About Us

Our History

As written by Joseph Tarkanick & Elizabeth Boozer in the book: "The Brookfield That Was"

In 1814, Navy Captain James Christy, purchased a parcel of the Connecticut Western Reserve land and hired a local master builder to build his home. Charles Hart completed the construction of this Saltbox style house on the east side of the green in Brookfield Center in 1816. Captain Christy and his wife, Elizabeth Struble lived here with their nine children. Through the years, this building was a private home, housed a Post Office, Drug Store, and the upstairs had been used as a boarding house. Shortly after Captain Christy's death in 1871, James Clark and his wife, Lilly, purchased the house. The upstairs was still used to accommodate guests; from travelers, to teachers, and even engineers from Westinghouse. It has been documented that during his campaign for governor, William McKinley was a guest at the house. Three generations of the Clark family lived in the home. In 1991, The Paul and Gilberta Clark house was featured on a commemorative plate during the former Brookfield Heritage Days.

As written by Lois M. Werner in her book: "Brookfield Township", The History of Brookfield Township, Trumbull County, Ohio

Samuel Hinkley owned Lot 33 until tax records show that in 1819, William Amburson, a Judge in Mercer County Pennsylvania, purchased the property. Charles Hart was the builder and William & Silas Amburson were the owners until 1832. Andrew Webster purchased it in 1832 and operated the Webster Hotel until 1853 when it was sold to Freeman O. Arms, who ran a general merchandise store.  In 1860, Tim Case and Ebenezer Byers purchased the property and ran the business until it closed in 1872. James Clark, a local undertaker, & his wife Elsie, became the new owners in 1873. Dr. John E. Steuart, along with his son, Albert, opened a drug store on Lot 34, just north of the property. A fire in 1881 claimed the drug store and it reopened in the Clark building as noted on the 1899 map of the center. In addition, the north side of the building became the post office in 1881. The post office closed on July 31, 1906. Mr. Clark passed away in 1907 and his son, Clement, continued the undertaker business on Lot 34. In 1918, another man named James Clark, unrelated to the first James Clark, purchased the residence with his wife, Lillian (Bendell) Clark. James passed away in 1945, and Lillian, in 1965. Their son, Paul Clark with his wife Gilberta, took over the home and eventually their daughter, Cindy in 2002. Terence O'Neil owned the building from 2003 to 2010, when it was sold to the Briceland's. Daniel and Kristin Briceland purchased the home and began to restore this historic treasure to its original glory. Today, the home is the present site of Briceland Funeral Service, LLC., and is one of the last original Saltbox style homes still standing in the area.