What do a whaling captain, an art dealer and the grandson of a “prominent British family” have in common?
They all once lived on the property now known as 288 Russell’s Mills Road.
The big white historic home, with a cupola that overlooks the water directly, has become something of a town landmark, but Seathrift was not the first home built on the property, said Annabelle Persson, granddaughter of current owner Bengt Persson.
During a presentation organized by the Dartmouth Society for History and Art, Parson traced the land’s history back to 1700, when it was first developed by Ralph Earle Jr., grandson of English settlers Capt. Ralph Earle and Joan Savage, “the first generation of this dynasty in America.”
Parson, 16, of Florida, completed the research project as part of her Girl Scouts’ Silver Star Award, one of the highest awards given to those who identify an issue they care about and make a difference in their community.
Parson spoke of various features of the Seathrift property that evoke the Earl family’s time, including the cemetery that contains the headstones of Ralph Earl Jr. himself, his wife, his son and others associated with the property.
She explained the markings on the gravestones and their meanings, adding that the “death’s head,” for example, is of Puritan origin and represents the concept of “original sin,” but that by the time those buried in the cemetery had this simple marking, it had taken on a more angelic appearance and meaning.
Parson said the property was later purchased by whaling ship captain Benjamin Wing, who built the six-bedroom main house on the property in 1860, after which it was named.
Mr Wing was born in Dartmouth in 1822. He led 10 whaling voyages during his life before retiring to Seathrift in 1882, Mr Parson said.
“Because Seathrift was close to the harbour, the whaling ship was actually built on the shore side of the site,” she added.
Wing was deeply involved in politics, and according to Parson, served seven consecutive terms on the Board of Elections, six of which as chairman. A Republican, Wing served as a state representative for Dartmouth from 1872 to 1873 and also represented the district in the Senate in 1876.
“He was one of the most influential people at Dartmouth,” Parson said.
Persson said the property also includes a cemetery, a chapel once used for weddings, a shed, a barn and a pump house, which still contains old machinery.
The house changed hands three more times before coming into the hands of the Persson family. Persson said the house hasn’t changed much since it was originally built, but the property is now 5.73 acres, down from 350 acres before.
“The Seathrift has been a part of growth and living history for over 300 years,” Parson said. “The land has been owned by a diverse group of people. The land tells a story of growth and change and is representative of society as a whole.”
She added, “The Seathrift will always be an important part of Dartmouth’s history.”
