Nomination for Claflin-Richards House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

PH0006131 Form 10-300 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER DATE (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) NAME COMMON: Claflin-Richards House AND/OR HISTORIC: same APR RECEIVED UL 17 1972 2.

LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 132 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Wenham Congressional District #6 NATIONAL REGISTER STATE CODE COUNTY: 025 m Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site Building Structure Essex CODE 009 OWNERSHIP STATUS Object Public Private Both Public Acquisition: - In Process Being Considered X Occupied ] Unoccupied - Preservation work in progress ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: Restricted Unrestricted No PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural Government Commercial Industrial Educational Military Entertainment Museum Park Private Residence Religious Scientific - Transportation - Other (Specify) - Comments OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: Wenham Historical Association and Museum Inc.

STREET AND NUMBER: 132 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Wenham LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Essex South Registry of Deeds STREET AND NUMBER: Massachusetts CODE 025 Massachusetts CITY OR TOWN: STATE Salem Massachusetts CODE 025 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: 1971 Federal X State - County DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary STREET AND NUMBER: - Local 3 Joy Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston TSTATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 47 345/40 STATE: ENTRY NUMBER DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION (Check One) - Deteriorated [X Excellent CONDITION Good (Check One) - Fair - Ruins - Unexposed (Check One) X Altered - Unaltered Moved Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Claflin-Richards House is situated in the center of Wenham on approxi- mately one-halt acre of land and is surrounded by lawns and planting enclosed by a white picket fence. Set with the northwest gable end to the street and the front entrance facade facing southwest, it stands well back from the main road (Rte. 1A). The house property is flanked on the southwest by an extensively landscaped private home and on the northeast by the Wenham Twon Hall (1853). The property faces the remnant of the old Town Green beyond which are three fine clapboard structures: the Wenham Tea House (1913), the Hobbs House (17th century, added to in 18th century) and the First Congregational Church (1842). This town center is the focal point of Wenham's recently established Historic District.

The 2 1/2 story Claflin-Richards House is a four-room, center chimney dwelling with a late (1925) salt-box addition on the rear half of the northeast side. the house when built in 1661 consisted of two rooms and attic with the large chimney on the rear, southeast facade. It was enlarged to the present four rooms in 1673 by the town for the use of the new minister, Reverend Joseph Gerrish. Its exterior is now brown stained clapboard but in 1661 it may have been covered by the 1" thick pine planks ranging from 14" to 25" in width which were fitted vertically into grooves in the ground sills and second story girts. These planks were discovered during the 1925 restoration and have been removed. At the second story the same vertical planking remains today under the present clapboards.

The high and steep shingled pitch roof, extending from northwest to southeast, is interrupted on the front half of its southwest slope by a typical 17th century gable. The northwest facade has a second and third story overhang while the southwest facade has only a second story overhang, extending approximately two-thirds of the wall to the southeast, just beyond the entrance way. The first story windows have diamond-shaped leaded mullions set in triple casement windows, one centered on each of the northeast, northwest and southwest facades of the original house area. A single window with the same diamond shaped mullions is to the right of the entrance door with a duplicate in the southwest gable and on the rear, southeast facade.

The second floor and both southeast and north- west gable windows are characteristically 18th century small paned, 8 over 12, on the second floor and 6 over 6 in the gable, with four window openings on the south- west, one on the northwest, two on the northeast and one on the southeast. The lean-to addition has an entrance door and is irregularly fenestrated. The interior of the 1661 first floor room has been restored to its original character with framing exposed and the fireplace, with its typical rear wall oven, opened up. Outstanding are the ogee corner braces, extending out and up from each corner post to the girts. This type of brace has been found in three Wenham houses and nowhere else in New England. The room above this has been left as it was when remodeled in the 18th century. In the first floor room of the 1673 addition the framing is oak.

A beam runs across the center of the room parallel to the fireplace wall and no corner braces were used. The original curved hearth has been uncovered and the fireplace restored. [see Continuation Sheet] - Z Form 10-300a (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE Massachusetts COUNTY (Continuation Sheet) Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 8 1973 DATE (Number all entries) 7. Claflin-Richards House, Wenham The chamber above this room has also been left as a typical example of 18th century remodeling. Connected to the house on the far end of the southwest wall is the one-story Pickering Library, built in 1952. At the rear of the house an entrance foyer connects the house to a one-story museum wing which in turn is connected to an auditorium. Two small, one-room shoe shops, c.

1850, are on the grounds of the present complex. The Winslow Shop houses Wenham farm and ice tools. It was in this building that Sidney Winslow, founder of the United Shoe Machinery Company, learned the rudiments of shoemaking. The Merrill Shop, moved to the westerly front yard in 1930, is preserved intact as it was when used prior to 1869 by Israel Trask. All buildings have been placed on the property so as not to detract from the original house. 91110, 111 RECÊIVED 12 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER Form 10-300a (July 1969) (Number all entries) 8. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Continuation Sheet) Claflin-Richards House, Wenham STATE COUNTY Massachusetts Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 9 DATE repeatedly elected to the legislature and was appointed in 1700 to keep a school in town.

As it was the custom for the schoolmaster to keep school in his home, it is believed that the Claflin-Richards House was the first school building; there are no records to the contrary. Deacon Jonathan Kimball was the next owner, followed by Captain Uzziel Dodge (1815), who was the second postmaster. While Captain Dodge owned the house, Miss Elizabeth Shaw taught a private school in one of its rooms, and also held a Sabbath school there, the first in town. She married Reverend Mr. Nichols and went as a missionary to India. Mr. Samuel Dodge, son of Captain Dodge and the next owner (1827) was invited by a town committee to settle here as physician and surgeon. Captain Edmund Kimball of Marblehead bought the house from the widow of Dr. Dodge in 1836 and rented it to the tamily of Jabez and Mary Ann Richards. Mrs.

Richards, widowed in 1840, purchased the house and it remained in the Richards family until 1921, when it was purchased by the Historical Committee of the Wenham Village Improvement Society. Mary Ann's daughter, Elizabeth, who grew up in the house, graduated with the first class from the State Normal School at Salem. She founded the famous restaurant chain, Thompson's Spa, was the inventor of Union Underwear suits and was one of the three founders (1877) of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston, an early organization founded to promote the cause of Women's Lib. She also founded the International Doll Collection which earned over $50,000 for charity.

(Her collection formed the nucleus of the collection now housed in the museum wing of the Wenham Historical Association.) Among letters of Elizabeth Richards Horton are reminiscences of tales told by her mother of Washington and Lafayette stopping at the house and she herself remem- bered Kossuth, the Hungarian statesman, drinking at the well and Alcott, Emerson and Thoreau spending the night there when they came to deliver "Lyceum Lectures. " Thus the Claflin-Richards House, named for its first known and last private owner, has been an integral part of the life of the town center since 1661. Restored in most of its original exterior detail it is a fine example of a 17th century dwelling house. In 1952 it became the property of the Wenham Historical Association and Museum Inc. and as part of an excellent museum/library/meeting hall complex, it serves over 8, 000 visitors a year.

10) 12 RECÊIVED JUL 17 19/2 00 NATIONAL REGISTER 1g

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian| - 16th Century 15th Century XX 17th Century XX 18th Century 19th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1661 ; 1673; 1840; 1921 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal * Education - Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce X Literature Communications X Military Conservation Music Political Religion/Phi. losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation - 20th Century V urban Planhing EpotcE (geogits) JUL 17 1972 NATIONAI REGISTER STATEMENT OF

Statement of significance

The Claflin-Richards House is the oldest house on Main Street, Wenham, and is perhaps the oldest in the town. For over 250 years this house has escaped fire and decay and has survived improvements. It has been continuously occupied from at least as early as 1661, with a long ownership by ministers, schoolmasters, doctors, and men of importance in civil and military matters. In 1642 Samuel Smith and John Fiske gave to the Town of Wenham, out of their grants, 10 acres each on either side of the Meeting House to be divided into two-acre lots for the encouragement of tradespeople to come to the town. In 1661 Robert MacClaflin was granted two acres of this land at the same time he was accepted as a'townsman. It is not known whether he built the house or whether it was already standing on his land. MacClaflin and his family lived in the house for approximately ten years.

In 1672 the town of Wenham exchanged with MacClaflin his house and land for property elsewhere in Wenham. Robert MacClaflin, a Scot, was captured at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 and sold into indenture to the master of the Iron Undertaking at Saugus before coming to Wenham. MacClaflin served under Sir Edmund Andros and his eldest son, Robert, died fighting under Sir William Phips in 1690. He was a surveyor for the town and owned a bark mill, tan vat and brick yard before his death c. 1690. The "Mac" was dropped from the name shortly after 1700 by his children. Among his eminent descendants was Lee Claflin, a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1868 and founder of the first coeducational college for black students, Claflin University, Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Lee's son, William, was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1866-68, Governor in 1869-71 and later representative to the U. S. Congress. In July, 1673, the Town of Wenham, after the exchange of property with Robert MacClaflin, voted to build a "howse of 18 foott square and 13 foott stud to be added to Roberts howse...." The resulting four room house was for the use of the town's new minister, Reverend Joseph Gerrish, and was used by Gerrish as a dwelling house for the next 21 years. Money for glass and nails for the ministry house was appropriated in 1673 and the next year it was voted to cover the "old house with boards." Reverend Gerrish was pastor in Wenham for 40 years, over half of which were spent in the present Claflin-Richards House. He was one of the ministers who took a firm stand against the witchcraft persecutions in 1692.

Captain Thomas Fiske, next owner (1693) was the leading military man of the town, leading the Wenham company in 1675 against King Philip. He was [see Continuation Sheet]

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Appleton, William Sumner, "A Description of Robert McClaflin's House, "_in Old Time New England, SPNEA Bulletin, Vol.XVI, No.4, April 1926, pp. 157-167. Cole, Adeline P., Notes on Wenham History 1643-1943, Wenham Historical Association, V.I.S., 1943. Cole, Mrs. E.B., 'The Claflin-Richards House, Wenham, Mass." SPNEA Bulletin, Vol. XVI, No.4, April 1926, pp. 153-156. Wenham Town Records, 1642-1683, Vol.I, published by Wenham Historical Association, 1927.

0 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE R OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42° 36' 14" 70° 53' 16" NE SE - SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: c. one half acre ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODECOUNTY CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Anne Wardwell, Survey Director (Elizabeth R. Amadon) ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 3 Joy Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston 12.

STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICAIION TDATE April 3, 1972 ISTATE Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION CODE 025 As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: National State Local Name Secretary 7XDanen Commonwealth and Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Title Commission I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa1 Register.

Roterttes Yttle ohier ortrc ar Archeaoey ans Htingoi Proservatian Date 4/3/73 ATTEST: Date April 11, 1972 Date t in Maut 3<67 - Z PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM NAME OF PROPERTY HENTE POMie WAraS Meuse DATE: 2/28/13 The attached National Register Inventory-Nomination form is being returned to your office for clarification of the information indicated below. 1. Name- 2. Location. 3. Classification. 4. Owner of Property- 5. Location of Legal Description. _ 6. Representation in Existing Surveys. 7. Description. 8. Statement of Significance. 9. Bibliography. 10. Geographical Data. a. Longitude and Latitude Coordinates. b. Acreage.. 11. Form Prepared By. 12. Certification. Photographic Coverage. Map Coverage. Map 1s computed too lightt, Yalitude ts encolectly enected+ retunecl 3/8/73 Phu. Other.

Clarification or correction of the above items must be made prior to the initiation of our professional review. Correction of these technical errors does not necessarily insure that the nomination will then satisfy National Register criteria in full. Thank you for your attention to the above items checked. SIGNED: PROPERTY Working number CLAFLIN-RiCHARDS HOUSE STATE Mass 7.17.72.1063 TECH REVIEW Photos Maps REVIEW Kap lit; latitude to vicotecty ox Essex DB 73000853 compatese - /41- 72 corected 3-14.13 HISTORIAN 0K. Bhul ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHITECT KH 2/12/73 BRANCH CHIEF EDITORIAL REVIEW KEEPER National Register write-up Federal Register entry 6-5-73 Acknowledge Send-back Re-submit Tom 3/24 7/17/72 2-28.23 3-13-73 APR 3 1973 Register no. NPS Number 4/3/73. Title: Claflin - Richeros Housi Loc. ESsU, MASs.

#421-West SOrNER PROPERTY ALL RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION RESERVED BY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries -attach to or enclose with photograph) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONL ENTRY NUMBER APR 3 NAME COMMON: AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: 132 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Wenham STATE: Massachusetts PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: DATE OF PHOTO: NEGATIVE FILED AT: Claflin-Richards House 110, O. CODE 025 COUNTY: Essex RFCENED JUL 17 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER H. W. Booth Royd 3/27/71 Wenham Historical Association & Museum, Inc., 132 Main Street IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. #427 -- west corner, NW & SW facades MPS Number _ 1/3/73 Title:Cleflin -Richeres Heuse Loc. Essex, Mass.

#430--N SOENER ALL RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION RESERVED BY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries -attachto or enclose with photograph) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE OI ENTRY NUMBER APR NAME coMMON: Claflin-Richards House AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: 132 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Wenham RECÊIVED JUL 17 197 STATE: Massachusetts PHOTO REFERENCE CODE COUNTY: 025 Essex NATIONAL REGISTER PHOTO CREDIT: H.W. Booth Royd DATE OF PHOTO: 3/27/71 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Wenham Historical Association & Museum, Inc., 132 Main Street, Wenl IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

#430 -- north corner, NE & NW facades Z - U = Form 10-301 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries -attach to or enclose with map) 2. 3 NAME COMMON: AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: 132 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Wenham STATE: Claflin-Richards House Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U. S. G. S. Salem, Mass. SCALE: 1:24,000 DATE: 1956 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

CODE 025 COUNTY: Essex STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 3 51/16/ RECEIVED MAR 13 NATIONAL 1973 REGISTER CT TTE 2 00 DATE CODE 009 55' 760 000 FEET H Fowlers Isiand SWAMP WENHAM CHNALE Muddy 3> Pond Canal -toNGo SALEM QUADRANGLE MASSACHUSETTS - ESSEX CO 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) 6669 III NE (PSWICH) HIPSWICH 4 MI. 70°52'30" - Turkey so Island Asburyrsn to 42°37'30" -Grove A MILTON Cutle 63.7 21 Sch :South: Hamilton 4720 590 000 I FEET -Buker :Sch Wenhan 335. 2,000 IPSWICH 57 NEWBURYPORT 16 4718 BEVE WENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS CLAFLIN-RICHARDS HOUSE U.S.G.S.

Salem, Massachusetés Scale: 1: 24,000 Date: 1956 L2 RECEIVED JUL 17 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER Pumping Stations2 Beverly Salefn &Falter Plamt Nort Beverly - Bass Ri Sch INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGES 10 87 47 /46 St Johns E]Sch Shore Country Day Sch temorial St High SchaHose Bevery Winsiow Pondt New High Schg LOBEV Prospec 35' GLOUCESTERE 11 MI. $4715 (MARBLEGEAD NORTH) Director, Northeast Region *5*= 4/11/73 NRowland :mm PHR 6 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSESTS Date Entered APR 3 1973 Name Location city Hall Salen Esscx County Lenox Iihrary Lenox - Berkshire County Mochanies Rlock Historic Distriot Jawrence Esser County Bove Village Elaterio District /ezacIeA-Pinsosis Fouse Boxford Essox Coupty Wenhaa Essex County Kohavi Trail vicinities of Charleront, Plerida,and Savoy Berkchlre and Frankiin Courtfes Fort Washington Camcridge #t1allesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M.

Kennedy ten. Idvard Wo Prooke lon. Michael J, larrington Fon- Stivio 0. Conte ton. Faul Crohin Ion. Chonas P. O'NetIl, Is. State Historio Prescrvation Officer ton. John F. X. Davoren Secretary of tia Comonveelth Chairran, l'assachuoetta Historical Coanission 40 beacon Street Boston, Masraclusetts 02103 :