A Negro slave named Arabella, of unknown origin, served in Lyme’s first parsonage. There she attended Rev. Moses Noyes (1643–1729) and his family until she passed by will to his daughter Sarah. The original Noyes homestead has been demolished, but Arabella’s dwelling place can still be imagined from a sketch drawn by artist Ellen Noyes Chadwick (1824–1900), based on her father’s descriptions.
Read More Black Hall, Edward DeWolfe, Florence Griswold Museum, Governor John Winthrop, Matthew Griswold, Rev. Moses Noyes, Richard Ely, rum, ship Arabella, slavery, West Indies trade
Shad nets stored on wooden reels were once a familiar sight along the Connecticut River. This photograph, taken ca. 1885 near the Reuben Champion house at Ferry Point, recalls the days when “shadding” was an important source of local income.
Read More farming, Ferry Point, Gold Rush, Poverty Island, shad fishing, shipbuilding, West Indies trade, William Noyes