Arthur H. and Emily B. Allen – High Street

Arthur H. and Emily B. Allen – High Street
(No photograph available)

The original house on this property stood on the east side of the road and had great historical interest because it is believed it was one of the first houses built in Southampton.  Built by Thomas Porter, it originally consisted of one room only with a low chamber over it, and a small shed or sink room on the south.  In the early 1760’s, other rooms were added on the ground floor, and a second story raised.  This old house stood until 1925 when it was torn down by Earle Howlett because it was unsafe.  In 1733 Thomas Porter married Sarah Pomeroy.  They had seven children: Mindwell, Sarah, Rhoda, Elizabeth, Catherine, Miles and Jeheil.  All except Jeheil were born in this house.  He, Jeheil, was born in 1755 after the family had moved to the east part of town.

In March 1753 Samuel Edwards of Northampton bought this property from Thomas Porter and moved here the following July 18.  Samuel Edwards had been a soldier and was in the Expedition against Cape Britton in 1745.  Later he was a school teacher.  About 1747 he had married Katherine Clark (daughter of John Clark and Sarah Cook Clark).  Their children were: Hannah, Catherine, Samuel, Luther, Elisha, Mercy, and Asenath.  Hanna Edwards m. 1773 Gad Clark and after Gad died as a result of Revolutionary War service, she married Stephen Lyman of Chester.  Catherine m. Lemuel Coleman in 1772.  Samuel m. Silence Judd in 1780, and moved to Westhampton.  Luther m. 1778 Sarah Sheldon and (2) Clarissa Judd.  He settled the farm since known as Gaugh farm.  Elisha m. 1791 Anna Bates.  Mercy b. 1761, died in 1777 and Asenath b. 1767 d. 1777.  Two grand-children also made their home here, Bemoni Coleman and Submit Clark.  Samuel Edwards d. 1784 at 68 and his widow d. 1803 at 80.

Elisha Edwards inherited the property from his parents and lived here all his life except a period when he was in the army.  (War of 1812).  He was born 1758, m. 1791 to Anna Bates (daughter of Stephen and Mindwell (Seward) Bates.  Elisha and Anna Edwards had seven children, of whom three, Horace, Catherine, and another Catherine died young.  The others were: Elisha Jr., Anna b. 1797 m. George Gleason of Avon, Conn.; Eunice, Bela B. b. 1802 m. 1831 Jerusha Billings of Conway.  Bela graduated from Amherst College 1824 and later was a professor of Hebrew at the Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass.  He gave the address at the Centennial Celebration of the incorporation of Southampton on July 23, 1841.  This address was printed in pamphlet form and is useful for historical reference.  He died at Athens, Georgia in 1852.  Elishua (sic) Edwards d. 1832 and his wife Anna d. 1826.

Col. Elisha Edwards Jr. was the next owner.  He was born 4-22-1793, m. 1821 Julia King, b. 1799.  Julia King Edwards died in 1838, after having seven children.  Elisha Edwards Jr. m. (2) Eunice Lyman in 1839.  The record of the seven children is given in the account of the Rev. Jonathon Judd house.

Col. Elisha Edwards Jr. and wife, Eunice, lived here the rest of their lives.  He died in 1876 and Eunice died in 1888.

The ownership of the property passed to George K. Edwards, who in 1889, sold it to Charles J. Goodrich, a market gardener.  In 1894 Charles Goodrich built a new house, now standing on the west side of the road.  he and his wife, Julia, had one daughter, Ethel, who died in her teens.

Thomas Porter bought the property from Charles J. and Julia Goodrich in 1898 (508-287).   Mr. Porter’s wife was Harriet, and was his second wife.  Their children were Harriet, R. Lynn, and Ernest A., the latter taking over the property.  Ernest A. Porter, son of Thomas Porter, m. Edith Birge.  Ernest died in 1920.

In 1922 Earle S. Howlett purchased this farm from Ernest Porter’s estate, (766-113).  Earle and Clara (Harris) Howlett and four children came here from Amherst.  Dorothy and Linda became teachers, teaching mainly in Connecticut.  Stanley, an engineer, married Pauline Benson of Potsdam and settled in Potsdam, N. Y.  Carey married Anna J. Parsons (daughter of Wilfred A. and Martina (Way) Parsons) in June 1932; they were both graduates of the University of Mass.  Earle S. Howlett who had engaged principally in the poultry business, died in March 1941.  His widow, Clara, and her daughters, Dorothy and Linda, then built a small house on this property and resided there.  Mrs. Clara Howlett died in 1945.  Dorothy Howlett, now retired, lives here.  Linda Howlett married William Spence and they live in West Hartford, Conn.

Carey Howlett and his wife, Anna, operated this farm as a dairy farm starting in March 1941.  In 1947 they moved to a large farm in Bridport, Vt.  There they have some 800 acres near the shores of Lake Champlain.  Carey and Anna Howlett have five children: Linda, married Paul Palmer, a teacher; Stephen married Esther Jean Manning, and they operate a farm in Whiting, Vt.; Elizabeth and Margaret are in missionary work; Thomas, the youngest, married Diane Hart and is in business with his father with their 200 or more head of cattle.

In 1947, Arthur Allen bought this property from Carey Howlett.  Arthur Allen, now retired, was a data processing engineer with I. B. M. for 41 years.  His wife is Emily Bridges Allen.  Of their eight children, six are living, mainly in this vicinity.  Their oldest son, Arthur, lost his life in the Korean War.  Beverly, who married Rodney Hart, died in 1963.  Joyce is married to Edward Bazanchuck; Robert is married to Ann Schwartz; Richard is married to Ruth Ewing; Neil married Gloria Boyle; and Craig married Margaret Degerse.  Cheryl, their youngest daughter is a student nurse in training at the Burbank Hospital in Fitchburg.

–From “History of Old Houses” by Atherton Parsons

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