Old Houses at Bucks Hill, Part One

Bucks Hill (also spelled Buck's Hill) was far enough removed from the center of Waterbury to be considered a satellite settlement during the early 1700s. The origin of the name is unknown.

Bucks Hill District, 1874

During the 1690s, Waterbury's Proprietors (the ruling body of landowners, a sort of corporation of land speculators) started parceling out land at Bucks Hill. Ephraim Warner and John Welton were granted twenty acres at the east end of Bucks Hill in 1695, and Isaac Bronson was granted ten acres just north of the Warner/Welton Grant in 1699 (Waterbury Proprietors' Records, p. 42, 50).

On March 18, 1701/2, at a meeting of Waterbury's Proprietors, Ephraim Warner was admitted as a "bachelor proprietor" (a sort of junior partner) which gave him the right to land ownership and a voice in local government.  He selected a tract of land on the north side of Bucks Hill as his proprietorship. At the same meeting, John Warner was granted land at Bucks Hill next to Ephraim's land in exchange for nine acres on Long Hill he had previously claimed (Waterbury Proprietors' Records, p. 53).

Ephraim and John Warner are believed to have been the first English settlers to build houses at Bucks Hill. It's difficult to say exactly when they built their houses, but the town records include a notation from February 21, 1703/4 stating that Ephraim Warner's house was at Bucks Hill, on a parcel of land estimated to be 42.5 acres in size (Waterbury Land Records/Family Records, Volume I, c. 1600-1700).

Travel between Bucks Hill and the center of Waterbury was at first done along a cart path -- a dirt path that could be difficult to navigate. There were a couple of attempts to build a road connecting Bucks Hill to the center of Waterbury (where the Green is today) during the early 1700s. The first recorded road survey took place in 1724, when Ephraim Warner and John Bronson "laid out a highway to Bucks Hill, beginning at the Claypits, [west corner of North Main and Grove,] six rods wide where the path is" (Bronson, History of Waterbury, pp. 95-96). This new road was alternately called "the road to Bucks Hill" and "Bucks Hill road", but today it is North Main Street.

In 1730, the Bucks Hill settlement was granted the right to operate a public school using town funds. There were only seven families living at Bucks Hill at this time. The heads of household were Sgt. Richard Welton, Richard Welton, Jr., Benjamin Warner, John Warner, Obadiah Warner, Joseph Judd, and William Scott. School was in session for only three weeks a year at Bucks Hill during the 1730s, with the schoolmaster most likely dividing his time between Bucks Hill and the other four schools in Waterbury. The school at the center of town, with the largest population, was in session for 21 weeks a year (Bronson, History of Waterbury, p. 238).

The tax list for 1730 gives a sense of what life was like at Bucks Hill in this era (Town and City of Waterbury, Volume I, pp. 305-309):

• Richard Welton, Sr. had two oxen, seven horses, three cows, six heifers, and five pigs;
• Richard Welton, Jr. had two oxen, two horses, three cows, one heifer, and two pigs;
• Benjamin Warner had two oxen, three horses, two cows, and five pigs;
• John Warner had two oxen, two horses, two yearlings, two cows, and four pigs;
• Obadiah Warner had two oxen, one horse, two cows, and one pig;
• Joseph Judd had one horse, one cow, and one pig;
• William Scott had one ox, one horse, one cow, and one pig.

During the 1800s, German and Irish immigrants moved to Bucks Hill, choosing farming and country life over factory work and city life.

Bucks Hill remained rural farmland until the mid-1900s. It can be challenging to trace the history of individual houses, since the city directories listed only the street names, not the house numbers, for Bucks Hill (there weren't enough houses to justify numbering them).

Additionally, the street names weren't entirely the same until the mid-1900s. North Main Street was called Bucks Hill Road, while what is now Bucks Hill Road was just the road to Plymouth.




Gaylord-Welton House
3029 North Main Street

This house was built for Joseph Gaylord, Jr. and later became the home of generations of the Welton family; it is quite possibly the oldest house in Waterbury.

3029 North Main Street in 2006

Brothers Joseph, Jr. and John Gaylord are believed to have been the second pair of English settlers to build houses at Bucks Hill, sometime in 1703 or 1704. (Bronson, History of Waterbury, p. 146)

At the Proprietors' Meeting held on February 22, 1702/3, their father, Joseph Gaylord, Sr. was granted six acres of land on the west side of the cart path (now North Main Street) at Bucks Hill (Waterbury Proprietors' Records, p. 57). It is possible that this is the land on which his sons built their houses.

Joseph Gaylord, Jr. built his house on the west side of North Main Street. His brother John's house was built to the south. John Warner's house was to the north. (Bronson, History of Waterbury, p. 147)

Joseph's house is still standing. It is now a two-family house. The City Assessor's database incorrectly lists the date of construction as 1829.

I was able to tour the interior back in 2006 during a realtor's open house. There were still magnificent exposed beams on each floor and massive stones in the cellar walls. The central staircase was replaced during the late 1800s. The windows were replaced in the 20th century, and new vinyl siding and fake shutters were added in the 21st century.

In 2006, the house was red, which made it look more like a house built in 1704. It's now a pale blue with decorative white shutters that never would have been on the house when it was new.

3029 North Main Street in 2020

A side view of the house shows the overhang of each floor and the addition on the back, as well as the impressive old trees next to the house. The architectural style is sometimes called Post-Medieval English, a continuation of vernacular style and construction methods brought over by English immigrants during the 1600s. Because of the abundance of timber, Connecticut's colonists built wood-frame houses with wood siding.

During the open house in 2006, I was able to sneak in a couple of blurry interior photos before the realtor told me photography was not allowed (and there were no photos online). You can see some of the exposed beams in the photos, as well as the 19th-century fireplace mantle.

First floor in 2006

Second floor in 2006

Gaylord Family

Joseph Gaylord, Sr. brought his family to Waterbury (then called the Mattatuck Plantation) in 1678. He built his house and barn on a three-acre lot on the corner of East and North Main Streets. His estate inventory, taken after his death in 1712, suggests that he was a shoemaker, as he owned a set of shoemakers tools and various materials used in making shoes.

Joseph Gaylord, Jr. was five or six years old when his family moved to Waterbury. Twenty-two years later, in 1700, he started his own family, marrying Mary Hickox. Their first child was born nine months after their wedding. The couple had at least nine children, one of whom died in infancy in 1702.

The extended Gaylord family left Waterbury for Durham in 1706, although they retained ownership of their property in Waterbury.  Joseph Gaylord, Sr. and his two sons became original "patentees" of Durham in December 1708. (Bronson, History of Waterbury, p. 147)


Welton Family

In October 1708, Richard Welton purchased the house and seven acres from Joseph Gaylord, Jr. for "eleven pounds in building and four pounds ten shillings to be dun in worck" at Durham. (Bronson, History of Waterbury, p. 147)

Richard Welton was born in Waterbury in 1679 or 1680. Bronson's history speculates that he was a builder by trade, presumably due to the language of the 1708 deed with Joseph Gaylord, Jr. Welton also served as a sergeant in the town militia and he was a founding member of the Anglican (later Episcopal) Church in Waterbury.

Richard Welton married Mary Upson in 1701. The couple had nine children. Six generations of the Welton family lived in the house until 1840.

One of the most influential Weltons connected to the house is Nelson J. Welton, who was born in the house in 1829. Among his many accomplishments, Nelson Welton was a civil and hydraulic engineer and oversaw the creation of Waterbury's water and sewer systems. (Town and City of Waterbury, Volume II, p. 109)

Nelson J. Welton
Portrait illustrated in The Town and City of Waterbury, Volume II

Welton-Wimes House
3277 North Main Street

One of the last farms in Waterbury, the Welton-Wimes house was probably built in 1800. It has been expanded at least once. Because it is set so far back from the road, I have not been able to see it well enough to verify its approximate age.

3277 North Main Street

This most likely was a Welton family property at one point in time. Immediately to the east was the Hiram E. Welton farm, which straddled the town line with Wolcott. Hiram Welton built a saw mill around 1837, which was followed by a cider mill and a grist mill. Hiram Welton's farm had three ponds, one of which he used to cut ice for the Waterbury market.

James Wimes (1842-1903) purchased the house and farm sometime around 1888. An Irish immigrant, Wimes had previously worked as the head farmer for Israel Holmes, an industrialist who retained ownership of his family's farm but didn't have time to run it himself. (Waterbury Evening Democrat, 11 April 1903, p. 1)

After Wimes' death, his widow, Ellen (Keyes) Wimes, continued to live in the house until her death in 1922.

A. J. Patton Map of Waterbury, detail showing Wimes property, 1909

Brooks-Bunnell House
799 Bucks Hill Road

Hidden behind a stand of vine-covered pine trees is a wood shingle house built in 1800.

799 Bucks Hill Road

This appears to have been the home of the David Brooks family during the 1850s through the 1870s. David Brooks, a farmer, was born in Maine around 1810 and moved to Waterbury during the early 1840s.

John B. Bunnell (1839-1905) was a house carpenter. The Bunnell family moved to Bucks Hill from Middlebury during the 1870s. After Bunnell's death, the property was inherited by his son, John Wesley Bunnell.

A. J. Patton map, detail showing Bunnell farm, 1909

McCabe House
800 Bucks Hill Road


At the end of Bucks Hill Road is a house built in 1860. An enclosed porch was added to the front of the house during the 1900s.

800 Bucks Hill Road

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the farm was home to James and Rose McCabe, who came here from Ireland around 1868. They purchased the Bucks Hill farm in 1883 or 1884.

The McCabes apparently had some trouble getting along with their neighbors. In October 1895, James McCabe got into an argument with the Bunnells across the street and the Storys next door; according to McCabe, the Bunnells and Storys were harassing him, calling him names and whistling "The Wearing of the Green" at him. According to the Bunnells and Storys, McCabe started the trouble. The judge sided against McCabe, fining him $5 for disturbing the peace. (Waterbury Democrat, 10 October 1895, p. 8)

A. J. Patton map, detail showing McCabe farm, 1909

Williams House
13 Montoe Road


Built in 1861 at the corner of North Main Street and Montoe Road, this house has been modified several times and is now covered in vinyl, but the front porch still retains some of its original fretwork. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was the home of John and Jennie Williams.

13 Montoe Road

John T. and Jennie S. Williams moved to Bucks Hill around 1888. John Williams was a farmer who came here from England in 1871. He also worked at the Waterbury Clock Company as a shipping clerk (Waterbury City Directory, 1901).

The Williamses were entrepreneurs. Jennie owned several properties, including houses on both sides of Montoe Road and property on Hill Street. In 1906, the couple founded the Waterbury Automobile Company with Theodore E. Rogers. By 1911, Jennie was the company's president and John was the company's treasurer. The business was headquartered at 156 East Main Street.

A. J. Patton map, detail showing Jennie S. Williams' property, 1909

Terrell-Faber House
2561 North Main Street

Built in 1862, much of the decorative architectural details of this house have been removed. The front porch was enclosed at an unknown date, and aluminum siding was added.

2561 North Main Street

Joel B. Terrell (1811-1892) was living in this house by about 1875. After years of working in a factory, Terrell moved to Bucks Hill and dedicated himself to farming. After his death, the house was purchased by George Faber (see below), who gave it to his son, Frederick L. Faber.




George Faber House
2905 North Main Street

George Faber (1826-1915) came here from Germany during the 1840s. He was believed to be the second German immigrant to make a permanent residence in Waterbury (Norwich Bulletin, 10 August 1914, p. 8). He eventually became one of the largest landowners in Bucks Hill.

Built in 1869, this house is very similar in style to the Terrell-Faber house at 2561 North Main Street. It is now a three-family house, with most of its original decorative details stripped or hidden under aluminum siding.

2905 North Main Street

A. J. Patton map, detail showing George Faber's house, 1909

Bucks Hill Union Chapel
2851 North Main Street


George Faber donated the land for the Bucks Hill Union Chapel during the 1890s. The small non-denominational church had a membership of about fifty during its height. Today, the building houses the Bucks Hill Community Club.

2851 North Main Street

Perkins House and Barn
130 Perkins Avenue


Built in 1870 as a grand farmhouse overlooking landscaped pastures, this is now a multi-family complex (the assessor lists it as a three-family, but there are five mailboxes). Although the red barn is still in beautiful condition, the house's beauty has been obscured by a composition/asbestos siding and the removal of decorative details. A retaining wall was built in front of the house to make room for the street; in 1870, there would have been a gentle slope leading from the house to the land below.

130 Perkins Avenue

130 Perkins Avenue barn

The farm was home to Philemon and Abby (Barnes) Holt during the first half of the nineteenth century. Philemon Holt's property included about 95 acres of land. In 1860, Philemon Holt was no longer able to care for himself. The town set up a conservatorship and sold his farm to Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company in 1861.

In 1863, Benedict & Burnham sold the Holt farm to William Perkins (1811-1887), reserving their ownership of the timber on the land until they finished clearing all of the timber (Waterbury Land Records, Volume 74, p. 142).

Perkins was a carpenter and builder, famed for building nine houses at Waterville in ten days. He also built the Scovill House Hotel, a Scovill factory, and a wood fence around the Green in 1848. A large landowner, he does not appear to have actually lived at the house on Perkins Avenue, but it seems likely that he was responsible for its construction in 1870. He may have hired someone to run the property for him.

After Perkins' death, the Holt farm was inherited by his son, William H. Perkins (1848-1902). William H. Perkins, like his father, was a carpenter, and he apprenticed with local architect D. H. Meloy, so it's possible that he helped build the house or modified it during the 1880s.

William H. Perkins had a reputation for his interest in "manly sports" like fishing and baseball. He was a promoter and catcher for the Monitor Base Ball Club and a catcher for the Waterbury Baseball Club. (Pape, History of Waterbury, Volume III, pp. 190-193).

William H. Perkins
Pape, History of Waterbury, Volume III, p. 191

In 1888, after the death of his father, William H. Perkins moved to the Holt farm and set himself up as a gentleman farmer with a grand estate on an avenue named after himself. He bred cattle, chickens, and "fancy" dogs (Great Danes, Irish Bull Terriers, and Spaniels). His farm totaled 160 acres and extended all the way to Chase Avenue. Using the stream running to the south of Perkins Avenue, he built a dam and created a small lake just large enough for a "pleasure boat" (the artificial lake was about where Schmidt & Serafine's is today).

A snippet in the local newspaper in 1900 praised Perkins' farm for its display of "modern farming methods," noting that "everything of the latest design is employed in keeping the farm up to date." The modern farming methods included mechanization: Perkins had "the latest agricultural devices for cutting hay and filling the cow troughs." (Waterbury Evening Democrat, 27 September 1900, p. 8)

The farm commanded a magnificent view of the valley: where we now have strip malls and traffic, there were fields, streams, and woods. During October every year, the Perkins farm was a popular destination for people wanting to pick their own walnuts and chestnuts, not only because of the quality of the nuts, but also for the beauty of the scenery (Waterbury Democrat, 21 October 1901, p. 8).

A. J. Patton map, showing the Perkins estate and "lake", 1909

Research Note

In order to find all of the old houses, I'm relying first on historical maps of Waterbury showing which streets have been here the longest. Many of the maps also show houses and indicate the owners of the houses. I then tour each of the streets looking for old houses, cross-referencing what I find with the historical maps. The next step is to look up the houses in the City Assessor Database, which usually has the correct date of construction. The database also gives me the information needed to start researching the history of ownership in the land records at the Town Clerk's Office. The City Directories can also help trace the history of ownership.

Historical Maps for Researching Historic Houses in Waterbury:

1852 Irvine & Clark Map of Waterbury (online at Leventhal Map Center Collection, Boston Public Library)

1874 Map of Waterbury (online at UConn Library MAGIC)

1909 A. J. Patton Map of Waterbury (online at Connecticut Digital Archive and on view at the Town Clerk's Office at City Hall)

1932 A. J. Patton Map of Waterbury (on view at the Town Clerk's Office at City Hall)

Sanborn Insurance Maps, 1884 - 1922 (online at Yale University Library)


Note on Dates

Until 1752, the new year started on March 25. Changing over to the January 1 start date has created endless confusion for researchers. In order to minimize confusion, I use the following convention: any date between January 1 and March 24 prior to 1752 shows the year as (for example) 1702/3 -- by our calendar, the year was 1703, but it was recorded at the time as 1702.