Strong-Porter History

A Brief History of the Strong Porter House

The Strong-Porter house is really two houses built over a long period of time. The eastern half (toward the Nathan Hale Homestead) was built by Aaron Strong who lived here until the 1750's when he moved out of town. About this time, Aaron's niece, Elizabeth Strong, married Richard Hale from Newburyport, Massachusetts and the couple moved to South Street in Coventry. Though Elizabeth lived in another part of town with her parents, she probably was very familiar with the early part of this house.

In 1758, the Strongs sold the house to the Porter family. It was the large and growing Porter family that built the rest of the house. By about 1777, the western half, and the lean-to across the back (containing 2 kitchens), had been added. A census taken in 1790 indicates that 9 Porters were living in the eastern half of the house and 12 Porters were living in the western half, making a total of 21 Porter family members living in the house!

By the time of the Revolutionary War, this house had two chimneys and a Georgian floor plan -- the very latest style! The Porters occupied the house for about 170 years and continued to live and farm at this site through the entire 19th century!

The Strong-Porter house, like the Hale Homestead, was bought and restored by the well-known Connecticut antiquarian, George Dudley Seymour (1859-1945). Seymour thought that Nathan Hale's mother, Elizabeth Strong, had been born in this house. We have since discovered that it was her uncle who built the first part of the Strong-Porter house around 1730 and that Elizabeth Strong did not live here.

Seymour purchased the house from the Porters in the mid-1920's and called it the "Northampton House" because so many early Coventry settlers came from Northampton, Massachusetts. He lived here while he was restoring the Hale Homestead.

About 1850, Thomas E. Porter built a massive barn on the property. It burned to the ground in 1890. Recently, the foundation of the Great Barn was uncovered as part of Chris Ferguson's Eagle Scout Project.

The Strong-Porter privy, known as "The Lyttle House" was built on the Strong-Porter Farm on South Street in Coventry. We are somewhat sure this was not the first outhouse on the property. As the family's prosperity grew so did the privy! By the late 1800's, the privy is Federal in style and quite grand! It has three adult "holes" and a "baby hole" just as you enter to the right. It's the cutest thing! The walls are all plaster and there are windows to boot. At some point, the outhouse was moved to the Hale Homestead and remained there until it was returned to its orginal foundation in 2000 by the Coventry Historical Society. It took many years and a lot of money but the "The Lyttle House" is home to stay.

Back to Society Properties

May 2008


A Brief History of the Strong Porter House

		The Strong-Porter house is really two houses built over a long period of time. The eastern half (toward the Nathan Hale Homestead) was built by Aaron Strong who lived here until the 1750's when he moved out of town. About this time, Aaron's niece, Elizabeth Strong, married Richard Hale from Newburyport, Massachusetts and the couple moved to South Street in Coventry. Though Elizabeth lived in another part of town with her parents, she probably was very familiar with the early part of this house. In 1758, the Strongs sold the house to the Porter family. It was the large and growing Porter family that built the rest of the house. By about 1777, the western half, and the lean-to across the back (containing 2 kitchens), had been added. A census taken in 1790 indicates that 9 Porters were living in the eastern half of the house and 12 Porters were living in the western half, making a total of 21 Porter family members living in the house! By the time of the Revolutionary War, this house had two chimneys and a Georgian floor plan -- the very latest style! The Porters occupied the house for about 170 years and continued to live and farm at this site through the entire 19th century! The Strong-Porter house, like the Hale Homestead, was bought and restored by the well-known Connecticut antiquarian, George Dudley Seymour (1859-1945). Seymour thought that Nathan Hale's mother, Elizabeth Strong, had been born in this house. We have since discovered that it was her uncle who built the first part of the Strong-Porter house around 1730 and that Elizabeth Strong did not live here. Seymour purchased the house from the Porters in the mid-1920's and called it the "Northampton House" because so many early Coventry settlers came from Northampton, Massachusetts. He lived here while he was restoring the Hale Homestead. About 1850, Thomas E. Porter built a massive barn on the property. It burned to the ground in 1890. Recently, the foundation of the Great Barn was uncovered as part of Chris Ferguson's Eagle Scout Project. The Strong-Porter privy, known as "The Lyttle House" was built on the Strong-Porter Farm on South Street in Coventry. We are somewhat sure this was not the first outhouse on the property. As the family's prosperity grew so did the privy! By the late 1800's, the privy is Federal in style and quite grand! It has three adult "holes" and a "baby hole" just as you enter to the right. It's the cutest thing! The walls are all plaster and there are windows to boot. At some point, the outhouse was moved to the Hale Homestead and remained there until it was returned to its orginal foundation in 2000 by the Coventry Historical Society. It took many years and a lot of money but the "The Lyttle House" is home to stay.