10121 Highway 1: The Tanner’s House

Architecture Style: Vernacular

Built: Unknown

Paradise had its share of twins! Benjamin and Joseph, b. May 4, 1793, were the sons of George and Sarah [Balcom] Starratt. Benjamin is named as the owner of this property in 1817, and his father deeded him the land with “shoemaker’s shop” in 1830.

Benjamin may have built this house, or it may have been William Bent. The Bents, like the Starratts, were one of the original Planter families who moved up from Granville to buy grants of land in Wilmot.  In fact, Jesse Seth Bent bought his land from Benjamin, and his sons grew up just west of the Starratt’s. Ambrose was a leading merchant in the area. Edmund owned nearby land and married Benjamin’s niece Amanda.  And William was a tanner and shoemaker, as were all the owners of this house in its first century. If you bought the house, you bought the tannery and shoemaker’s shop.  The hides of farmer’s cattle were useful, and in Paradise, you could buy shoes, boots, or larrigans.

The Covert family appear on the list of owners in 1855, and with some interruption, lived here until Douglas and Ruby sold out in 2002. The Coverts were Dutch Loyalists from New York state.  This group did not at first settle in Wilmot. William Covert started out here in 1783 but very quickly moved down to Granville, where Croscups, Coverts, Bogarts, and other Loyalist families settled together. Perhaps William found the  Planter culture and close-knit community hard to penetrate; we have many recorded examples of tension between the “Old Settlers” and the Loyalists. Charles W. Covert (d.1914), son of Loyalist William, spent time in New Mexico and had adventures, but came to Paradise to operate the tannery. His sons, Guilford and Charles, helped him.  “Gil” married Ida Wilson and their son, Jerauld, with Carrie [Parker], established a fine family here: Jean, Douglas, Doris, Murray, and William.  Doug and Ruby [Spicer] were great gardeners.

The property was further beautified by Will and Jodi Neily. The grounds gave evidence of the landscaping art, and “The Tanner’s House” became “Spring Garden Green House and Nursery,” a lovely home in Paradise, and a welcome business.