Monadnock Moment No. 123

Era 4: Expansion and Reform - 1800 to 1860

Home Construction in 1853

Otis Hutchins was born in Westmoreland, New Hampshire in 1781. He remained in Westmoreland, and in addition to his family farm he became a school teacher. He was principal of the Chesterfield and Kimball Union Academies, had a private school in Westmoreland, and taught in the public schools. Hutchins was one of the most respected educators in the history of the town.

For nearly forty years, from 1818 to 1857, Hutchins kept an account book of his daily expenditures. This ledger gives a detailed accounting of expenses for a new home that Hutchins had built in 1853, when he was 72 years of age.

In May of 1852 he began to pay to have the lumber for the new house cut in the local sawmill. It was not until early in 1853, however, that construction actually began. More lumber preparation occurred in January and February. Construction began in earnest in March and continued through April and beyond. The accounting eventually concludes with the cost of doors, banisters and painting.

The cost for labor on his new home was $435.7O, including $27 for the foundation, $25 for construction of the chimneys, and $350 for carpentry work. The cost for materials was $521.30, including $281 for lumber and shingles, $46 for nails, $17 for brick, and $177 for additional materials. This new home, which cost Hutchins a total of $957 to build in 1853, still stands in Westmoreland today.