Samuel Painter House

Based on tax assessments for 1748 and 1750 that show a dramatic increase in Samuel Painter's tax rate, it is almost certain that in 1749 Samuel and his wife Esther built the small stone house now located at the intersection of present day Country Club Road and General Lafayette Boulevard. The dwelling house had two rooms; one up, one down, with a full basement. Historians claim that there was a one story log cabin near this house that was the Painter family home before the stone house was built. To clear the land for farming, Samuel was assisted by indentured servants that were purchased from Europe for a term of (usually 7) years to pay for their passage. (Servants were also paid a small stipend.) After the small stone house was built, Painter’s indentured servants lived in the earlier log cabin. Samuel's first born son, James learned to be a weaver and continued the Painter’s woolen business. The Painters by this time were tailors, weavers, cordwainers (shoe makers), and operated a woolen mill. When son James built the larger brick house in 1770, the small stone house was also used by their indentured servants. A wood frame kitchen wing was added to the house in 1982. Today the Samuel Painter House, sometimes referred to as the "Doll House" is used as a tenant house on the Radley Run Country Club. Follow General Layfayette Boulevard to the driveway of the Mansion house and proceed up the hill.