Chester in Windsor County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
Hugh Henry Family Homestead
This homestead represents over two centuries of residency by the Hugh Henry family. The main house was built for Thomas Kimball c.1780 during the Federal architectural period with a Georgian plan. In 1803, Hugh Henry (1767-1847) of Acworth, N.H. purchased the imposing house; he was a merchant, innkeeper, land dealer, and private banker. His only son, Hugh Horatio Henry (1814-69), was a nominal farmer, banker, Chester Academy president, State senator, U.S. Marshal, Vermont Valley Railroad founder/president, and abolitionist champion of Abraham Lincoln at the 1860 Republican Convention. His successes and large family led to the c.1860 addition to the house of a large ell plus fashionable Greek Revival ornament.
The third resident Hugh Henry (1838-1920) was a lawyer and Judge of Probate, State senator, bank president, Vermont G.A.R. commander, Vermont Soldiers’ Home board president, and vice president of the Vermont Valley Railroad. In 1898, President McKinley appointed him to serve as U.S. Pension Agent. One of his five sisters, Clara Henry (1843-99) augmented the homestead in 1890 with the building of the adjacent cottage designed in Gothic Revival form with Queen Anne stylistic features. The fourth Hugh Henry (1883-1964) moved into the cottage in 1910, and added a large rear wing the following year. After the sale in 1965 of the main house, the cottage became the residence of the fifth and sixth Hugh Henrys.
Erected 2021 by Vermont Division for Historical Preservation and Hugh Henry Family.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Architecture • Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1780.
Location. 43° 15.51′ N, 72° 34.62′ W. Marker is in Chester, Vermont, in Windsor County. Marker is on Green Mountain Turnpike south of Pleasant Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2148 Green Mountain Turnpike, Chester VT 05143, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Chester Depot (approx. 0.9 miles away); Chester World War I and II and Korean Conflict Monument (approx. 1.1 miles away); Chester Vietnam Conflict Monument (approx. 1.2 miles away); Chester Civil War Memorial (approx. 1.2 miles away); Merritt Austin Edson (approx. 1.2 miles away); Chester Academy / District No. 20 Central School (approx. 1.2 miles away); North Chester (approx. 1.4 miles away); Stellafane Observatory (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chester.
Regarding Hugh Henry Family Homestead. The Hugh Henry Family Homestead is now the Franklyn Farm Inn.
Also see . . . Franklyn Farm Inn. (Submitted on October 14, 2021, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 5, 2021, by Dennis Gilkenson of Saxtons River, Vermont. This page has been viewed 210 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 5, 2021, by Dennis Gilkenson of Saxtons River, Vermont. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.