Brush Lockwood House (1792) in the Stanwich Historic District: Revisited

Brush Lockwood House (1792) Ten years ago. 

Ten years ago I visited the Brush Lockwood House (1792). It is presently (August 3, 2024) for sale. The present owner performed a thorough upgrade and restoration of the house and the nearby barn. I think it is one of the most exquisite historical properties on the market in Greenwich. 

Today's edition of Greenwich Time features a front-page article about  the Brush Lockwood House. 

It is for sale (click here for a link to the listing).

Yes, there is a paywall to the Greenwich Time article. 

The following contains the text and images of a blog post I featured ten years ago on another site. 

All images featured here are from ten years ago. 

My focus was on one of the more significant 19th century owners of the house. His name was Shubal Brush. 

The late-Town Historian William E. Finch, Jr., was the one who acquainted me with this gentleman who had some opinions many in the early 21st century might find surprising:

"Seek virtue rather than riches. You may be sure to acquire the first but cannot promise for the latter. No one can rob you of the first without your consent. You may be deprived of the latter a hundred ways; the first will gain you the esteem of all good and wise beings, and the latter will get you flatterers enough but not one real friend. The first will abide by you forever; the latter will have you at death to shift as you can at eternity."

Those lofty words were uttered by the man who lived in this 1792 house. 

His name? Shubal Brush. Shubal Brush was born in Greenwich on April 17, 1801. He married Sarah F. Brush on February 20, 1826. She was the daughter of Samuel Brush and Mary Ferris. From them five children were born. 

The Stanwich Congregational Church at one time stood where the front lawn is now.  The
congregation was gathered in 1732.

This is an image said to be dated circa 1850 (I think it is later), facing 

east on North Stanwich Road looking towards Taconic Road. The 

church was still there, with the house behind it. If you look closely 

at the center of the image you can see part of the front of the Old 

Stanwich Inn (dated 1801) that still stands today. At the time this 

image was captured Shubal and his wife Sarah were living in 

the old house. 

While this image looks much older, this is how interior of the Stanwich Church appeared in the early
20th century. The church edifice would later be in ruins after being struck by lightning. 

Rev. Stuart Brush and I went for a ride around Greenwich in September, 2013. As you might expect we stopped by here. 

I have seen many of Greenwich's old, historic homes over the years. 

This particular one has a certain appeal to me. There is something 

rustic and yet uniquely elegant about the Brush Lockwood House. 

Framed in my mighty oak and maple trees made us feel as if we had 

been transported away to another place and time. 

The front porch of the Brush Lockwood House, looking westward

The front doors and entrance of the Brush Lockwood House. Photo captured
Oct. 18, 2014. 

Yes, this is a relic from the pre-indoor plumbing days. 

The slate stone pathway from the main house passes by a charming gazebo to an old
19th century barn. 

According to one of his descendants and good friend of mine, 

Stuart Camp Brush -the former pastor of the North Greenwich Congregational Church- Shubal Brush was the last tanner in 

the Stanwich section of Greenwich. 

What is tanning? A 19th century tanner was someone engaged 

in the business of processing the hides of animals to leather. His 

tannery shop was located across the street from the house. It still 

stands today. According to Rev. Brush, Shubal was registered as 

a farmer, though he did not own any livestock. 

Twenty years ago, Stuart told me about a large collection of papers, 

legal documents, church records and personal letter that were found 

in the attic of this house. He said that they are detailed and descriptive 

of the Stanwich area's history. They are now housed in the archives 

of the Greenwich Historical Society in Cos Cob. 

One of the things that intrigued me about Shubal Brush were some of 

his opinions. Among the papers we sifted through we found some of 

his viewpoints of issues and subjects. Many today in the early 21st 

century would find him to be a man well ahead of his time. 

I directly transcribed these which I share now. All were penned by 

Shubal Brush circa 1845: 

"To expect, my dear, that your life should be one continued series of 

pleasure is to expect to meet with what no mortal from Adam down 

to the present times has yet met with and by nature of things is an impossibility."

"It is easy to live well among good peoples. But show me the person 

who can preserve their temper, their wisdom and their virtue in spite 

of strong temptation and universal example."  

"Are not female citizens justly entitled to all the civil, social and 

religious rights of male citizens? Certainly all female citizens are, 

in a Republican government. In a Republic all of the citizens are 

justly entitled to a common interest; nature and reason is fast settling 

this great principle. Why is it so? I answer because Christ's Command 

is being obeyed, Men and Women are searching the Scriptures with 

greater diligence."

"The truth shines forth and unfolds that women still as the last 

crowning act of creation was endowed with superior skill...Yes, 

Women's Rights she boldly & fearlessly proclaims for mercy's 

sake...The thought that women's counsels may prevail in the 

chain of state fills petty tyrants with fear and infidels and all stand 

shaking in their shoes...They will know virtuous energetic women 

is their greatest foe. The Social, Political and Religious rites or 

great privileges claimed by Man from Revelation or Tradition 

are equally the rights of women and when and wherever justly 

exercised in the councils of Families or Nations."

Shubal and Sarah Brush's gravestone in the Stanwich Congregational Church Cemetery,
Greenwich, Connecticut. 

Shubal Brush died in Stanwich on September 16, 1864. He was 

buried in the Stanwich Congregational Church Cemetery about a 

quarter of a mile south of the house he lived in for so much of his life.