Mouse House Farm lies just over the Octoraro Creek from Chester County in Little Britain Township, Lancaster County. The property was part of a huge tract held by William Penn and his sons. Some time in the early 1700's, the land was deeded to Thomas Sidwell. Several small log cabins were built on the property about this time by Sidwell and members of his family. Several members of the family jointly farmed the ground.
The Fell House, built in 1797, prior to renovation.
Later in the 1700's, the Sidwell family deeded the property to the Fell Familiy. The farm stayed in that family for seven generations. The Fells built the original small fieldstone house in about 1765. The two rooms of that original house make the central core of the Mouse House. In 1957, the property (about 600acres) was sold to William Strawbridge. It changed from a working farm to a weekend retreat for foxhunting. Under the Strawbridges, real renovation work began at Mouse House Farm for the first time. Windows were added in several of the rooms of the main floor and a small stone house from another location on the property was added to the main stone house to provide a modern kitchen. After some time the property was sold again and reduced in size. It passed through the hands of various owners and in 1988 was sold to Tony and Lyn Hutchison. They later sold the main house to their daughter and son-in-law, Mark and Bonnie LaMonte, in 2003. Currently the farm is 106 acres with both families living on the property.
The Fell Farm in 1910, during a flood from the Octoraro creek.
Mouse House Farm (formerly the Fell Farm) in 2004, same view as above.
It is unclear how this property got its name, but it has been called the Mouse House Farm for many years. One thought that it is the small intimate rooms with arched entrances that inspired the name. Another story is that the name came from the workers who were renovating the house in the 50's. The house earned its name when the workers found that their paper bag lunches were repeatedly raided by the mice. Indeed, even today, a healthy cat population is needed at the Mouse House, particularly in the fall after the crops have been harvested!
This article, ”The Fell Farm”, appeared in a local newspaper in 1896 following the sale of the Fell homestead to Frank Roberts (husband of Mary Fell) from Charles Fell (her father).
The Fell Farm
D. F. Magee and H.H. Haines on Saturday sold the Fell Farm, in Little Britain Township, to ‘W’. Frank Roberts. It contains 124 acres, and the price paid was $1800.
The above item of news we find in one of our daily papers. The “Fell Farm’ is among the oldest settlements in Little Britain and is situated along Carter’s (now Lee’s) dam, on the Octoraro Creek, a short distance below what was known as the Deserted House in the story, John and Mary, the Fugitive Slaves, published many years ago in The Inquirer. It also adjoins the creek in the vicinity of “Susie’s Rock,” where Susie Singleton, one dreary morning “rendered back her being’s heavy load,” and sought refuge from sorrow in the silent, unpitying waters. Days after, her remains were found on the breast of the dam some distance below.
So long ago as I can remember this farm belonged to Thomas Killough, who built and operated a distillery there, the only one in the neighborhood. It was a frame building with a long, sloping roof, and was in active operation for many years. After the distillery business was abandoned it was used as a tenant house and I remember that it was occupied by a family named Miller. Solomon Miller, the head of the family, was a very dark man and his wife, “Milly,” was a famous washerwoman.
In those days when distilling was going on at this place whiskey was a very cheap article compared to what it is now. At the distillery it was sold by the quart “tip” (61/2 cents) small pieces of silver representing that amount being in very general circulation. A half-gallon was sold for a “levy” (121/2 cents) and a gallon for a quarter, the old Spanish quarters being then in general circulation. There was quite a local demand for the products of the distillery, most of the farmers using it freely in harvest time, and at other busy seasons of the year. Even the Friends used it in harvest at the time, though a few years subsequently a temperance agitation started up and most of them abandoned it. The paths up and down the creek, leading to and from the distillery were well worn, from pilgrims from all quarters, who wanted a little whiskey for various purposes, though to tell the truth there was little excessive drinking in the neighborhood.
Mr. Killough, the then proprietor of this farm, did not prosper in the business, and about 1832 or 33 sold it to Benjamin Fell, a Bucks County Quaker, who with his family consisted of himself, his wife Jane, and four children: Francis, the only son, and Leah, Mary and Rachel. When I first knew them they were no longer
young but advanced towards middle life. Benjamin Fell, the father, was advanced in years and a strict member of the Society of Friends. His wife, Jane, had the misfortune to be slightly demented, and did not live long after her removal to Little Britain. Francis, the son, married Rachel Brown, a sister of Elwood Brown, well known in the southern end of Lancaster County. He was a man of unusual parts, well informed, and adept in public debate and a successful businessman. He died of fever in 1847.
Leah, the eldest of the sisters was a very handsome woman, erect and erect and stately, with a clear complexion, a beautifully formed head and fine clear cut features. She was a delightful conversationalist and greatly beloved by friends and acquaintances. In her early womanhood she became a public speaker at Friends Meetings and especially at Eastland where she attended. Sometime past middle life she married David Moore, a well known member of the Society who was her senior by some years. In the course of time she began to manifest symptoms of the disease which afflicted her mother and which she probably inherited. The disease made rapid progress and she died in the course of a few years.
Mary Fell, the second oldest sister, was a woman of many acquirements. She was quite deaf and could only hold conversations by the aid of an ear trumpet, but she was greatly beloved and respected by a large circle of friends. She was devoted to several of the natural sciences and had by dint of hard study and perseverance became quite proficient in botany and some kindred studies. She was the real founder of Eastland Lyceum, an institution that was organized in 1842 and was unusually successful for many years. She conceived the idea of getting up a lyceum and traveled all over the neighborhood on foot, with a document she had written, pledging the signers to meet on a certain First-day afternoon at Eastland school house for the purpose of starting a lyceum. The movement was a success from the start, and was for some years the most flourishing institution of the kind in this part of Pennsylvania. She died when well advanced in years, honored and respected by all who knew her.
Of Rachel, the youngest of the Fell sisters, I know but little. She never went from home, was seldom seen by visitors who called at the homestead, and when seen was exceedingly reserved and reticent. It was said that she formed an unfortunate social connection in early life, the fruit of which was the birth of an illegitimate child, who was known as Charles Fell. The boy made his home with the family and was recognized as one of them and given the same treatment and opportunities as though there was no shadow on his birth.
When he grew up to manhood and the other members of the family died, he came into possession of the Fell farm which has just been sold, as stated above. He married a daughter of William Dungan, who lived near Quarryville, and raised a family of children. Misfortune seemed to follow him both in his financial and social relations. He became involved in debt and enmity with some members of his family and finally abandoned his home, which has just been sold. He died a few months since at the residence of his son in Cecil County, Md.
Such is a brief history of the Fell Farm.
Barn-raising on the Fell homestead, circa 1900. Mary Fell Roberts, seated lower left.