They moved from the lean-to into the new shelter as soon as a roof was in place and then chinked between the logs with clay, hung the door and three windows, and completed the fireplace and chimney. The door, with a window on each side, opened to the south, and the other window was across from the door. The fireplace and chimney were on the east end of the house. As soon as possible, Ethan built a shed about twenty yards behind the main building, with walls on three sides and open in front. Here he installed his forge, anvil and blacksmithing tools, grindstone, and shaving horse, and built a shelf around two walls to hold supplies. He was especially proud of his extensive collection of woodworking tools, some of which he had crafted himself. His field implements and a small supply of iron pieces were kept on the ground, and seed and other items that might provide food for rodents were contained in bags or wicker baskets and hung by wire from the ceiling joists. A pole fence enclosed a small corral around two sides of the shed, with a swinging gate that opened toward the house. One corner of the corral was covered with poles and branches, to give some protection to animals that would huddle there in severe weather. The woodpile was quite close to the house and always contained some saplings and trunks of larger hardwoods that Ethan cut and split into fireplace size during his spare time. This firewood was stacked neatly against the side of the cabin, convenient to be carried inside for cooking and also for heating during the cold months.

The cabin was in the center of a square cleared area, roughly 350 paces on each side, which contained about twenty-five acres and was encompassed by a laboriously constructed split-rail fence. From the southeast corner, a narrow trail led through the woods toward the Quaker settlement at Wrightsborough, six miles away.

Epsey’s routine in and around the house was hardly disturbed during her pregnancy, although she was sometimes concerned about a small issue of blood. Ethan was not aware of the problem and discussed her pregnancy only when asked if he had any suggestion for a name for the baby. He responded, “I’ve been thinking that if it is a boy we might call him Henry.” She agreed, and suggested Abigail as a possible girl’s name.

When she decided that her time was approaching, Ethan went into Wrightsborough and found a woman who had experience as a midwife, and hired her to assist with the childbirth. The little boy was born healthy and screaming, but Epsey bled profusely despite the best efforts of the midwife, and lay weakened and pale after the birth. Neither of the parents was especially disturbed when the woman said, “I doubt that she’ll have another one anytime soon.”