Henry F. French, was not the first to use clay drain tile in America. I believe a Mr William Connors of Exeter, NH was the first in the area to use clay drain tile to "underdrain" his farm land to make it more productive. Tile Drainage first established here in 1838. Use of drain tile was not common until about 1850.
Henry installed an interior drain tile system on a farm house he owned in Exeter, NH sometime in the 1850's. He also installed such a drain tile system in a farmhouse he bought in 1865 on Sudbury Road in Concord, MA. In a lecture he gave he mentions that he installed drainage systems in both these houses and they were still functioning fine.
Henry French felt that it was absolutely important for the health of the home and family that people in his day should drain the water from their cellars (basements). His main reason for doing so was health of the women and children who were in the home most. He believed that diseases were directly caused from the bad air rising up from the cellar.
Today I am on a mission to bring attention to the importance of not only draining the cellar (basement) but making sure that a proper water and moisture control system be installed in homes today. No longer should contractors install open backed drainage systems in basements as these systems encourage radon, ground humidity, bugs and moisture which promotes mold. Please visit http://www.gratedrain.blogspot.com and http://www.basementwaterproofingboston.com for more information.
2 comments:
John Johnston from Geneva NY was the first farmer on record to use clay drain tile to under drain his farm land in 1835.
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