BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
NOV 2 0 1985 JAN 3 1986 AREA FORM NO. 136 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET; BOSTON, MA 02116 Town Sherborn Address 100 South Main Street Historic Name Sewall-Ware House PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo number 1 SKETCH MAP Show property's location in relation .to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection. Indicate north. See attached map. Use: Present Residence Original Residence DESCRIPTION: Date_ca. 1840, but said to contain fragments of a ca. 1703 house. Source V/A Style_Mid 19th century vernacular Architect N/A Exterior wall fabric_Clapboard Outbuildings Garage (20th century) Recorded by Betsy Friedberg Organization Mass.
Historical Conmission Date May 1985 Major alterations (with dates) Lean-to portion of saltbox removed in the early 1900s. Moved _No Date N/A Approx. acreage Less than one acre Setting_The Sewal1-kare House stands at a right angle to heavily travelled South Main Street. The building faces south, toward Sewall Brook. UTM reference: 19 304650 4677650 (Staple additional sheets here) scale 1:25,000 Medfield Quadrangle ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the commmity.) Al though much altered, this house is a survivor from the wave of settlement that occured along South Main Street and vicinity in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Itis believed by Abbott Lowell Cummings that this building may contain fragments of a First Period structure built ca: 1703.
Over time, however, the dwelling has been greatly altered and now is a vernacular mid 19th century building, rising 2½ stories to a gable roof. Its main (south) facade is four bays wide. Its front door is flanked by narrow multipane sidelights and it is HISTORfERR*SINIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the commmity.) Local tradition holds that the Sewall-Ware House has significant historical associations with the late 17th and early 18th century diarist and Massachusetts Bay Colony Chief Justice Samuel Sewall. The Sewal1-Ware house's land was part of a 500-acre grant secured by Captain John Hull in the 1660s. It included all of Sewall's Meadow and much of present-day Sherborn Center. Hull resided in Boston. He was a merchant and silversmith.
Hull's only daughter, Hannah, married Samuel Sewall, who became Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Colony but 1s perhaps remembered most for serving as one of the judges of the Salem Witch Trials in the 1690s. The brook and meadow to the south of the nominated house still bear his name. The Sewalls inherited Hull's holdings. Visual analysis by Abbott Lowell Cummings and Harriet Förbes suggests that the core of the present house may date to the early 18th century, ca. 1703. Judge Sewall may have built the dwelling for his tenant, farmer Moses Adams. The first. reference in Judge Sewall's famous diary to Adams' inhabitation occurs on April 14, 1703, whenSewall mentions "the farm Moses Adams lives on,"for which he paid rent. (Cont'd) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name ofpublication, author, date and publisher) "Sherborn Past and Present 1674-1924," Sherborn Historical Society.
"Historical Sketches, Sherborn Tercentenary,. 1652-1952," compiled by Francis Bardwell. Ware Genealogy, 1838-1898, compiled by Emma Forbes Ware. Genealogical research by Susan Researchby Margaret Dowse Buntin. Harriet Forbes, "Seventeenth Century Houses of Middlesex County," Old Time New England, Jan. 1939. Anne C. Shaughnessy, A History of Sherborn and A Guide to Sherborn, 1974. Maps of 1788, 1875, and 1889. 1798 Assessors list. 10M - 7/82 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity: Form No: Sherborn 136 Property Name:Sewa11-Ware House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Cont'd) also removed in the early 20th century. The present house rests on a brick and rubble stone foundation, laid without mortar.
The interior contains early remnants as well, including a partially enclosed stairway that winds up the front of the chimney. The stairs are steep and narrow, with treads eight to nine inches high. Spanning the ceiling at the top of the stairs is a timber fourteen inches square. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Cont'd) In 1/34 the lana, with house, barn, and about 200 acres ot land, was deeded to captain voseph ware by Judith Cooper, daughter of Judge Sewall and granddaughter of John Hull. The Wares lived in this house for 150 years, from 1734 until 1876. Members of the branch of the family born in this dwelling distinguished themselves in business, theology, education, medicine, and law. Born in this house were Joseph Ware and his brothers John and Benjamin. They distinguished themselves during the Revolutionary War. Another brother, the Rev.
Henry Ware, graduated from Harvard in 1785 and began preaching at Hingham's First Church in 1787. In 1805 he was elected to the Chair of the Hollis Professorship of Divinity in Harvard College, a controversial appointment because of his liberal theological views. The discussions concerning his acceptability were among the first skirmishes of an intellectual and ecclesiastical debate that would divide New England's church and would result in a separating of liberal Unitarians from orthodox Congregationalists. Rev. Ware's sons had distinguished careers in three different fields: Henry Jr. was a preacher associated with Harvard University. John was a physician 1r Boston, and William was an author. All spent their early years in this house. Farmer Albert Penniman Ware (1811-1871) was the last of his family to reside in the nominated property.
He harvested cranberries from nearby Sewall's Meadow. Staple to Inventory form at bottom CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION The Sewall-Ware House, a mid 19th century structure that contains fragments of a First Period dwelling house, retains integrity of setting, design, location, materials, workmanship, and feeling, as well as associations with Sherborn's earliest period of European settlement. Its location on Sewalls Brook and along an early roadway in southeastern Sherborn is typical of this remote area's 17th and early 18th century development and thus qualifies the structure for Criterion A of the National Register. In its present form as a vernacular mid 19th century building with simple decorative detailing and an interior that retains fragments of an earlier structure, building techniques in a peripheral area and thus fulfils Criterion D. peripieral ares any hus tulrils crter or v.
Finally, the building holds associations with several prominent families in Sherborn, and meets Criterion B of the National Register of Historic While the total acreage currently associated with the is quite Targe (approximately 21 acres), only the area immediately surrounding the house and garage is being nominated. MAP KEY A = House B = Garage (non-contributing) MP3 Fo 10 200 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB No.
1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For HPS ose only received 11/20/83 date entered Continuation sheet Item number Page /M3 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group dnr-11 Name State Sherborn Multiple Resource Area Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Covev Putuile Andeus 1/3/86 Date/Signature Assington Subistantive Korloju/ Keeper latuid Andeus 13/86 Determined est Betts Saenge 1-3-86 Buttonballs DOE/OWNER OBJECTIONKeeper Eliçible latuik Andus 1/3/9 Substantive RevIéw BetpL. Sauage 1-3-86 35 Edwards Plain-Dowse's Corner Historic District Morse-Barber House Sewall-Ware House p6. Pr.
Subotantive Rorsogfn/Keeper Attest Substantive Revier - fKeeper Attest Subistantive Herlengal Keeper Attest Ld Keeper BubstantIve RevIen Attest Stannox Farm DOE/OWNER OBJECTI@fotermtned Keeper Substantive Review Piteiek Anduus 1/3/86 Bethod Saerge: 1-3-56 Patich Andue, 1/3/56 Bithd Saurge 1-386 Patuile Anduus 1/3/86 Bettt: Sauase /- 3-86 Sherborn Center Historic District Pattick Andunr 1/3/86 Beth Savage 1-3-86 Elepble lateik Andeue 43 Attest Betfof Savage 1-3-86 N'Sudbury waste weir A Stbstastire Barier Keeper RS 9. Bullen-Stratton- Cozzen House Sn Woesd Natione1 10.
Clark-Northrup House Attest fKeeper Doglater Attest fueeper AlelouByan 113/86 Dn vor: ad H011726 Weke: legiater alußzen 13186 Attest WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) Sewall--Ware House (Sherborn MRA) Middlesex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: sample UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 86000494 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Substantive Review NOV 2 0 1985 Working No._ Fed. Reg. Date: 2 13/83 Date Due: 19/85 -"4/x6 Action: LACCEPT1-3-86 _RETURN - REJECT_ Federal Agency: Jrequest -Jappeal ANR decision Recom./Criterja_ Uccept A archotertural History _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4.
Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7. Description Condition J excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one - unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one -original site moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.
Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Signed Date Phone: _ GPO 918-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Sewall ware Hese 100 South Main St., Sh Inv. # 136 S4 OULOIN 36,00 N SOUTtI MAI 23 # 136 100 South Main Map # 12 Lot # 47 1969 Assessors Map Scale 1" 200' Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000293