Obediah Wood House, 17 India Street, Nantucket

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,10-NANT,75P-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Typical example of the large turn of the eighteenth century house; part of the India Street Neighborhood Study (MASS-1013). PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: Obediah Wood, merchant, bought "land together with the tanning sheds thereon" from Josiah Coffin and John Gardner, sheriff, for 26 pounds, 15 shillings and 6 pence. Peleg Hoxsey and Peleg Kacy, tanners, bought from Obediah Wood a "piece of land where Wood carried his tanning business", for 136 pounds, 10 shillings. Peleg Macy bought from Peleg Hoxsey his share of land with dwelling house thereon. Timothy Horsefield, tinplate worker, and Amy, his wife, bought from Peleg Macy for 135 pounds. Nantucket Bank from Timothy Horsefield.

Sara Horsefield, mother of Timothy who died in his wife having died the year before, from the Nantucket Bank. Charles Barney bought from Horsefield heirs. Stephen West, master mariner, from Charles Barney. Augustus C. Morse from Stephen West. Mary L. Ayers from Augustus C. Morse et al for Elizabeth Worth Ide and Lilla D. Ide bought from Mary L. Ayers. to date Hospital Thrift Shop bought from Frederick C. Ayers, which property had been reclaimed by a foreclosure deed. (Abstract: Records Registry Deeds, Nantucket, Massachusetts.) INDIA STREET NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY OBEDIAH WOOD HOUSE HABS No. MASS-1054 (Page 2) 2. Date of erection: Between and (Abstract: deed from Hoxsey to Macy mentions dwelling house for the first time.) 3. Architect: None 4.

Original plans, construction, etc.: House was built with two story front and rear and large central chimney as were many Nantucket houses built between and 5. Notes on alterations and additions: During the Ayers ownership changes to the interior were made to accommodate paying guests, and at that time and later for convenience in use as a Thrift Shop partitions were removed between rooms, and the fireplaces were closed. The open porch on the east was taken down to make room for a driveway. Several unattractive additions have been added at the back of the house from time to time. B. Historical Events Connected with the Structure: House is located in that area originally described as the Third Squadron of Wesco Acre Lots, at a place commonly known by the name of Micah's Pond.

Obediah Wood was the son-in-law of the Island physician, Dr. Benjamin Tupper, at whose home Crevecoeur is said to have been entertained on his visit to Nantucket before writing "Letters from an American Farmer" in This section of India Street contained several tanning businesses at the time, with Jonathan Macy's tanyard on the north of India Street. Augustus C. Morse was a teacher in the Nantucket High School which had been established under Cyrus Peirce in February, by vote of the town. According to Emily Weeks, who wrote about "Development-of Nantucket Schools" in Nantucket Historical Association Proceedings of "the High School held most favorable rank under Mr.

Morse" from until The Hospital Thrift Shop was organized in and has been an active unit for the benefit of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital ever since. In they purchased this house for a permanent home. C. Sources of Information: 1. Old Views: view of house, showing porch in Ninty Five Per Cent Perfect, by Everett U- Crosby, Nantucket: Tetaukimmo Press, pen and ink drawing on postcard by Ruth Haviland Sutton; drawing in Main Street Fete Booklet page 23. Prepared by Marie M. Coffin Nantucket, Massachusetts July, INDIA STREET NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY OBEDIAH WOOD HOUSE HABS No. MASS-1054 (Page 3) PART II.

PROJECT INFORMATION These records were prepared as part of the India Street Neighborhood Study (MASS-1013) made in the summer of by the Historic American Buildings Survey on Nantucket, Massachusetts. This is the fifth summer project of a continuing HABS comprehensive survey of the early architecture and urban design of Nantucket financed by a grant from the Nantucket Historical Trust. The project was under the general supervision of James C. Massey, Chief of the Historic American Buildings Survey. Project Director was Professor F. Blair Reeves, A.I.A., of the University of Florida, Historical information was provided by Marie M. Coffin of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Photographs are by Jack E. Boucher of Linwood, New Jersey.

The material was edited for deposit in the Library of Congress by Constance Werner Ramirez, August,