Cabinetmaker’s home was across the street

By Thomas Smith

In the late 1700’s, a Revolutionary War veteran named Josiah Magoon moved to New Hampton. Josiah established a 300 acre sheep farm and constructed a sawmill on Magoon Brook. Josiah was one of the first three elders of the Free Will Baptist church that regularly congregated in the Dana Meeting House, beginning in 1802. There was an unfinished house across the road from the meeting house, and at some point Josiah’s son, Stephen Sleeper Magoon, purchased that house and the land that went with it.

Stephen Magoon was a carpenter and he was able to complete the construction of his new home. He was also a cabinetmaker. He established a store in his house, and along with regular wares, Stephen sold different articles of furniture that were found throughout many of the homes in New Hampton and surrounding neighborhoods.

In 1810, there was a vote to complete the construction of the meeting house and replace the initial pews with sheep-pen pews. Stephen was hired to finish the interior of the meeting house and build the sheep-pen pews for $300. Apparently this matter became controversial as the new pews would be replacing rough benches, and dissenting members felt their brethren were becoming too worldly with the desire of “luxiourus” pews. Nevertheless, the congregation went ahead with the ordering of the pews and Stephen was the one to construct them – and he exceeded his estimated contract by only 55 cents!
My name is Thomas Raymond Smith, and 211 years later my family and I had the opportunity to move into Stephen Magoon’s home and former workshop. This old farmhouse has survived centuries of New England weather and several generations of families. To accomodate my own family of eight children, we were aware that we would need to provide the home with renovations upon moving in. What we were not aware of was the amount of history that would come to light with these changes – not only historical knowledge, but also historical artifacts.

I was always aware that my new home was rich in history as I had visited my grandparents there many times.
Cabinetmaker’s home was across the street.

Later on in life I took up residence at “the farm” (as my relatives always called it), living there as the son of the homeowner. I am now the homeowner, and grateful to be learning continuously about the history of the house, the land, the meeting house, and the town.

Just a couple of artifacts we discovered as we took down some damaged horsehair plaster walls included a Civil War Navy medal, as well as cabinet doors that proved to be the only insulation in the walls of the entire downstairs of the house! The search is on to determine the recipient of the medal. The cabinet doors are now panels decorating our new kitchen island (the same room in which the panels were discovered). We are also blessed to have ledgers from Stephen Magoon’s store, which include the recording of the $300.55 he charged for the construction on the meeting house. The ledger also documented his fee for the chairs and furniture that he handcrafted and sold in the neighborhood.

The biggest historical discovery yet is a personal one – one my father informed me about only recently. Stephen Sleeper Magoon is my great-great-great grandfather, by adoption. His adopted daughter, Harriet George, became wife of Thomas Perkins Smith, my great-great grandfather. How grateful I am to be connected to this history! May we continue to discover, celebrate, and honor our town’s past, become a part of its dynamic present, and help create a promising future for our rural neighborhood.