accommable scituation of his house." The Town granted "13 feet on the front of his land next to Mr. Staniford's and 12 feet next to Mr. John Gaines out toward the street." He built his fine mansion on this spot in that year, 1727, it has always been said. Daniel Scott of Boston, physician, and Mary, his wife, John Dutch and his wife, Mary, sold Jacob Treadwell two-thirds of the "estate of our grandfather, Rev. Nathaniel Rogers," May 6, 1778(139: 203). Jacob Treadwell sold to Joseph Knight of Newburyport, Aug. 24, 1797 (162: 243). Henry Cogswell Knight, of Rowley, sold fourteen twenty-fourths of his property, a dwelling and 7 acres, to William M. Rogers and Nathaniel Wade, guardian of Antonio Knight, a minor, son of Joseph Knight, sold the balance to the same, Dec. 9 and 10, 1813 (202: 275, 276). Rogers sold the southeast corner of his homestead, abutting on the Staniford heirs to Ammi R. Smith. The lot measured 35 ft. on High St. and 40 feet deep, and there was a store upon it, March 15, 1817 (212: 276). Isaac Bangs and others, mortgagees, sold to Nathaniel Lord Jr., the estate Rogers had mortgaged to them, and Rogers executed a conveyance, Jan. 6, 1820 (222: 108, 109). "Squire" Lord, as he was called, was a prominent citizen for many years. His son, Otis P., attained distinction as a jurist, and Justice of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth. The store, mentioned above, was changed into a dwelling and removed by a recent owner of the property. Benjamin Kimball, executor of the estate of Otis P. Lord sold the house and land to Samuel H. Baker June 17, 1885 (1152: 262). Baker sold a small piece to Mrs. Bradbury, who owned the Rectory lot, and the rest of the estate, the house and five acres, to Miss Jennie T. Cogswell Feb. 12: 1890 (1268: 131), who conveyed to Mr. John B. Brown, the present owner. Robert Paine. The lot which included the brick house of the heirs of John Jewett, which was recently torn down, and the present estate of Mr. Harry B. Brown, was owned originally by Mr. Thomas Brecy, then by Robert Paine, "Elder to ye church of Ipswich," a man foremost in zeal for the educational advancement of the community. He conveyed his mansion and three acres of land, with orchard, garden, etc., to his son Robert, Feb. 12, 1689 (Ips. Deeds 5:590). Robert Paine Jr. and Elizabeth, sold the dwelling and two and three quarters acres to Mr. Francis Wainwright, Sept. 30, 1690 (Ips. Deeds 5:326), reserving a quarter acre which he had bought of his father in 1689, on the east corner. Matthew Whipple Jun. and Dorcas sold this twenty rod lot to Mr. Wainwright, "the land we had of our father Mr. Robert Pain," June 20, 1702 (15:216). The Wainwrights were a famous family. Francis, the immigrant, served with great distinction in the Pequot war, in his young manhood. He became a prosperous merchant and prominent citizen. He died on May 19, 1692. His son, Francis, was graduated at Harvard College in 1686. He was the Colonel of a regiment, Town Clerk, Representative in General Court, Feoffee and Justice of the General Sessions Court. He died on Aug. 3, 1711, in the forty-eighth year of his age. The deeds do not reveal whether the purchaser of the Payne homestead was Francis Wainwright, Senior, or Francis, Junior, but the latter owned and occupied it, and his youngest daughter, Lucy, wife of Samuel Waldo of Boston, attorney, sold the house and four and a half acres, then in the tenure of Jabez Sweet, to Thomas Staniford, Feb. 28, 1740 (83:4). Capt. Thomas Staniford "Gentleman" occupied the house until his death. His will was filed Sept. 7, 1778 (Pro. Rec. 353: 206), and the inventory of his estate, filed Dec. 9, 1778 (353: 316) reveals the furnishings of one of the fine mansions of the Revolutionary period, at the inflated values that prevailed at that time. Some items are of interest, which specify the wardrobe of a gentleman of that day and various articles of furniture. The mansion house and 12 acres About 1 acres mowing land adjoining to Pulcifer's (the old Hovey estate on Water St. and Hovey's Lane) Pew In the South Meeting House a suit of brown broad cloth 1 dark cold homespun coat and jacket 1 cotton velvet jacket a wigg 6/ 2 white jackets 24/ a pr. of leather breeches a gold ring 36/ gold buttons 21 pwt. one bed, bolster, and 2 pillows one bed, bolster, and 2 pillows (Five other beds, bolsters and pillows, appraised from £14-14-0 to £10-3-0 Blue curtains with muslin linings, vallens, head-cloth, 20-0-0 6-0-0 Capt. Staniford bequeathed his property to his four children, Mary, then the wife of Dummer Jewett, afterwards wife of Larkin Thorndike,1 John, James and Ebenezer. John Staniford, then of Windham, Conn., conveyed his interest in the mansion and a half acre lot, to his brother James, April 23, 1779 (145: 82), and his interest in eleven and a half acres and a barn, to Richard Dummer Jewett, April 30, 1780 (142:34). Lucy Staniford, widow of Ebenezer, conveyed her interest in the home lot to her father, Joseph Fowler, Feb. 15, 1787 (153:92). Capt. James Staniford occupied the mansion, which is often alluded to as the "old brick," because it had brick ends, and kept an inn. He also purchased of Richard Dummer Jewett an undivided half of five and three quarters acres of the land adjoining, May 28, 1803 (172: 178). The heirs of James Staniford and his son James, sold "the brick house" and eight and a half acres to Dr. Thomas Manning, June 10, 1830 (259:76). He sold "the old brick" to his son, Dr. Joseph Manning of Charleston, S. C., Dec. 27, 1830 (266: 73) and he conveyed it to John Jewett, Dec. 9, 1835 (290: 121). Mr. Jewett tore down the old mansion, which was still in excellent preservation, and built on its site the brick dwelling, which was purchased a few years ago and torn down by Mr. John B. Brown and Mr. Harry B. Brown. The Staniford land, east of the homestead, was sold as house lots. James Staniford sold a half of an undivided lot, with sixty-three feet front, to Dr. George W. Sawyer, May 10, 1806 (310: 222), and Dr. Sawyer sold the same to William Willcomb, June 1, 1808 (184: 175). The widow Mary Thorndike sold her half interest in this lot to the widow Susanna Willcomb, March 27, 1814 (203:33). On May 20, 1824 (235: 176), the widow Willcomb sold her lot to the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A Meeting House was built, and used by the Society until the present edifice was erected. The old lot was then sold by the Trustees to Robert Jordan, May 17, 1862 (639: 104). He bought another piece adjoining, Oct. 5, 1863, and a small piece of John Jewett, Nov. 6, 1863 (660: 126). The dwelling he erected is now owned by Mr. Harry B. Brown. A lot adjoining the Sawyer-Willcomb lot was sold by the widow Thorndike to John H. Dodge, as she mentions in her deed of her interest in “Brick House Hill" to Thomas Kimball, April 9, 1814 (203:77). This lot was acquired by James Staniford, whose heirs sold to Joseph Wait, June 16, 1830 (259: 235). A lot, measuring forty feet on the front, abut 1Dummer Jewett and Mary Thorndike, pub. Oct. 11, 1754. Larkin Thorndike of Beverly and Mrs. Mary Jewett, pub. Nov. 26, 1791. |