HOUSE AND HOME: Living and learning in a historic house in Lyndeborough

Lisa Mitchell indicates where interior doors used to separate the living room from the servants’ quarters. 

Lisa Mitchell indicates where interior doors used to separate the living room from the servants’ quarters.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lyndeborough’s “Big Stone House,” also known as the “Ship Captain’s House,” was built around the turn of the century. 

Lyndeborough’s “Big Stone House,” also known as the “Ship Captain’s House,” was built around the turn of the century.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lisa Mitchell pointing out windows which open mysteriously into a hallway. 

Lisa Mitchell pointing out windows which open mysteriously into a hallway.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The house contains original arts and crafts-style stained-glass windows. 

The house contains original arts and crafts-style stained-glass windows.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The front room contains the original flagstone fireplace. 

The front room contains the original flagstone fireplace.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The “Big Stone House” from the road. 

The “Big Stone House” from the road.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The grand staircase. 

The grand staircase.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The stone foundations leading to the “Ship Captain’s House.” 

The stone foundations leading to the “Ship Captain’s House.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The retaining walls supporting the house and carrage house. 

The retaining walls supporting the house and carrage house.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lisa Mitchell’s research revealed that the “Ship Captain’s House” may have been named for Alexander Bremner, a naval engineer. 

Lisa Mitchell’s research revealed that the “Ship Captain’s House” may have been named for Alexander Bremner, a naval engineer.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Original arts and crafts-style stained glass in the front door. 

Original arts and crafts-style stained glass in the front door.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lisa Mitchell demonstrates  the “old-school air conditioning” ventilation window overlooking the front hall. 

Lisa Mitchell demonstrates  the “old-school air conditioning” ventilation window overlooking the front hall.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The original basement well still provides water to the house. 

The original basement well still provides water to the house.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Items found in the land surrounding the house tell the history of the building.  

Items found in the land surrounding the house tell the history of the building.   STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

A door leading the kitchen used to be a servants’ “swing door.” 

A door leading the kitchen used to be a servants’ “swing door.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

History buff Lisa Mitchell has created a written record of everyone who ever lived in the “Ship Captain’s House.” 

History buff Lisa Mitchell has created a written record of everyone who ever lived in the “Ship Captain’s House.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The view from the front porch at the Ship Captain’s House. 

The view from the front porch at the Ship Captain’s House.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

A group of former residents in a historic photo of the Ship Captain’s House in the 1980s. 

A group of former residents in a historic photo of the Ship Captain’s House in the 1980s.   COURTESY PHOTO

Blaylock and Katherine Atherton, original owners of the house, sitting on the porch at the turn of the 20th century. 

Blaylock and Katherine Atherton, original owners of the house, sitting on the porch at the turn of the 20th century.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lisa and Scott Mitchell and their family when they moved into Lyndeborough’s historic “Ship Captain’s House” in July 2022. 

Lisa and Scott Mitchell and their family when they moved into Lyndeborough’s historic “Ship Captain’s House” in July 2022.  COURTESY PHOTO LISA MITCHELL 

By JESSECA TIMMONS

Monadnock Ledger Transcript

Published: 01-17-2025 8:36 AM

Modified: 01-17-2025 12:05 PM


Lisa Mitchell admits she is “totally obsessed” with the history of her house, Lyndeborough’s historic “Ship Captain’s House.”

The house on Johnson Corner Road in Lyndeborough is also called “The Big Stone House,” although, as Mitchell pointed out, it’s actually an arts and crafts-style, wood-frame house with fieldstone foundations and retaining walls.

“I swear, I feel like sometimes the house is speaking to me, like it’s revealing things to me,” Mitchell said. “So many incredible people have lived here – doctors, lawyers, politicians, a ship captain. I feel like it’s my job to be the one to tell the story of the house.”

Mitchell and her husband Scott were living in Wilton when they drove by the “For Sale” sign at the Ship Captain’s House in June 2022.

“We made an offer that day, and we moved in a month later,” Lisa Mitchell said. “Scott grew up in a similar arts and crafts-style home in Milford, and I’ve always loved history and old houses. I’m an archaeologist at heart.”

The house, originally called “Graceden,” was built by Alexander Fenton Bremner and Grace Pike Bremner. The Bremners gifted the house to their daughter Katherine when she married Blaylock Atherton. Katherine Bremner Atherton grew up spending summers just down the road at the Bremner family summer house. Blaylock Atherton was the son of British-born Ella Blaylock Atherton, who was the first female surgeon in New Hampshire.

“Ella was also known for her love of motorcycles; she had an Indian with a sidecar,” Mitchell said. “She was quite a character. Apparently she slept with a revolver under her pillow.”

Since moving in, Mitchell has compiled a timeline of the history of the house, including the names, dates and facts about everyone who has ever lived there, as well as notable visitors. She has a large collection of historic items she and her family have found on the grounds, including the original doorbell, a silver Tiffany spoon, an original key to the front door and an Indian Motorcycle logo.

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Mitchell believes that Ella Blaylock Atherton’s husband, Capt. Henry B. Atherton, a Civil War veteran, could be the reason the house is known as the Ship Captain’s House, although Atherton was not a naval captain. It may also have been named for Alexander Bremner, who was a ship’s engineer, or a resident named Mister Cramsie, who lived in the house in the 1950s.

“No one knows for sure who the actual ship captain was, but Mister Cramsie is the one in living memory, and he really was a ship captain,” Mitchell said.

Blaylock Atherton was a state senator, representing Nashua. The Athertons are descended from James Atherton, one of the first English settlers of New England, who came to Massachusetts in 1635.

“The family used this house as a summer house, primarily for entertaining,” Mitchell said. “The servants’ quarters were separate; they could entertain and the servants could stay out of sight.”

Mitchell pointed out that the house was built on a perfect east-west axis to allow the breeze to flow through. Upstairs, in a small room which is now a bathroom, interior windows open to the front hallway, allowing air to circulate. The house retains original architectural features, including stained glass windows, built-in book shelves, hardwood floors, knob-and-tube wiring, lighting fixtures, a massive fieldstone fireplace, a butler’s pantry and linen closets with built-in dressers and shelves. Previous residents retrofitted full baths into small rooms upstairs, as the home was built prior to indoor plumbing. The basement contains the original dug well, which still provides water to the household.

“It’s a little creepy looking, but it works. There’s my water pump right there,” Mitchell said on a tour of the basement.

Mitchell seems to have a story for every inch of the house, including the basement, which was once the workshop of an inventor who created an early version of the Roomba vacuum.

The Mitchells have completed the most-urgently needed repairs to the house, including shoring up the roof of the original carriage house, which is now a garage and separate apartment.

“I think a lot of people have lived in this house and thought, ‘I can fix this!’ but it’s a lot,” Mitchell said. “We are taking it one step at a time. Obviously, the structure has to come first. We’ll get to the siding and paint at some point.”

In the process of researching the history of the home, Mitchell has reached out extensively on social media and has been able to connect with members of the Blaylock family, including a granddaughter of Ella Blaylock. Many other former residents have gotten in touch, as well.

“One woman I spoke had no idea there were still hardwood floors, because when she lived here, it was all wall-to-wall carpeting,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell was delighted to learn that Lyndeborough’s town historian, Jesse Salisbury, also lived in the house for a period in the 1970s.

“So many people have reached out or stopped by and helped me try to put together the history,” Mitchell said. “It is amazing how many people in town have ties to this house.”

Yet another story involves an Allard Lowenstein, a New York politician and supporter of John F. Kennedy who made one of his last speeches at the house, which was then owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Quinn Berger. Just a few days after speaking in Lyndeborough in 1980, Lowenstein was assassinated.

“So much happened here,” Mitchell said. “I just want to learn as much as I can, and write the story of this house.”

Mitchell encourages anyone with ties to the house to find her on Facebook.