Fowler Avenue

The Chauncey House is located on the north side of Cherry Lane.

The house sits on a cleared small lot.

Notable Features

A notable feature on this colonial period house is the presence of the overhang

on both the north and south end and facade. The facade has a slightly off-center

4 narrow-paneled, 2 tiered door flanked by two two-over-two sash windows with

shutters. There are two additions: one gable roof west extension, and a west single

story sun porch added to the south side of the first addition.

 

Historical or Architectural Importance

Elnathan Chauncey built this clapboarded It story, colonial-period house about 1792.

The building has a post-and-beam frame which rests on a sandstone foundation and is

topped by a ridge-to-street asphalt-shingled roof and a large granite center chimney.

This small dwelling is closely related with the Elnathan Chauncey homestead located a few hundred feet to the west. It was most 1 ikely constructed by a prominent Durham farmer, Elnathan Chauncey in 1792, possibly to house relations or laborers. Upon Elnathan’s death in 1796, both the small house and large house were willed to his two sons, Nathaniel and Worthington. Nathaniel William (1761-1840), Elnathan’s eldest son, served in the Revolutionary War before he settled on the homestead to farm. Worthington (1772-1858), as a young man tutored the family of Major Van Rensellaer in Claverack, N.Y. and later dealt in land speculation in the “wild lands” of upstate New York. On returning to Durham to help operate his father’s farm, Worthington served as a magistrate under King George III, and after the War for Independence continued to serve the public at their request. Both men served as representatives to the State Legislature and helped to finance the building of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. Apparently neither of the Chaunceys married, and the house was willed to their nephew, Professor William C. Fowler. The house remained a portion of the Chauncey homestead until 1946 when it was sold out of the family.