Windham Life & Times – April 6, 2025

If you’re like me, you probably have admired this pretty farm-house, resting on a knoll, on Range Road in Windham. I just learned that this was the original Ritchie Farm in Windham. Later, after the original house of Francis Ritchie was moved onto the Emerson Farm, this home was most likely built by Samuel Bailey when he purchased the property in 1853.

     “ ’Francis Ritchie, born in ye County of Antrim, and town of Ballymanaugh, in ye North of Ireland.’ Such is the description upon the grave-stone of one whose life was shrouded in mystery, and in regard to whom wild stories were told, and strange things surmised, more than a century ago. He lived with his sisters, Mrs. ___ Hamilton and Widow Thompson, at what is now the Samuel Bailey place, near the cemetery. The probability is that he and Thomas Richey were the sons of Alexander, first mentioned upon the records were by a later marriage, so I have designated them such. He was a sea-fairing man, and brought home quantities of gold to his sisters, and ’new notes of the Bank of England.’ He bought silks and satins, and jewels and diamonds, which dazzled the eyes of the humble worshippers in the church on the hill. Many furtive glances were cast at the dark-eyed sailor, many wished to know the story of his strange life, and Moll Pitcher, the famous fortune-teller used to excite the imaginations of the last generation by telling them the place where the buried treasure could be found.” Well folks, his treasure has never been found, and if I owned this property I would be looking to invest in a metal detector and start looking for the buried gold and treasure which might just be buried on this property or someplace near by!

     The property’s later history is just as interesting. Samuel Bailey came to Windham in 1842, and lived in different houses for eleven years.” He was the son of Jemima Emerson whom I assume was related to the Emerson’s of Windham.  The original house “once stood on an old cellar which is near the highway south of the house of Mrs. Margaret Richardson. It was purchased by Jesse Emerson, and many years ago cut down and moved to his place.  (around this old cellar hole, would be the location I would look for the gold…) Bailey bought the property in 1853 from a Mr. Loring, of Boston MA. “In the early settlement this was known as the Ritchie Farm. Samuel Bailey is a Farmer and a wall-builder. From his family went forth more brave soldiers for the overthrow of the rebellion than from any other family in town. Three of them served in Massachusetts regiments. Four sons were in the service and three of them fill soldiers graves. ”