Jedediah Huntington, born September 13, 1791, was a descendant of Deacon Simon Huntington, one of Norwich’s founding fathers. Through much work and persistence, he became a wealthy and successful mercantile businessman in the Norwich community known for his “unbending integrity and large and frequent donations to religious and benevolent objects.” He was also a director of the Norwich Bank for almost 50 years, a trustee and director of the Society for Savings, and one of the projectors and managers of the Norwich Water Power Company.
Mr. Huntington also took an active part in building the railroad from Norwich to Worcester, and when the company was near failure, he helped save it by extending a personal line of credit to it.
In June 1819, Jedediah married Eliza, youngest daughter of the late Judge Marvin Wait, of New London. She was a lady with a warm heart and open hand, and the poor and afflicted were ever drawn towards her by her deep and tender sympathy for them.
In June 1819, Eliza married Jedediah Huntington. At the time of their marriage, she was 21, and Jedediah was 27. Mr. and Mrs. Huntington lived together for more than fifty years. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in June 1869.
Following Jedediah’s death, to further his deceased wife’s desire to provide aid and comfort to women in need in the Norwich community, he bequeathed his home, estimated at $ 25,000 ($625,000 in 2023), along with an additional $35,000 ($875,000 in 2023 dollars).
The facility is known today as the Eliza Huntington Memorial Home.
