117 BROAD STREET - COOPER SHOP Basic text is from the DAR History of Hollis Homes, edited by Deborah E. Lovejoy 1953 with accompanying map (Cudworth). Codes used are initials of editors from this book and from 1999-2000 update editors. See bibliography for full information From Mr. Little’s account we learn that in the 1820’s Burpee Ames owned this farm (the house and barns on the north side of Broad Street and the cooper shop on the south side of Broad once Nashua Street) and was living here as an old man. His son, William Ames a shoemaker, lived in the Patch house in the village, but had a taste for farming and bought land in different parts of the town. He probably inherited this place and handed it on to his son, Capt. M. Nathan Ames. Noah Dow, who was born in the Sheska house, came here as a young man. He bought the farm in the 1870’s. In later years he gained a reputation not only as a good farmer, but also as a builder of stone walls. He had two sons but neither one was to carry on the a farm at his death. It was eventually sold it to a priest, Father Mitchell. Then it came into the possession of his sister, Harriet McPhee, and her husband, Alexander McPhee. Mrs. McPhee owns it in 1951.
(The cooper shop on the south side of the street opposite the farm is at 117 Broad on a separately owned piece of property with frontage on both Broad and Van Dyke. Recently, the owners and the Heritage Commission have cooperated in stabilizing the building the roof of which was in bad condition and the windows broken. Research is to be done regarding the tools from the shop. ese 2001)
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