5 Adams Street

, ,

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)

Skills

Posted on

June 30, 2020