Frazee
House
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Frazee-Hynton House: 33CU341
The Frazee-Hynton House and associated archeological
deposits represent the span of EuroAmerican
occupation of the Western reserve, even
pre-dating the Ohio & Erie Canal construction
by up to 20 years. The standing brick structure
was built in 1826, although Stephen and
Mehitable Frazee (residents until 1860)
had been living on the property in a log
house for up to a decade by then. The Hynton
family bought the property in 1860 and occupied
it until 1915.
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Modern
view of the Frazee-Hynton house, front facade
from across the Ohio-Erie Canal.
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Two subsequent owners preceded
purchase of the house and adjacent land by
conservation trusts and ultimately the NPS.
Evidence resulting from this continuous occupation
(starting before canal construction) can help
address issues about this particular property
and its role in the regional economy through
the 19th Century. |
MWAC involvement
Archeological investigations have explored
potential impact areas where NPS improvements
and restoration actions were proposed. In
1988, MWAC archeologists excavated within
the impact zone of a planned drainage project
required for preservation of the Frazee
House foundation, and in 1993 MWAC explored
areas slated for visitor use including parking,
trails, and related amenities. Information
gathered during these projects has allowed
archeologists to answer some of the questions
left by the incomplete documentary record. |
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Excavation
underway near the Frazee-Hynton kitchen
ell, or addition.
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Function
Historic documents are not specific
regarding the function of this house.
While its only documented use is as
a domicile, some have speculated that
its proximity to the canal and other
transport routes in combination with
the grand façade of the house
indicate the Frazee family's use of
it as a tavern or inn for travelers.
This interpretation is weakened by
the house's size. The core of the
house is only one room deep, totaling
four rooms. As house occupants included
nine people, with family members and
a hired hand, it is hard to imagine
a commercial use of any of the available
space. Archeological analysis also
counters interpretations of this house
as a tavern or inn. For example, the
ceramic wares found to be discarded
here are different in some key ways
from those found in tavern assemblages.
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Broken plate uncovered during excavation.
Archeological deposits suggest only
domestic activity at the Frazee-Hynton
house.
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The Frazee
ceramic assemblage has no matched sets,
beyond the cup and saucer level. This
contrasts with sites such as the Lock
38 Structure, a tavern setting from
which multiple place settings of matched
ware were found. This suggests that
ceramic purchases for the Frazee family
were made in smaller quantities, for
smaller-scale use. Other contrasts with
the tavern assemblage from the Lock
38 Structure support a purely domestic
functional interpretation for the Frazee-Hynton
house. |
A single game token
or counter in this assemblage versus
the concentration of coins found at
Locktender's; the absence of tumblers
at Frazee-Hynton versus the concentration
of the same at Locktender's; and the
sparse distribution of ceramic fragments
at Frazee-Hynton versus the concentrations
of well-used plates at Locktender's
all counter arguments that Frazee-Hynton,
like Locktender's, served a commercial
purpose. In addition, certain domestic
artifacts, such as straight pins,
are found only in the Frazee-Hynton
assemblage.
Economic Standing
Mehitable was a direct descendant
of a colonial governor; this information
combined with the grand façade
of the house lead to the impression
that this was a well-to-do family.
However, the limited floorplan suggests
otherwise. While the Frazees may have
held some social stature, the absence
of luxury items in the recovered assemblage
suggests that this family was probably
not of greater than average means
for the time. There are no porcelain
ceramics, and in fact all of the table
and tea wares are of a common type.
The two transfer-printed (and higher-priced)
pieces date to a very early part of
the occupation (1820's) and represent
a very minor fraction of the discarded
ceramics.
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Architectural evidence
uncovered during investigations. Excavations
behind the core of the house, next
to the kitchen ell reveal the mortar
floor of a former frame addition.
Archeological deposits beneath this
floor indicate an earlier date (post
1860's) for that renovation than was
previously thought.
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Construction
History
Archeological investigations also shed
light on the history of construction
at this site. Analysis of stratigraphy
provides information on the relationship
of the kitchen addition to the rest
of the house. In addition, excavations
show the location and likely timing
of a later frame addition. Historic
tax records have been interpreted to
indicate that this part of the house
may have been added around 1910, but
artifacts recovered from a deposit below
its mortar floor indicate a considerably
earlier date, sometime around 1860.
This date coincides with the shift in
ownership from the Frazees to the Hynton's;
it is not uncommon for the new owners
to make major modifications such as
the frame addition. |
Conclusion
Work by MWAC archeologists at the historic
Frazee-Hynton house have only scraped
the surface of information contained
in the cultural deposits there. Questions
remain as to the location and form of
the original residence, built around
1809, and only preliminary information
is available on the former outbuildings.
Work to date though has added a substantial
amount to the information on this homestead,
and can be used to build on our knowledge
of the Ohio & Erie Canal regional
history. NEXT
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