). ▁ ▁Ul mer ▁was ▁polit ically ▁well ▁connected , ▁serving ▁as ▁land ▁agent ▁for ▁Henry ▁Kno x , ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁le verage ▁connections ▁to ▁financi ers ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁small ▁l umber - dri ven ▁emp ire ▁on ▁land ▁he ▁acquired ▁from ▁Kno x ▁at ▁a ▁disc ount ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁his ▁services . ▁ ▁Ul mer ▁used ▁the ▁power ▁he ▁held ▁as ▁land ▁agent ▁( K no x ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 9 0 s ▁the ▁area ' s ▁largest ▁land owner ) ▁to ▁his ▁own ▁benefit , ▁but ▁was ▁also ▁seen ▁with ▁dis f avor ▁by ▁the ▁area ' s ▁smaller ▁land hold ers , ▁who ▁took ▁off ense ▁at ▁his ▁and ▁Kno x ' s ▁business ▁practices . ▁ ▁In ▁several ▁instances ▁acts ▁of ▁v andal ism ▁against ▁his ▁business ▁prem ises ▁resulted ▁in ▁direct ▁financial ▁losses , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁m ansion , ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 6 , ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁fire ▁whose ▁origin ▁is ▁uncertain . ▁ ▁Ul mer ' s ▁fin ances ▁began ▁to ▁collapse ▁when ▁his ▁mill s ▁were ▁destroyed ▁by ▁spring ▁flo oding ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁replacement ▁mill s ▁also ▁destroyed ▁the ▁following ▁December . ▁ ▁Ul mer ▁lost ▁his ▁house , ▁to ▁forec los ure ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁ ▁Ul mer ' s ▁house ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁two ▁family ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁he ▁lost ▁it , ▁and ▁remained ▁that ▁way ▁until ▁