Captain Samuel Doty

The two grave markers at left belong to Captain Samuel Doty (left) and his wife Ann (right). The Dotys baked bread at the corner of what is now Cromwell Street and North Cove Road in a small house that was greatly enlarged once in 1799 by Captain Willoughby Lynde, and then again in 2009/2010 by the present owner. In those earlier times, Cromwell Place was known as Fenwick Street and North Cove Road was known as Water Street. The Doty's bakery, seen in the photo below left, was the original small porched structure which was said to be built in 1645, long before the Doty's occupied it. The Lynde portion of the structure has been added on to as recently as 2009/2010.

The Dotys weren't likely the most influential residents on Saybrook Point. Although Samuel was a Captain, the Dotys were merchants that made their living baking bread and selling it to the ships that were at port at the wharf across the street and down at the end of the extension of Cromwell Place seen in the 1885 map. Today, that extension is an identified town access point, marked by a sign indicating as such. In essence, the Dotys weren't as "famous" as a number of other residents, rather they were an important part of the community and the local economy.

Captain Samuel Doty's portrait at right is from circa 1735; the artist is unknown. The painting is presently on display at Shelburne Museum located in Shelburne, Vermont. Jacqueline Oak of the Rights and Reproductions office of the museum very kindly provided the photo of the painting for this website.