No. 6486 5 Adams Street, photograph May 19, 2005.
Date of construction: by 1858
The house was probably built by Edward Gassett – his three houses appear on the Walling map of 1858 and in the Dorchester taxable valuation 1861 and 1865.
Three story house, where the third floor has a Mansard roof
MACRIS BOS.13160
Dr. Mary Jane Safford-Blake House; Margaret C. Billings House; Ameilia A. Libby House
Architect: Luther Briggs
Second Empire
Owners from maps and atlases
1850 no house on map
1858 Walling map of Norfolk County – owner was Gassett – one of 3 houses he owned with shared driveway
1874 James Blake
1884 Margt Billings
1889 Amelia Libby
1894 Amelia A. Libby
1898 Amelia A. Libby
1904 Amelia A. Libby
1910 Ellen M. Kingsley
1918 Ellen M. Kingsley
1933 Ellen M. Kingsley
Deeds:
November, 1866 deed from Oscar Gassett estate to James Blake Book 347.286 Adams St & way plan by J. F. Fuller dated March 20, 1866, with additions by L. Briggs; a deed for a portion of the land owned by Gassett – the deed was from James M. Ballard of Boston executor under will of Oscar Gassett of Boston
consideration of $2750 paid by James Blake of Newton
September 1, 1859 from Edward Gassett to Oscar Gassett 279.222
Edward Gassett was a resident of Hong Kong at the time
consideration $8,000
Oscar lived in Boston and was brother to Francis of Boston, Henry of Wrentham, Edward of Dorchester
Oscar’s will left half to Francis and half to James M. Ballard possibly with the intent of the benefit going to the next generation but an expert needs to read the will on Ancestry
April 25, 1856 from Ebenezer Eaton to Edward Gassett 245.82
June 7, 1856 from Otis Shepard to Edward Gassett 246.139
Dorchester. Taxable Valuations. 1861
Oscar Gassett, Percival av
3 houses and 36,000 ft land
Dorchester. Taxable Valuations. 1865
Oscar Gassett (est.) Percival Av
3 houses and 36,000 feet land
Boston Directories:
1856, 1857, 1858 Edward Gassett & Co. (R. R. Hall & Francis Gassett), merchants, 80 State, h. at Dorchester
James Gorham Blake married Mary Jane Safford in 1872. Although Mary Jane Safford is thought to have divorced James in 1880, he apparently died before that.
Significance: Part of 3-building development in 1850s by Gassett; home of Dr. Mary Jane Safford Blake for a few years.
From Andrew Saxe on Facebook
5 Adams, from 1875 (?) . This mansard home overlooks Dorchester Common, and has a back entrance on Percival. According to local architect Philippe Saad, the house contains a dramatic central staircase that bisects the structure and opens onto both Adams and Percival streets. A multifamily in need of restoration, it sold in November 2009 for just $280,000.
Census Information:
1870
US Census 1870 Worcester
James B. Blake, 42, agent of Worcester Gas Co, value of real estate $11,000; personal $10,000
Louisa S. Blake, 3, keeping Nurse
Mabel, 11 at school
Lowell, 8, at school
Louisa, 5 at home
Agnes, 2, at home
Ellen, 3 months, at home
References:
Elizabeth Coachman. Mary Jane Safford, M.D.: Indomitable Mite. (2017)