The arcaded-style carving on the front of the chest is continued on both ends, a design feature that is found on chests with Windsor, Connecticut, histories. The chest, intended for storage of textiles, descended in the Hoyt family of Windsor and reached Deerfield, Massachusetts, about 1682 with the arrival of David Hoyt (1651-1704). It remained in the family until it was given to Memorial Hall Museum in the late 19th century.