B-3-13
Joseph Briant
The origins of this house are somewhat mysterious. The property seems to have fallen into tax arrears and was purchased by Jonas Minot, a Concord, Massachusetts investor in land in Packersfield and the father-in-law of Josiah Melvin, founder of the Melville family in Nelson. His partner in this investment was Oliver Wright, a town resident at F-2-6. Wright built the house in 1794 and the partners immediately sold it to a blacksmith from Boylston, Massachusetts named Joseph Briant. It is not clear whether Briant was related to the Bryant family who settled in the Tolman Pond area at about this time. Briant moved to Keene and sold the place to Jeduthian Stone in 1797. He and his wife, Zuba, had five children. He sold the place to Willard Stone in 1801 and he lived there until 1805 when it was sold to Amasa Alden who sold it to Moses Alden in 1806. Moses sold it to Daniel Goodnow in 1815.
Daniel [Struthers has his name as David] was born in Packersfield April 25, 1793 and was the son Abraham Goodnow who founded the mill at the outlet of Nubanusit Lake had a large farm in that area. Goodnow and his wife, Polly Belding from Royalston, Vermont, lived here until 1843 when they moved to East Sullivan. They sold the place to Eliphalet Stone in 1851. Eliphalet died in 1854, but his wife, Mary lived there until her death in 1875. The place changed hands frequently: Charles Sears (1875-1877), Elbridge Kingsbury (1877-1878), Jedediah Holt (1878-1900). The final occupant was Frederick W. Ruggles. The place was abandoned after 1910.
