East New Market

Property Reports

12 Main Street

Smith Cottage

Key date analysis:

When Mary L. Collins purchased this property in 1847, Silas Collins occupied the property.  I have not found the house mentioned in a record prior to 1846.  In a divorce record Mary L. Collins describes Dr. Edwin Hooper deeding the property to her with the house and improvement thereon erected.  A house is not mentioned on this property in any earlier records and the purchase price of the property in 1842 and 1836 was combined with other properties.  The purchase price for the lot in 1834 was $80, which is typical of a vacant lot during that time period. 

Who built it:

Most likely Dr. John Edwin Hooper has the house built around 1845.  Less likely, but still possible is that John Robinson or Thomas H. Handy could have had the house built between 1834 and 1842. 

Longest Residents:

Mary Louisa Ennalls Collins Smith lived here for 53 years.  Thomas Hamill Smith Jr. has owned the property for 48 years.

More Research:

An architectural historian has dated this house to the period of 1825 to 1840.  Previous speculation by earlier residents/researchers was that the house could have been built between 1760-1790.  However, there is no evidence to support this.  Dendrochronology could establish the exact date of date of construction for this house.

Historic Records:

110 RSM 285 - 30 June 1958 - Thomas Frederic Chesnut, unmarried, residing at 114 Poplar Walk, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania to Thomas Hamill Smith Jr. of East New Market:  Same property conveyed by deed to Mr. Chesnut from V. Calvin Trice, Assignee of Mortgage for the purpose of foreclosure in No. 4993 Chancery in Circuit Court, and by Norman P. Christopher and Margaret E. Christopher, his wife, dated 10 July 1929, JFD 24/291.   Lot on the West side of Main Street, bounded on the southward by the property of Mrs. Mary J. Smith and were she now or formerly resided; on the westward by the property of Eben Wheatley (as of 1929), which land of Eben Wheatley is said to have once been owned by Francis H. Camper; bounded on the Northward by property said to be owned by John Collins and where he resides (as of 1929), which said property is said to have once been owned by John C. Carmine, and bounded on the Eastward by Main Street.  The said property fronting on the Main Street a distance of 120 feet, binding upon the Mary J. Smith property on the south 200 feet, the Eben Wheatley property on the west 126 feet, and on the John Collins property on the north 250 feet.  The said property was occupied by Norman P. Christopher and Margaret Christopher, his wife, as a residence in the year 1929.  The same land conveyed by deed to Thomas K. Wheatley from Frank Blades and wife, dated 14 November 1919, WHM 7/240.

1930 Census
Possibly dwelling #

1920 Census
undetermined

7 WHM 240 - 14 November 1919 - Frank Blades & Lydia May Blades, his wife, to Thomas K. Wheatley:  House & lot on the west side of Main Street, bounded on the south by the property of Mary J. Smith, on the west by the property of Francis H. Camper, on the north by the property of John C. Carmine and on the east by Main Street.  Being the home property of Mary L. Smith, mother of James M. Smith, which was devised unto him by the last will and testament of the said Mary L. Smith, dated 18 January 1900, JWF 3/206, being the same lot which was conveyed unto Frank Blades by James M. Smith & wife by deed dated 28 July 1913, WLR 6/413.

6 WLR 413 - 28 July 1913 - James M. Smith & Emma H. Smith, his wife, to Frank Blades:  House and lot on the west side of Main Street, bounded on the South by the property of Mary J. Smith, on the West by the property of Francis H. Camper, on the North by the property of John C. Carmine, and on the East by Main Street, being the home property of Mary L. Smith, mother of said James M. Smith, which was devised unto him by the last will and testament of the said Mary L. Smith dated 18 January 1900, JWF 3/206.

1910 Census
Dwelling #

1900 Census
undetermined

3 JWF 206 - 18 January 1900 - Will of Mary L. Smith:  to son, James M. Smith -her house; to daughter Annie R. Carmine -house adjoining her house; to Sallie Collins, widow of son, Thomas Collins, and their children, Nellie (Young), Lillie, and Edgar.

1896-1910 Tax Record
Mary L. Smith
1896 - land in ENM on east side of street leading to Cambridge 1/4 acre $100
Dwelling & improvements $500
Lot adjoining above containing 1/4 acre $100
Dwelling & improvement $500
3 May 1904 - reduced by land & dwelling in ENM on east side of street to Annie Carmine
reduced by land & dwelling in ENM adjoining above to James M. Smith

1896 Tax Record
Mary L. Smith
1 lot of land situated in the village of East New Market on the east side of the street leading to Cambridge containing 1/4 acre $100
Dwelling & improvements $500
1 lot adjoining the above containing 1/4 acre $100
Dwelling & improvements  $500

1880 Census
Dwelling #23, the household of Mary L. Smith. 

1876 Tax Record
Mary L. Smith
Dwelling house & lot in ENM 1 1/2 acre - $800
Dwelling house & lot in ENM 1/2 acre - $600

1870 Census
Dwelling #367, the household of Mary L. Smith

1867-1876 Tax Record
James T. Smith
1867 - House & Lot $700
1867 - Private Securities $1700, 3 beds $60, furniture $20
reduced
1872 - House & Lot charged to Louisa Smith $700
1872 - Personal all off $1780

1866 Tax Record
James T. Smith
House & Lot $700, private securities bonds $1700, 3 beds $60, other furniture $20

Marriage Record - 23 May 1861 - James T. Smith to Mary L. Collins

1860 Census
Dwelling #754, the household of Mary Collins

Chancery Court - Divorce Record - 15 February 1859 - Mary L. Collins vs. Silas Collins -
With $900, Silas Collins purchased a lot in the town of East New Market from Dr. Edwin Hooper & wife and the same was deeded by them to your Mary L. Collins in her own right together with the house and improvement thereon erected.   The said Silas Collins is residing in her said house on the lot belonging to her in East New Market and has there resided ever since the same has been purchased and before.
[Establishes house was on the property in 1846 and Silas Collins lived there before 1846.]

1852-1864 Tax Record
House and Lot $600
2 beds & furniture $30, other household furniture $5

1850 Census
Dwelling #1230, the household of Silas Collins

1849 Assessment List
Silas Collins:  Real Estate - $335, Personal Estate $450, Total $785

4 WJ 34 - 9 December 1847 - John Edwin Hooper & Maria K. Hooper, his wife, to Mary L. Collins for $155:  lot in the village of East New Market on the western side of the road leading from said village to Cambridge and also being a part of that lot conveyed by a certain John Robinson to the said John E. Hooper and which is in the occupancy of Silas Collins.  Beginning at a stone sitting on the west of said land at a ditch bank which is a divisional line between the said John E. Hooper and Mary L. Collins, thence running with said ditch bank N72/45W 18p to another ditch bank and from thence S1W 7.5p to Dr. Henry W. Houston's garden fence, thence with said garden fence and store house S72/45E 15p to the aforesaid county road, thence with said road to the beginning.  Containing 3/4 of an acre and 4 square perches.

Marriage Record, Baltimore - 28 April 1846 - Silas Collins to Mary L. Ennalls

1 WJ 264 - 26 December 1842 - John Robinson & Elizabeth Robinson, his wife, to John E. Hooper for $250:  lot in the village of East New Market on the west side of the main street. Formerly the property of Thomas Henry Handy and purchased by the said John Robinson as reference to the said Thomas Henry Handy's deed will more fully appear.  Beginning at the end of the first course of a previous deed from the said John Robinson & Elizabeth Robinson, his wife, to the said John E. Hooper as reference to said deed will more fully appear, and thence runs with the second course of the said deed N 71 W 20 1/4 perches to intersect at the 38th course of Henry Dickinson's commission on "Carthagena", thence with the said commission S 1 1/2 W 15 1/5 perches to the second course of the deed from John Newton to Stephen LeCompte, thence with the third course of the said deed S 75 E 16 perches to the main street leading through the village of East New Market, thence with said main street to the place of beginning.

15 ER 333 - 8 March 1836 - Thomas Henry Handy & Sarah Handy, his wife, to John Roberson for $1800:  (1) lot in the town of East New Market formerly the property of James Thompson and purchased by the said Thomas H. Handy as reference to the said James Thompson and John Willis deeds will more fully appear.  (2) and also that lot in the town aforesaid on the west side of the street, and running with the street from the lot aforesaid to intersect the late Stephen LeCompte lot, and binding therewith until it intersects the late Henry Dickinson's land, and binding therewith until it intersects the lot purchased aforesaid and thence to the beginning.  As reference to deed of Nathaniel E. Green of Henry Nicols, deceased will more fully appear. Containing 3 acres.

13 ER 572 - 4 February 1834 - Nathaniel E. Greene, executor of Henry Nicols, deceased, to Thomas H. Handy for $80:  Henry Nicols, deceased by his last will and testament 20 March 1832.  Lot in New Market on the west side of the street opposite the tanyard and running with the street from the said Thomas H. Handy's lot purchased of James Thompson to intersect Stephen LeComptes lot and binding therewith until it intersects the late Henry Dickinson's Land and binding therewith until it intersects the said Thomas H. Handy's lot purchased as aforesaid and thence to the beginning.  Containing 3 acres and known by the name of "New Market".  Public vendue held at the tavern of Henry B. LeCompte.

Cambridge Chronicle – 28 July 1832
Public sale at Henry B. LeCompte's tavern in New Market a small lot containing 5-6 acres situated opposite Joseph K. Travers tan shop in New Market;  Nathaniel E. Green, executor of Henry Nicols.

1 THH 27 - 15 March 1832 / 26 March 1832 - Will of Henry Nicols -  7.  Joseph Traverse & Nathaniel E. Green, named executors and instructed to sell the residue of testator's real estate, being a lot of land lying opposite the grave yard in New Market, and adjoining the lands of Stephen LeCompte, Henry Dickinson, and Dr. T. Handy.

11 ER 352 - 16 July 1829 - Jeremiah Bramble & Mary, his wife, to Henry Nicols for $55:  lot on the west side of the street in New Market and being part of a tract called "New Market".  Being the remaining 1/3 part of a lot sold to said Henry Nicols by D.H. Barrow and Henry Hicks on the west side of the street binding with the said street till it intersects.  Stephen Lecompte's lot, thence with said lot to Henry Dickinson's land binding therewith to James Thompson's lot and binding these with to the said street, and premises hereby sold.

11 ER 207 - 3 January 1829 - Henry Hicks & Elizabeth A Hicks, of New Castle County, Delaware to Henry Nicols for $50:  all of 1/3 part of my right to a lot in the village of New Market.  On the west side of the main street and bounded by the lot belonging to James Thompson, formerly the property of Thomas Light, the back part running with the line of Henry Dickinson's land, and thence binding with the lot of Stephen LeCompte, formerly the property of John Newton, and thence with the street to the first mentioned place in line of James Thompson's lot.

11 ER 144 - 15 April 1828 - Denwood H. Barrow & Eliza Barrow, his wife, to Henry Nicols for $45:  a tract in the village of New Market on the west side of the main street, bounded on the north by a lot purchased by James Thompson Esq. of Thomas Light, on the south by a lot sold by Henry Hicks (of Denwood) to James Moore, and on the west by the lands of Henry Dickinson's heirs.

Marriage - 4 September 1823 - Henry Hicks to Elizabeth King

[provides relationships - not this tract]  7 ER 58 - 7 November 1822 - John Jones, deceased 1821.  William Jones, deceased, - daughter Sophia, wife of Allen Vane, daughter Jane, wife of Thomas Ball, daughter Esther, wife of William Windows.  Amelia, deceased former wife of John Mitchell - daughter Kitty, wife of Samuel Neal, daughter Sally, wife of Peter Robinson, son John Mitchell, son Ezekiel Mitchell.

Marriage - 18 March 1817 - Jeremiah Bramble to Mary King

[the land was evidently transferred from Thomas Ball & Jane Jones Ball to King then to heirs]

Marriage - 10 December 1813 - Thomas Ball to Jane Jones

Marriage - 12 January 1812 - Denwood H. Barrow to Eliza Hicks

2 ER 315 - 23 October 1812 - Joseph Ennalls to Jane Jones for $1500: lot in New Market on the west side of the main street that leads from Cabin Creek to Cambridge.  Beginning for the first bounder near the corner of Robert Traverse's Currying House and runs as follows - N15E 27p to a stone marked GE, thence runs S75W 24p, then S2W 27 3/4p, to the corner of Robert Traverse's garden and from thence by a line to the first beginning. Containing 3 1/2 acres. Mariah Ennalls, wife of Joseph Ennalls.

Marriage - 25 October 1809 - Joseph Ennalls to Maria B. Travers

[The main road originally ran behind where this house was built.  The road was a gentle curve from the from the NE corner of the "Daffin-Mitchell House" lot to the SW corner of the "Smith Cottage" lot.  The deed 9 HD 427 shown below adds about 1 acre of  land to the east of this original road to the 4 3/4 acres of land on the west side of the original road  to create a 5 3/4 acre lot.  The 5 3/4 acre lot is on the west side of the current Main Street.]

21 HD 518 - 6 November 1804 - William McDonald and James McDonald to Joseph Ennalls (of Joseph) for $2000:  William and James McDonald, as the executors of the last will and testament of Cyrus Mitchell, deceased, sell the house and lot in New Market whereon he then lived. Also 4/5 of the said rent for the present year. Henrietta McDonald is wife of William McDonald.  [This deed is for the Brick Hotel / House of the Hinges, and not this property.  However, it shows that Cyrus Mitchell's executors sold land to Joseph Ennalls.]

[Front Original Large Lot] 9 HD 427 - 28 July 1796 - James Sulivane to Cyrus Mitchell for 37 pounds, 10 shillings: 1 acre part of a tract called "New Market" in the village of New Market. Beginning at the end of a line drawn east 21 1/2 perches distance from the boundary of "Anderton's Desire", it being the place of beginning of the 2nd line of Lot No 1 sold by the said Sulivane to Charles Daffin about 10 years ago for 4 3/4 acres, and from thence running S 21 W 30 perches, bounded with Lot No 1, and then running S 50 W 11 1/2 perches bounded with Lot No 1, and then running S 61 W 8 3/4 perches bounded with Lot No 1 to a marked white oak, it being one of the boundaries of Lot No 18, and from thence running S 75 E 16 perches bounded with Lot No 18 to another white oak post marked 18 standing on the west side of the new road leading through New Market, and from thence bounded with the said road on a straight line to the place of beginning. Containing 1 acre and 14 square perches. [Original Large Lot] 6 HD 31 - 2 April 1793 - Daniel Godwin to Cyrus Mitchell for 180 pounds: lot in the village of New Market which was purchased by the said Daniel Godwin of a certain Charles Daffin, who purchased of a certain James Sulivane.

[Back Original Large Lot] 3 HD 25 - 1 December 1790 - Charles Daffin, merchant, to Daniel Godwin, planter, for 250 pounds: lot in the village of New Market being part of the tract called "New Market" purchased by said Charles Daffin of a certain James Sulivane.

[Back Original Large Lot] 9 NH 102 - 21 October 1786 - James Sulivane, merchant, to Charles Daffin, merchant for 157 pounds, 10 shillings: part of a tract called "New Market" and "Yorke". Beginning at a Spanish red oak, it being the original bounder of a tract called "Andertons Desire", then runs E 21.5p to a marked cedar post standing at the main road, it also being the beginning of Mr. James Shaw's lot leased of Mr. John Anderton, S21W 30p down the said road binding therewith as the road now runs S50W 11.5p down the said road binding therewith as the road now runs S14.5W 10p down the said road binding therewith as the road now runs N 41p that is to say until an E course will strike the first beginning. Containing 4 3/4 acres.

50 BC & GS 471 - 30 October 1776 - Resurvey of Buckland Regulated, Debate Enlarged, Restitution, Sulivane's Meadows, Westward, York, and several pieces of vacant land to create the tract New Market.

[This lot appears to fall within the original bounds of the northwest arm of a tract called "York".  With the changing metes and bounds in the 1700s, the tract could also be partially or entirely within the bounds of "Debate Enlarged", which was later called part of "Buckland Regulated.]