gend
runs, he buried somewhere in the field, but he probably removed it
later, as it has never been found.

He placed the house on rising land, a short distance from the broad
highway, built in the same year and for a long time the straight
thoroughfare from Londonderry to Concord and Boston. Deacon Brown lived
on the estate until 1846, with the exception of the year 1830, when it
was occupied by Governor Matthew Harvey of New Hampshire. The property,
placed on the market, then fell into the hands of a man named Kelly,
brother-in-law to Grace Fletcher, the first wife of Daniel Webster.
During his life, the great American statesman often visited there. What
happened during the period between this occupancy and the time of its
purchase by Mr. Harry Dudley of Concord, New Hampshire, is not recorded,
but we can be confident that the house had careful treatment from its
state of preservation.

It was while Mr. Dudley was looking around for a home with ample
grounds, and near enough to his business to allow him to go back and
forth every day, that he discovered this historic place. Its
attractiveness and the healthfulness of the surroundings appealed to
him. Very little was needed to bring the house back to good condition
and make it habitable. The land was attractive and could be improved. In
front of the house was a wide stretch of meadow that was easily terraced
to meet the boundary line. To the many old trees shading the house and
lawn were added young trees to replace some of the ancient ones that
were dying.

[Illustration: The Front Doorway]

Although the house was a model type of the architecture of its day, and
there had been abundant room for the old-time residents, modern ways of
living demanded additional space. A long ell, built at the rear for the
service department, and a wide veranda in dignified Colonial style along
one side were the two main exterior alterations. The appearance of the
windows was changed by putting in larger panes in order to admit more
light, but they were still in keeping with the old-time atmosphere. The
reshingling and repainting of the house and the addition of the
trellises at one side completed the exterior improvements. The splendid
front entrance porch with its graceful fanlight, Doric columns, and
straight cornice, and the equally interesting though less imposing side
porch were left practically unchanged. The old blinds were restored, to
give the stately, old-time atmosphere