The Stanton-Davis Homestead is the oldest house in Stonington, CT. We estimate building began in 1670. Thomas Stanton's will, written in 1677, refers to "the new house to the southward of the old house."
Important Items from the Historical Record (click on one of the following links:)
In addition, the house is part of a working farm which has been worked by the same family for over three hundred and fifty years and has never missed a harvest! The land on which the house stands is part of the original holdings of the Stanton family; the Stantons are one of the four English families who originally settled Stonington, Connecticut.
Thomas Stanton the first was an Indian interpreter to the General Court of Connecticut at Hartford. In 1649, was granted permission to build a trading house on the Pawcatuck River. He would later settle there and become one of the one of the first founders of the Pawcatuck area. His son, Robert, distinguished himself during King Philip's War in a foray led by Captain George Denison of Pequotsepos Manor, by being the first Englishman to get to Canonchet when he had been tackled (captured) by a Pequot. He began to question Canonchet, who answered him scornfully by saying that Robert (about age 22) was a boy and knew nothing of war, and that he should bring his leader or his brother (assumed to be John, who was with Denison's party.) It is rather interesting that the great Narragansett leader knew the two men were brothers and somehow knew that John was there.
In 1677, Robert married Joanna Gardiner. While the original owner of the house is unknown, presumably it was their son, Thomas, who built the house. In 1713, Thomas Stanton married Thankful Denison. Grace Denison Wheeler states that Thomas and Thankful left the house to their son, Robert, born in 1716.
It would seem that this son, Robert, was responsible for the addition of the east end and for the interior woodwork, probably done at the same time. This Robert Stanton, whose name now identifies the house, leased it to John Davis in 1765. The house has remained in the Davis family ever since. If you are interested, click here for a list of all the owners of the Stanton-Davis Homestead.
A sketch of Thomas Stanton's first house,
built in 1655, by an unknown artist, based
on a verbal description.
Thomas Stanton built his first house along the Pawcatuck River at a location called Pawcatuck Rock. This house was torn down in the late 1800s and its position is now marked by a very large stone. That stone is called the Marker Stone, and you can click here to read an interesting story about its origin. The house was off Greenhaven Road a short distance from the Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum, which Thomas Stanton built circa 1670s.
Thomas Stanton also built a trading post or store in 1651, which was the first of its kind in the area. A stone marks the spot where the trading post stood.
