William Rogers House
William Rogers House
| Also Known As | Toothaker Tavern |
| Address | 20-22 Rogers St |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.128 |
| Built | 1807 |
| Other Lot Structures | Roger Toothaker House (1662 - 1806) |
This brick-ender is said to have been built in 1807 and further to have been built from monies earned by labor in digging the Middlesex Canal, which passes next to the house. Modern canal buffs know the house as the "Toothaker Tavern" perhaps the old ell took on extras during construction, or perhaps the main house was built with tavernship in mind.
William Rogers built and occupied the house and so did his son Calvin. Calvin had a remakrable group of daughters: Mary, the first wife of Thomas Talbot; Elvira, wife of Joseph Gould the manager of Talbot Chemical Works; Harriet Burbank, the first principal of the Clarke Institution for Deaf Mutes at Northampton.
Between 1853 and 1875, the house was taken over by J.R. Faulkner Mills and converted to a two-family residence. The original simple doorway is gone and its double replacement is concealed by a porch. The old ell is gone, replaced by two.