No. 16348 Realphoto postcard of 1138 Adams Street, circa 1910.
Date of construction: 1883
Based on 1884 map
MACRIS BOS.5629
circa 1870
Stick Style
This realphoto postcard shows the home of R. M. Davis at 1138 Adams Street about 1910. Notice the window hoods, the divided panes in the windows, the brackets in the gables, the shutters and the porch railing. The window hoods and the brackets are still in place.
Randall M. Davis was a chocolate maker, who owned and occupied the house with his second wife Mary and his son James, who was a furniture repairer and caner. Randall was born in Canada, immigrated to the states in 1845 and served in the 1st Maine during the Civil War from late 1836 to June of 1865. In 1890 he was living at 60 Sanford Street in 1890. In the postcard there is a sign on the front porch for James’s chair-caning business.
The house does not show up on the 1882 atlas but does in 1884. It was owned by James Pope and may have been built as an investment property since Pope owned a large tract of land and other lots in Lower Mills. Randall bought 1138 Adams Street October 19, 1893, with no down payment and a mortgage of $2,200, and his name appears in the atlases as owner through 1933 when the last Bromley atlas was published. The list of Boston residents shows James living alone in 1934 and 1935 with tenants. In 1936 no-one named Davis is listed at this property.
The house is currently shown as a 2-family in the assessing records and may have been built that way. Each of the census records available show another household living in the building. In 1910, for example, Abby L. Bates and her two daughter who were both teachers living in the house in addition to the Davis family.
Owners from maps and atlases:
1874 – large tract of land on south side of Adams Street owned by Mr. D. T. V. Huntoon.
1882 – no buildings shown on the even side of the street in this stretch of Adams
1884 Jas. Pope – he owns this lot with the house and another lot at 1144 Adams as well several lots across Adams Street extending to Richmond Street; at this time the lot at #1144 also had a house on it
1889 Jas. Pope – he owns this lot with the house and another lot at 1144 Adams as well several lots across Adams Street extending to Richmond Stree;t at this time the lot at #1144 also had a house on it
1894 Jas. Pope – he owns this lot with the house and another lot with no building at 1144 Adams as well several lots across Adams Street extending to Richmond Street
1898 Randall M. Davis
1904 Randall M. Davis
1910 Randall M. Davis
1918 Randall M. Davis
1933 R. M. Davis
deed October 19, 1893 from James Pope to Randall M. Davis, Suffolk County, book 2159 page 41 plan 1540 end with a dwelling house
consideration of one dollar but with a mortgage to Margaret E. Reed of Milton, Massachusetts, of $2,200 due in 5 years, 5% interest
Jan. 15, 1880 from Horace Littlefield to James Pope 1481.2 with a plan
consideration $775 12,067 sf 2 lots 8 and 9
Blue Books
1894 no listing
1896 Mr. & Mrs. Randall M. Davis
1898 same
1900 same
1902 same
1904 same
1906 same
1908 no entry in street listing but in index of names Randall M. Davis is shown at 1138 Adams – a whole section of Adams Street is missing in the street listing so this may be a publisher error
1910 Mr. & Mrs. Randall M. Davis
1913 same
1915 same
Death Record
03 Sep 1927 Randall M. Davis, buried Dorchester South Burying Ground
Boston Directory 1884
James Pope, builder, Adams near Dorchester av., h. near do. L.M.
Randall M. Davis, carpenter, h. Sanford, L.M.
Boston Directory 1893
Randall M. Davis, chocolate maker and sexton, h. 60 Sanford
Boston Directory 1894
Randall M. Davis, chocolate maker, h. 1138 Adams, L.M.
Censuses, etc.
1890 US Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War
Randall M. Davis lived at 60 Sanford Street, Dorchester, MA, in 1890. Served as corporal in 1st Maine in the Civil War Dec. 19, 1863 – June 5, 1865
1900 Randall M. Davis, 65, married for 7 years, white, b. May 1835 in Canada, immigrated 1870, chocolate maker
Mary E. Davis, 51, b. Massachusetts, no occupation listed
James S. Davis, 24, b. Massachusetts, repair furniture
lodgers:
Carrie E. Thayer, 47, b. Massachusetts, no occupation listed
Annie C. Seeman, 59, b. Maine, no occupation listed
1910 Randall M. Davis, 74, married, white, b. 1836 Canada immigrated 1845, chocolate maker, owns home
Mary E. Davis, 61, wife, b. 1849 Massachusetts, no occupation listed
James S. Davis, 33, son b. Maine, chair repairer – works out of the home
also in the house:
Abby L. Bates, 59 widow b. Massachusetts, no occupation listed
Adella M. Bates, 37, b. Massachusetts, teacher in public school
Lottie E. Bates, 36, b. Massachusetts, teacher in public school
1920 Randall M. Davis, 84, b. New Brunswick, Canada, married, white, no occupation
Mary E. Davis, 70, b. Massachusetts, no occupation
James S. Davis, 43, b. Maine, [chair] caner
also in the house:
Mary E. Twombley, 65, no occupation
Alice B. Tolman, sister, bookkeeper
Massachusetts Marriages
Randall M. Davis, b. 1835, 7 July 1881 m. Margaret Bridgett Baxter, b. 1835
Boston Street Lists for 1138 Adams Street
1909 Randall M. Davis chocolate 73
1922 James S. Davis, chair caner, 45
Mary E. Davis, housekeeper, 73
Alice B. Tolman, bookkeeper, 60
1923 James S. Davis, chaircaner, 46
Mary E. Davis, housewife, 74
Alice B. Tolman, bookkeeper, 62
1924 James S. Davis, retired, 47
Mary E. Davis, houseworker, 75
Elmer S. Holmes, cableman, 24, formerly of 10 Vose Street
Evans L. Holmes, builder, 25, formerly of 10 Vose Street
Harry M. Holmes, builder, 51, formerly of 10 Vose Street
Ida E. Holmes, houseworker, 49, formerly of 10 Vose Street
1925 James S. Davis, repairer, 48
Mary E. Davis, none, 76
Elmer S. Holmes, cable splicer, 26
Evan L. Holmes, carpenter, 26
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 52
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 50
1926 Mary E. Davis, housekeeper, 77
Elma [!] S. Holmes, electrician, 27
Evan L. Holmes, carpenter, 27
Harry M. Holmes, builder, 53
1927 Mary E. Davis, retired, 78
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 55
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 52
1928 Evan Holmes, carpenter, 29, formerly of 126 Milton Street
Florence Holmes, housewife, 28, formerly of 126 Milton Street
Harry A. Holmes, builder, 57
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 54
James S. Davis, cane seats, 52
1929 not available online
1930 James S. Davis, retired, 52
Evan Holmes, carpenter, 31
Florence Holmes, housewife, 29
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 56
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 54
1931 Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 58
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 56
1932 Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 58
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 56
1933 Agnes L. Geary, teacher, 22 formerly of 46 Codman Hill Av
Helen G. Geary, hairdresser, 26, 22 formerly of 46 Codman Hill Av
Mary A. Geary, teacher, 35, 22 formerly of 46 Codman Hill Av
Harry Holmes, contractor, y60
Ida E. Holmes, housewife, 58
1934 James Davis, retired, 55
Harry Holmes, carpenter, 60
1935 James Davis, Carpenter, 58
Harry M Holmes, carpenter, 62
Alphonsus M. McDonald, laborer, 46, formerly of 90 Butler Street
Anna M. MacDonald, housewife, 39, formerly of 90 Butler Street
Celia MacPhee, housewife, 27, formerly of 90 Butler Street
Mary Shaw, housekeeper, 52 fomerly lived in Carver
1936 Harry M. Holmes, carpenter, 60
Alphonsus McDonald, gardener, 47
Anna McDonald, housewife, 40
Lilla C. Tirrell, housewife, 53, formerly of 30 Upton
1937 Harry Holmes, carpenter, 64
Alphonse MacDonald, gardener, 40
1938 Elsie Holmes, housewife, 40, formerly of Holyoke
Harry M. Holmes, builder, 65
Alphonse MacDonald, gardener, 49
Anna M. MacDonald, housewife, 42
Cecelia MacPhee, hairdresser, 29
1939 Elsie Holmes, housewife, 40
Harry M. Holmes, buidler, 66
1940 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 41
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 68
Mabel E. Trask, secretary, 63, formerly of 6 Old Morton
1941 no ward 17
1942 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 43
Harry M. Holmes, carpenter, 69
John Pidgeon, clerk, 52
Mabel Trask, clerk, 49
1943 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 43
Harry M. Holmes, carpenter, 70
Frederick G. Horsman, mechanic 36, formerly of 3 Templeton Way
Mabel Trask, clerk, 50
1944 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife
Gertrude F. Holmes, housewife, 61, formerly of Oak Bluffs
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 71
Frederick K. Horseman, assembler, 37
Mabel E. Trask, secretary, 62
1945 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 46
Harry M. Holmes, carpenter, 72
Frederick, Horseman, machinist, 37
Mabel Trask, operator, 68
1946 James S. Davis, retired, 70
Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 47
Harry M. Holmes, builder, 73
Frederick Horseman, machinist, 40
Mabel Trask, typist, 68
1947 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 49
Gertrude Holmes, at home, 64, formerly of Oak Bluffs
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 74
Edith J. Muir, at home, formerly of Arlington
Mabel E. Trask, clerk, 70
1948 James D. Davis, musician, 71
Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 49
Gertrude F. Holmes, housewife, 66
Harry M. Holmes, carpenter, 76
Edith J. Muir, housekeeper, 71
Mabel Trask, clerk, 71
1949 Elsie D. Homes, housewife, 50
Gertrude, Holmes, at home, 66
Harry M. Holmes, builder, 76
James S. Davis, retired, 71
Lucy R. Emery, at home, 71, formerly of 16 Concord Sq
Mabel Trask, at home, 73
1950 Elsie P [!] Holmes, housewife, 53
Gertrude F. Holmes, housekeeper, 67
Harry D. Holmes, contractor, 77
Lucy R. Emery, at home, 72
Mabel E. Trask, musician, 73
1951 Elsie D. Holmes, housewife, 53
Gertrude Holmes, at home, 68
Harry M. Holmes, contractor, 78
Lucy Emery, at home, 72
Mabel Trask, at home, 73
1952 James Davis, retired, 75
Elsie D. Homes [!], housewife, 54
Gertrude F. Homes [!], at home, 69
Lucy Every, at home, 74
Mabel E. Trask, at home, 75
1953 Elsie Homes [!], housewife, 60
Lucy Every, housewife, y69
Mabel Trask, clerk, 65
Gertrude Homes [!], at home, 69
1954 Alice W. Brush, housewife, 66, formerly of 1108 Adams
Rubin W. Brush, engineer, 67, formerly of 1108 Adams
Gertrude F. Holmes, at home 71
Lucy R. Every, at home 76
1955 Alice W. Brush, housewife, 67
R. Warner Brush, agent, 68
Lucy R. Every, at home 77
Gergrude Holmes, housewife, 73
1956 Alice W. Brush, housewife, 68
R. Warner Brush, agent 69
Gertrude Holmes, at home 73
1957 Alice W Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, agent, b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, laborer, b. 1917, formerly of 122 Richmond
Mary Munroe, housewife, b. 1920, formerly of 122 Richmond
1958 Alice W. Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, agent, b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, laborer, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1959 Alice W. Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, agent, b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, laborer, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1960 Alice W. Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, retored. b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1961 Alice W. Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, retored. b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1962 Alice W. Brush, housewife, b. 1887
R. Warner Brush, retored. b. 1886
Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
Russell G. Munroe, caretaker, b. 1897
1963 Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1964 Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
Albert R. Parker, painter, b. 1912, formerly of 104 Standard
Eileen H. Parker, housewife, b. 1915 formerly of 104 Standard
Robert A. Parker, student, b. 1943, formerly of 104 Standard
1965 Howard W. Munroe, operator, b. 1917
Mary J. Munroe, housewife, b. 1920
1966 Elizabeth Connors, clerk, b. 1936
Marion Franser, at home, b. 1911
James Sullivan, policeman, b. 1926, formerly of Milton
Kathleen Sullivan, housewife, b. 1926, formerly of Milton
1934 shows James, 55 years old, retired, living alone in his apartment
Harry Holmes, carpenter, 60 years old, presumably living the apartment
1935 shows James, 58 years old [!], carpenter and Harry M. Holmes, 62, carpenter and Alphonsus M. McDonald, 46, laborer living here
1936 Harry Holmes is the only person living in the building.