BELMONT HALL
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In 1684, William Penn granted the 600-acre parcel of land, on which Belmont Hall is located, to Henry Pearman. The property changed owners six times before Thomas Collins purchased 91-1/2 acres in 1771. This deed notes that the owner was in residence on the property, so some structure existed then. Architectural and documentary evidence, however, suggest Thomas Collins as the most likely candidate for commissioning the house as it stands today: a 2-1/2 story five-bay brick dwelling with two brick, two-story, two-bay rear wings. It is similar in plan, size, scale and finish to several New Castle and Kent County houses also built during the late eighteenth century. The brickwork shows that the entire house, including the two rear wings, was constructed at the same time.
Thomas Collins served as Brigadier General for the Delaware State Militia during the Revolutionary War, and Governor from 1786 until his death in 1789. He held the first Delaware Assembly at Belmont Hall. After Thomas' death, the property was bequeathed to his son William. William Collins and his family lived there until 1801, when he leased all of his Duck Creek properties to tenants. Nine years later, William, his wife and five children returned to Belmont Hall. Upon WIlliam's death in 1820, his son William inherited the property. He then sold it to his cousin John Cloak in 1827.
A 1861 Kent County Mutual Insurance Company policy for the property describes a two storied brick dwelling with large portico in front, smoke house, carriage house, woodhouse and granary, cribs and granary, stabling and sheds, cow shed, horse stable, barn and hay house, two story frame dwelling, and smoke house.
John Cloak occupied Belmont Hall for forty years until his death in 1867. His daughter, Caroline, and her husband, John Peterson, maintained residence in the house. After her husband's death in 1875, Caroline married Gideon Speakman and continued to reside at Belmont Hall. During this time a Gothic Revival porch, modern bathroom, pantry, and new second floor hallway were added. The covered walkway was enclosed and the exterior brick painted brown. Caroline developed twenty acres of gardens and installed the two boxwood formations at the front and rear of the house. She encouraged the Smyrna townspeople to use them for walks, ice cream socials, and picnics.
In 1894-95, the family went into the canning business, including tomatoes, plums, grapes and peaches. In 1916, Caroline's son, Cummins Elliot Speakman, purchased the 152 acre estate from his second-time widowed mother and continued to run the canning business until after World War I.
On January 1, 1922, Belmont Hall barely survived a fire which gutted the top two stories and badly damaged the ground floor. Cummins decided to restore the house to its original condition and floor plan. The family continued to live in the house until 1987, when the property was sold to the State of Delaware.
