred dollars, 4 acres, 2 roods.
18 March 1827. Joseph Mather from Amos Roberts. For One Thousand dollars, 27 acres.
