A famous Litchfield house built in 1760, formerly known as the Tracy, now as the Gould, homestead 
The Historic Houses of Litchfield 
PART II 
(Continued from August Issue) 
BY JEANIE GOULD LINCOLN 
'^[EXT the Tallmadge place on North street in Litch- 
^ field, Conn., stands the fine old mansion known as 
the home of Judge James Gould, LL.D., of the Litchfield 
Law School, author of “Gould’s Pleading,” and one of the 
distinguished jurists of America. The house, which is the 
second oldest in the town, was built in 1760, and purchased 
by General Uriah Tracy from Mr. Sheldon. The south door 
is known as a “Witches’ door,” of which few are left in 
New England, the lower panels being cut in the shape of a 
large cross, which was supposed to preserve the owners 
from witchcraft. 
General Tracy served his country as both representative 
and United States senator, always returning to his beautiful 
home in Litchfield when Congress was not in session. He 
died in Washington, D. C., in 1807. He was not only a 
brilliant lawyer and statesman, but a celebrated wit, and 
many bits of his repartee are still quoted in the old town. 
On one occasion, standing with his friend Senator Rhett, of 
South Carolina, on the east front of the Capitol at Wash¬ 
ington, a drove of jackasses passed along, and Rhett, who 
always enjoyed a tilt with General Tracy, remarked, slyly: 
“Ah, Tracy, there go some of your constituents.” 
“Yes,” was the quick reply. “Going to South Carolina 
to teach school!” 
It is always interesting to learn the opinion of the makers 
of history as regards their contemporaries, and General 
Tracy’s pen was apparently as pointed as his speech, for, 
in a letter written from Philadelphia while Congress was in 
session there, he says: “Yesterday I had a conversation 
with that handsome, hardened sinner, Thomas Jefferson 
. . . . ” Could there be anything more delightful than 
this sidelight upon one of the most distinguished authors 
of the Declaration? 
General Tracy had four charming daughters, and one 
summer day in 1798, returning from court, he said to his 
wife: 
“My dear, I have invited to dine with us to-day the 
handsomest young man I have ever seen. He has come 
from Branford to try a case.” Mr. James Gould arrived 
and was duly presented to the daughters of his host. One 
of them, Sally, was but fifteen years old, a little school¬ 
girl, whose blue eyes danced with fun and mischief. But 
(98) 
