Page 14 - North Haven Magazine Issue 20 Autumn 2021

Benjamin by Susan A. Inverson
Benjamin
Benjamin
Reverend
Trumbull
Trumbull
Trumbull

House

I associate buildings with the people I’ve known who have occupied them – so I don’t think of
the handsome 18th century blue homestead on the Green as the Trumbull House; it will always
be “Gloria’s house”. It was Gloria who encouraged me to explore the story of my own home, and
to become better acquainted with North Haven’s local history. For most others, though, that
18th century homestead is indeed known as the Reverend Benjamin Trumbull House – built in
1761 for an iconic pastor, patriot, gentleman farmer, and teacher. I am convinced that if he lived
today, Benjamin Trumbull would have been an “influencer”; to know his story is to know the Benjamin Trumbull Sketch
story of many North Haveners in 18th and early 19th century North Haven.
Benjamin Trumbull was born in 1735 in He- people that he would teach their children for When Gloria and her husband George moved
bron, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale three months per year if a schoolhouse was to North Haven in the mid-1960s they pur-
in 1759, first becoming a schoolteacher in built for them. The one-room schoolhouse chased the Trumbull House; it was their im-
Columbia, Connecticut. When North Ha- was quickly constructed and located on the peccable research that led to the restoration
ven’s Congregational Church minister died, Green – and he kept his word! Reverend of the home as it appears today. The house
Benjamin was invited here to preach. He was Trumbull would have been a very busy man is still largely intact some two hundred and
engaging, intelligent, and handsome, and so – moving between meeting house, his farm, sixty years later. Although a bay window was
was hired as the pastor. The congregation and the school to keep all running and in or- added to the south side of the house about
awarded him a very generous salary, and at der. 1900, and modern amenities were added in
the young age of twenty-five Pastor Trumbull the 20th century, the rest of the home looks
was able to purchase land next to the Green much as it did in the 19th century. Gloria
and close by the Congregational Meeting and George stripped the parlor paneling
House. It was here on a small rise that Ben- down to its original blue and buff colors and
jamin was to build the home he would live restored the front door back to its original
in for the rest of his life. Once completed, it design a few years ago. Hours of poring over
was considered the “quality house” in town. the Trumbull inventories guided them in fur-
It had an oak frame and massive center chim- nishing their home. Even the outdoor space
ney bearing six separate flues. The south front behind the house was designed in the style of
room was paneled and painted blue. An in- a 19th century garden. I’m sure that Benja-
ventory of Benjamin’s estate indicated large min and Martha would recognize it all if they
amounts of household goods, signifying that saw it today!
it had been a busy home and that the Trum- Benjamin Trumbull's House
bulls entertained extensively.
When the colonies went to war with England
Benjamin Trumbull joined the American
forces. He acted as a regimental chaplain in
the Canadian campaign, believing that God
was on the side of America. By 1777 he was
leading a company of men in Westchester
County, trying to drive back the British from
Fort Independence. While he was gone, it
was expected that Martha would supervise
the running of the Trumbull farm, which she
did most effectively. She had the assistance of Gloria Furnival
Benjamin Trumbull's House Colored Rollo, a hired hand, who was held in high re-
gard by Trumbull. Thankfully the Reverend The next time you drive past the town green,
About the same time that Reverend Trum- returned from war unharmed and returned take a little detour up to Trumbull Place;
bull built his home he took a bride – Martha to battle only briefly when New Haven was you’ll not only see “Gloria’s house” but also
Phelps and he were married in 1760. They attacked. He documented his experiences so the wonderful view of our town center from
had seven children, losing their oldest and completely that he was later commissioned the perspective of Reverend Trumbull, a man
their youngest in infancy. He maintained a by the General Association of Connecticut who dedicated his life to this community.
most fatherly relationship with his children. Churches to write a history of Connecticut.
At that time there was little education avail- Reverend Trumbull spent the rest of his life As always, thanks to the Archives of the
able in North Haven; boys were able to go to preaching, teaching, writing, and ministering North Haven Historical Society.
school only if their families could afford the to the needs of the North Haven community
cost and spare their labor. Girls would be before dying in 1820. He was laid to rest in
taught reading at Dame schools (like a home the Burying Ground across the street from
school). Trumbull believed that all children his home.
should be educated and promised the towns-

14 North Haven Magazine - Autumn Issue 2021