Captain Thomas Paine purchased 160 acres on East Shore Road in Jamestown where he built a two-story, three-bay, wood frame, shingled house with an overhanging upper story. He also established the farm on the property. It is likely the oldest house on Jamestown.

Paine died in 1715, leaving his estate to his wife. When she died two years later, the property passed into the Carr family. The house was enlarged and altered many times over the next 200 years. Seth M. Vose purchased the home in the 1880s as summer residence and added a third story and dormers. He renamed the house Cajacet. The next owners, Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Collins, purchased the house around 1949 and hired John Hutchins Cady to undo the changes made by Vose and restore the house to its 18th century appearance. In 1978 and in 2003 AW Baker Restorations was hired to evaluate the building.

The house now stands on nine acres and Thomas Paine’s tombstone is still in the front yard.