David Goss: The Chipman House, a missed Heritage opportunity

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Lawyer Ward Chipman was among the 14,000 Loyalist settlers who were obliged to leave New York following the American Revolution. He arrived in Parrtown in the fall of 1784 in the company of Thomas Carleton and Jonathan O’Dell and by the spring of 1785, had opened an office and was practising law. He was also courting 16-year-old Elizabeth Hazen at the time, the eldest daughter of William Hazen, who had settled at Portland Point (now Fort La tour area) in 1763. They were married, at Portland Point, on Oct. 24, 1786, and their first home was on the corner of Dock and Union (Aquatic Centre today.) Soon after, he purchased a plot of ground from his father-in-law for £70 having a frontage on Union Street of 200 feet, and extending north 400 feet, and began building what became known as the Chipman House. This is roughly where the new courthouse stands today.

A description of the home in Gripsack Magazine, published by J.K Knowles in Saint John in 1890, noted, “the house was likely completed in 1789,” and went on to describe “decorative elements” that included, “fashionable patterns of paper hangings,” that had been “sent out from England.” Chipman himself is quoted as saying upon completion that “he was impressed beyond degree,” but, “expenditures had exceeded all previous calculations.”

That the house was well furnished is obvious in that it was chosen as the official residence for Prince Edward, Duke of York, when he visited the city in 1894, and King Edward VII when he came to the city in 1860.

Ward Chipman Sr. died in 1824 and his wife and son lived in the house until their deaths – 1851 for Ward Junior or Chippie as he was nicknamed, and his mother Elizabeth in 1852.

What happened next?

Here is what Jane (Hazen) Tarn of Saint Andrews shared with me saying, ”use whatever you like, as the more history that gets out there the better!”

She began the story with a credit to her dad, William Hazen, noting “most of the information was from my Dad’s article (for the New Brunswick Historical Society in 1955) and notes my mother scribbled down.”

“Robert F. Hazen inherited Chipman house, but chose not to live in it and gave it to his son, William Hazen, a civil engineer. Apparently the house was only willed to Robert F., so the contents were sold off. William had nine children when he moved to Chipman house, after Mrs. Chipman died in 1876 and his tenth child, Laura, was born there in 1877. William died in 1881 at age 50, leaving his widow, Elizabeth Jane, age 44, to live in the house with their eight children, and two from his first marriage.

In his will, William had entrusted his money to his lawyer, George Herbert Lee. For a few years, Elizabeth received income from her husband’s estate and then suddenly found out that her taxes on the property had not been paid for two years. She could not afford to pay them. She left the house in 1895 after which time it was leased to various tenants and the grounds were leased to travelling circuses and travelling shows. It was offered to the city by Mr. Hazen before he died, but the city declined. In 1907 Lady Tilley made a strong appeal to the city to save Chipman House, at a farewell dinner held in the upstairs rooms and sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Seaman’s Mission. The mayor promised to do what he could, but nothing happened.”

In her dad’s words “With such an historical City, so short of historical buildings, it is a great shame that the city fathers of that day did not have more vision, because today, the old Chipman House would be an outstanding and valuable attraction.”

Said so succinctly, and something that could be said again and again of heritage properties lost in the city.

Here is another Heritage opportunity: Trinity Church is holding a heritage hymn service Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10:30 a.m., with trumpet and organ accompaniment to old time hymns, along with stories of how they came to be written, and an augmented choir to help sing them, and to do other special choral numbers like Saint John’s own song, “My Own Canadian Home.” All are welcome. There will be displays of heritage items at the coffee and cake reception.

David Goss is a local tour guide, story teller and author. He appreciates comments on these columns, and suggestions for topics he can explore at gosswalk@nbnet.nb.ca.