BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 64 AREA FORM NO. 120 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north (see attached) UTM REFERENCE 19 314680 4621740 USGS QUADRANGLE Fall River, MA-RI 1967/1979 SCALE 1:25000 JAN 0 2 1990 Town Swansea, Mass. MRA SWANSEA Address 703 Pearse Road Historic Name John Brown IV House Use: Present residence Original farmstead DESCRIPTION Date ca. 1752 Source will of John Brown, 1752 Style Georgian Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric clapboard Outbuildings garage (ca.
1950) Major Alterations (with dates) entry portico, triple window, S bay (ca. 193 Condition excellent Moved no Date approximately 1.84 acres Acreage Setting Seaside location with sweeping view of Cole's River. Surrounding residential construction primarily late 19th/early 20th century. Recorded by_G. Goff/K. Flynn/K. Broomer Organization Swansea Historical Commission Date 1978/February 1986/November 1989 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The John Brown House, 703 Pearse Road, retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, and association and meets Criteria A and C on the local level.
An excellent Georgian style house located in the Touisset section of South Swansea, the structure is a well-preserved example of the dispersed farmsteads that characterized settlement at Touisset and other shoreline areas in town prior to rapid summer resort development and suburbanization at the turn of the 20th century. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. This 2½-story, 5-bay Georgian house with center-chimney, double-pile plan is an excellent example of its type in Swansea, representing the high-style structures built by the area's more prosperous families of the 18th century. Distinguishing features include a dentil cornice, cornerboards, molded heads on windows containing 12/12 sash, and two pedimented dormers containing 8/8 sash.
The Colonial Revival style is displayed by the semi-enclosed entry portico, triple window above, and square bay window on the south side, all ca. 1932 additions. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. A fine example of the fashionable homes built by prosperous residents in Old Swansea, 703 Pearse Road is situated along the Cole's River and roughly one-half mile from the eastern border of Warren, Rhode Island. Deed research has shown that the property belonged to John Brown IV (1675-1752), a member of the prominent Brown family of Plymouth Colony and Rhode Island.
Brown was "a man of importance in public affairs and one of the leading men of the [Plymouth] Colony." [wright, 200] It is unclear whether Brown and his wife Abigail lived in this house or another Georgian house at 793 Pearse Road to the south. Both houses were owned by the family. The original farm of 56 acres extended west from the Cole River, with a dilapidated family cemetery at the western end of the property. The present house lot of almost two acres consists of open lawns and woodlot. Maintaining a sweeping view of the Cole's River and Gardner's Neck beyond, the Brown House at Touisset presents a striking contrast to the other extant mid- to late 18th-century farmhouses on Gardner's Neck, which are modest single-story capes.
Both areas were characterized by widespread farms until the second half of the 19th century, when construction of the Fall River & Providence Railroad spurred summer resort and later suburban development The Brown House today is surrounded by this later residential construction, and displays cosmetic alterations executed ca. 1932. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES -Deed Research: Will of John Brown (1675-1752) to his son Jeremiah (1710-1776), Book 13, p. 134, Probate Court of Taunton. Jeremiah left no will but his son Jarvis (1733-1809) describes the property in his will, Book 45, pp.95-97. On 1/13/1911 George P. Brown sold the homestead to Job L. Davis, Fall River Registry of (see continuation sheet) 8/85 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : SWANSEA, MA.
Form No: Property Name : John Brown IV House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Bibliography and/or References (continued) Deeds, Book 162, p. 543, who in 10/7/1925 deeded it to Robert I. Anthony, Book 348, p. 54, from whom the present owner Richard Bowen in 1951 bought the property. - Wright, O.0., History of Swansea, 1917, p. 200. - Maps - Mrs. Helen Pierce, Swansea Historical Society, interview, 11/89. Staple to Inventory form at bottom neps Fom 10.0000 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page Swansea MRA Bristol County, MASSACHUSETTS Sibifsefllve Nerier Cover 1. Anthony, David M., House OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Date Listed Entered in the tored 1n tao Cocceet ßeray Sause 02-16-9 Nat1onal Rogleterkteper OhenAyen 2/16/50 Attest Entered 1n taa 2.
Anthony, Harold H., House National Heglater Réeper Aelone Ajun 2/c6190 Attest 3. Bark Street School intered 1n tbe Hat1oral Hegletes /Keeper Aulunezun 8/6/90 Attest 4. Barneyville Historic District Entered 1n the Nat,1onal Begieter fReeper Aelmgun 2/10/50 Attest 5. Bend of the Lane intured in tha Hationai Sagietes fkeeperKiluuByund /16/50 Attest 6. Brown, John, IV, House cintered in tat National Registes Reeper AllanBgun 31610 Attest 7. Buffington, DEacon, John, Housetered in the Hatlonaid Regiater Locpor Aelvra Bqu Slik0 Attest 8. Church of Christ, Swansea intered in the National Register /Keeper AelansByu 2/16/5c 9.
Cole, Benjamin, House Attest AKeeper Entered in the National Register NeaußBgan 2/16/50 Attest 101 Colony Historic District Axbeteatta Rerion Keepert Dettaze 02-16-90 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Brown, John, IV, House NAME: MULTIPLE Swansea MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: 1/02/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/01/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: DATE OF 45TH DAY: 1/17/90 2/16/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000064 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REGUB: BAELSROBUS BER DRAPE: HAAPPKOYED: * N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT _RETURN REJECT HI6laU DATE Entered in the National Regieter ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text 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 BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS _USGS maps photographs -presentation Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date 1752 703 Pearse Rd swansea, mB John Brown IV House (MHC#120) 703 Pearse Road swausea, Mass.MRA 1988 view SW A A 9A 182.
15 - 16 001 aUOY ,06 Jos; CREEK 231.4 0a4 216.0° R7W 3.0 225,0 396' 19 3312 196.4 100.0 74 120' N PROPERTY MAP TOWN OF SWANSEA 1961 BRISTOL COUNTY , MASSACHUSETTS Revised 10/82 JAMES W. SEWALL COMPANY OLD TOWN, MAINE SCALE 1 INCH = 100 FEET YOR ABSNESING PURPOSES ONLY 47 400° 4= gargge -= house 703 PEARSE Rd. MHC#IZD 349' 200 9g. 64.5 290 COLE RIVER 20 204.2' 52.5 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000296