1
100
2
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/28828/archive/files/867a0502c2b0bd48c54f8fe685e24b31.pdf?Expires=1712793600&Signature=m1ONo%7EGAGkQsK5aX%7EChhORR9CV3xqvhwghxf8cYtnkwRXPR%7EPg1bWKG1S5fn9OPpm1fNzP0hXVfbiy0gCwV7t6jPrIztI2icqgvtfsNalXNAcMQ-S3GKoRl%7EJYi0BDSS5FWVLWdvdnspDOWrsP7gT29T8WWAWE54OR%7E8P%7ER-BiAW%7EXY-A89azJ-eeHnLRHFr7367LkWp03BGgKjJZ4uIZrMEbbSP3Kh9AIAwJuPfazvMnHUsAbhHCyg4hZ8BUAodqBCB%7Evki7NjPrBWoLwejK%7E3-AepyJvnjEnoFY0%7EaVTK4QnrZAPLroJjHwjzvzHI58aoypVV27k00OnI1x-1i4w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
34567e285e3ad042acdc248e7b5ca4b4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Essex Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
98 Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
Built for John Gray, schoolmaster, in about 1808.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc.; Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Built circa 1808; researched March 1987
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Researched by Joyce King
Language
A language of the resource
English
1808
98 Essex Street
John Gray
Salem MA
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/28828/archive/files/fc91fff566b529e6ab3863b4884e87ae.pdf?Expires=1712793600&Signature=mC-sF5v8VS096eTrH8iQnnnMQikg8c5oizWi5XJN0FD5iK%7E4NBqlJOCu69s1Rn5sUPYJwzTKCewJXy7U36aJ1k9IU3wbH5YTaZHUYN59OkuTMjoWZnWk6vjgQ8Ir34pyz6x0I4ltkG0oQpatXvqzUt4DSS93pxtoSQvCL503atTsPg%7EBnnB4W2-K%7ES0MKodCgPg8gYqypW8YoB67xx20m3BZ2oXDLRABONfMDoRzjQ0kyBUN-VLU%7EcBlPGmds2BfhkdyR31Kxn8J4yyI10dxiMCL-CNxACyfKudzFqhbKUJUVm42VKxVwl%7ET%7End-JAy0pKWQGxdBOnqQsaWQ9Uj09g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
e7429ed17f4e7b20edfd5d4bcb800b77
PDF Text
Text
· · / istollc
(
s~~M:1-orporated
POST OFFICE BOX 865
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 01970 / PHONE (617) 745-0799
41 English Street
Built for,
ELIZABETH GRAY, widow of JOHN
by the year 1806
.Research by,
Joyce King
July 1981
"to preserve Historic Sites, Bili/dings and objects,
and to work for the education of the community
in the true value of the same."
�1
41 English Street
English Street, originally called English's lane, was laid out over
the land of Philip English and others about 1697.
The lot on which
this house stands was part of the land owned _by Mary English in 1684/5
. (appendix A).
On June 25, 1801 John Gray, _a Salem mariner, purchased a plot of land
on English Street from. Capt. Edward Allen for the sum of $400:
Sr.
(book 168 page 225)
John Gray was born in Salem in 1771 and married Elizabeth Brown on
Nov. 3, 1794·
The couple, with their children Eliza (b.1795), John
(b.1797) and William B. (b. 1799) were living on Barton Ct. when they
purchased the lot on English St.
Mr. Gray intended to build a home
on this lot upon his return from the next voyage.
Unfortunately,
Mr. Gray died of a fever on March 7, 1802 while in Batavia.
The
news of his death was not received in Salem until July 31, 1802
(appendix B, also Rev. Bentley's Parish List of Deaths).
�An inventory of Mr. Gray's estate (probate #11612) indicates that
the value of the English St. lot was $300.
The item with the greatest
worth was 2881 pounds of coffee, at 18¢ per pound; total value tt518.58.
This was undoubtedly the money Mr. Gray intended to use to finance
his English St. house (appendix C).
On Oct. 4, 1804 Allen Street was accepted by the city as a public way.
The John Gray estate was awarded a $10 compensation for a small wedge
of land needed for the width of the newly formed street:
r -- - -
,_ - -
-- - -
- - - - - -- - - - - - -
- -
ST
(tovm records for 1804)
Elizabeth Gray died on May 15, 1806.
In his list of Parish Deaths,
Rev. Willia111 Bentley made note of her death
John Gray.
Fever, 33 years.
married at 21.
English street."
11
Elizabeth, widow of
Husband died in 1802.
Left two sons and an infirm daughter.
She was a Browne,
Not long sick.
�The first mention of a house on this land appears in the probate
(#11598) of Mrs. Elizabeth Gray (appendix D).
Along with the property
Elizabeth inherited from her father, Benjamin Browne, is
11
A small
house standing on land the estate of John Gray late of Salem deed.
Situate on English_ Street Salern 11 •
Value $200.
By reading the
inventory of her estate one is given the impression that Mrs. Gray
earned a living as either a tailoress or shopkeeper (appendix D).
Benjamin Browne, brother of Elizabeth, was appointed guardian of the
On Nov. 1, 1806 11r. Brovme sold the Essex and Becket
Gray children.
St. properties, but retained the English St. estate for the benefit
of the heirs.
It can not be determined who occupied the house during
the children's minority.
A division of the estate was
ma~e
on June
23, 1820, 18 days after the youngest child, William, reached his 21st
birthday:
l..), }\
I A""'-
J...o--r
.....
0
..,
~
'l.i
~
-ro
'\,g
('"
£J, :z. A
.3.3
.3 3.
3...3
Lo--r-
.//:I
"'
~
If)
~
-r-o
"
l,)
°"
JO}, rJ
~
wll""
.'{ :l
~,...~II
dwe.11
.s 3
·"'a
l
o
"..se..
ii!
J.. o'"T
.:z..
.3
,-6
L);
J/1A~
~
~
I,)
..,,1'." 5 "',.11 '\ "",. 11 " ,
d ...,e.IJ ,., l..oo1se
J
3..3
(book 225 page 39)
�The 1831 tax records for English St. shovr that John Gray Jr., (ropemaker)
owned a house with a shop in it valued at iS300.
William B. Gray also
owned a house with a shop in it, plus one swine, total value $200.
On Sept. 18,
18L~3
John Gray, ropemaker, and his vlife Abigail sold for
the sum of $800 "To my brother William B., cordwainer, a lot of land
on English Street with shop and two story dwelling house·,. baing
lots #1 (purchased from Eliza) and #2 in the division made in book
225. page 39." The Salem Street Books for 1844 substantiate this transaction:
English Street
occupants
(real estate sold to
#13 (now 41) Joseph Papulla
age 28
Nathaniel Andrews age 27 William B. Gray ~t800)
#15 (formerly 16 Allen St)
William B. Gray
John Gray ·
1849 English Street
#13 Frederick Hunt
John Stanley
Thomas Stanley
#15
William B. Gray
William Gray ·
Charles
The federal census of 1850 gives a closer look as to the occupants
of the Gray estate:
#13 Elizabeth Stanley
John w.
".
II
Thomas
II
Eliza.beth P.
Mary E.
"
Margaret A. II
Sarah A. Goodhue
2nd family
Frederick Hunt
II
Mary
II
Mary M.
Celeste E• II
Almeda
"
Frederick w.
age 53
ti
24
II
22
II
15
II
11
II
8
II
16
II
II
"
II
11
JI
39
34
15
7
f
tailor
carpenter
born Mass.
II
II
"
II
II
II
"
II
II
engineer
II
ti
II
ti
II
"
II
II
II
II
II
II
"
II
II
�5
(1850 census cont.)
#15 English Street
William B. Gray
II
Hannah
II
William
II
Charles
II
Mary
II
Elizabeth
II
Daniel
II
Edward w.
II
John
II
Nathaniel
Margaret c. II
II
Eliza
grocer
age 61
II
49
II
27
II
25
II
23
II
20
II
19
II
17
II
16
II
13
II
10
II
64
born Mass.
"
clerk
trader
II
"
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
mariner
cooper
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
"
The tax records for 1855 indicate new tenants:
#13 Robert Peele Jr.
owner
Daniel Ellis
Robert Peele 3rd
Francis w. Lyford
II
II
II
William B. Gray
$900
.
.
The 1860 census listing for #13· English
Edward Miller
age 35
mariner
II
Louisa II
27
II
George E. II
4
II
Nicholas
1
2nd family
fl
Nathaniel Soley
stevedore
25
II
fl
Harriet E.
22
II
II
Ellen
16
1866 tax records:
#13 John A. Welsh
Thomas Hyfle
1870 census
Mary Potter
Martha II
Mary A. II
II
Samuel
II
Annie A.
2nd family
Catherine Welsh
II
John E.
born Sweden
II
Mass.
II
II
II
II
II .
II
..
II
II
II
II
owner Wm B. Gray
house value $400
32 X 59
land value
300
age 32
II
30
age 58
II
30
II
21
II
19
II
17
II
II
65
35
keeps house
born Mass.
II
II
no occupation
11
II
works at printing
II
II
insurance office
II
II
no occupation
keeps house
mariner
II
II
Mass.
II
�English Street was renumbered in 1870 as evidenced in the tax records:
1/'41 John A. Welsh age 36
owner Wm B. Gray house $600
land
300
Samuel A. Potter
age 19
1872
#41
Augustus Forness
age 35
James Pott~r
age 21
owner Wm B. Gray
On Sept. 18, 1874 William Gray sold to his son-in-law, Augustus
w.
Forness, "The land and buildings which was set off to John Gray and
which he subsequently conveyed to me by deed book 339 page 122. 11
See
plan (appendix E).
The land and buildings were transferred, by Augustus and Margaret
Forness, back to William B. Gray on Nov. 14, 1876.
"The same premises
conveyed to me by William B. Gray on Sept. 18, 1874 in book 912
page 202."
1876 taxes:
#41 Samuel A. Potter
Dudley Sanborn
owner
Wm B. Gray
house $700
land
400
The 1880 census gives a clearer picture of the Potter and Sanborn
families:
Samuel A. Potter age 39 insurance agent
born Mass.
. II
II
II
Martha E.
40 sister keeps house
"
2nd f arnily
II
II
II
Edward Sanborn
34 laborer
II
II
II
II
keeps house
Abby A.
30 wife
II
II
II
Annie F. II
12 daughter
at school
II
II
II
II
Edward R.
10 son
at school
II
II
II
II
William
6 son
II
II
II
II
Jennie
4 daughter
�(
William B. Gray died on Feb. 18, 1887.
The Salem Observer carried
this obituary notice:
"William B. Gray, a venerable resident of down town, dropped dead
in Danvers, yesterday morning, 1vhere he had gone to transact some
business at the Savings Bank.
He was 88 years of age and for a
number of years kept a grocery store at the corner of English and
Allen Streets.
He was a man of sterling character and universally
respected."
In the probate case (#64637) of William B. Gray a list of heirs is
given:
son
son
daughter
daughter
grandson
grandson
Nathaniel A. Gray
John Gray
Caroline A. Florentine
Nary c. Forness
Edwin W. Gray
William c. Goldsmith
(appendix F)
On August 4, 1887 the heirs of VJilliam B. Gray sold at a private sale
to Bridget Lahan l1-l English St. (book 1203 pages 123-125).
On Sept.
1,. 1887 a straw deed was drawn with the sole purpose of correcting
the :previous deeds in which Honora Lahan was erroneously called
Bridget Lahan (book 1204 page 522).
1887 tax records:
machine agent
James A. Hall
11
clerk
Francis A.
James s. Plummer painter
1895 taxes:
7~'.L~l
John H. Lehan
~if illiarn J. 11
E cl1'1<:.1.r d tT •
Thomas J.
II
II
laborer
age
shoema}::.er 11
II
II
II
owner
house $500
land
300
(written in blue penc:hl
Honor a La11an)
~'!n
B. Gray
owner Honora Lehan
'nouse. '1-70,..,
~:·
,,
land
300
�1900 tax
owner Honora Hehan
William J. Lehan shoemaker
11
electrician
Edward J.
(same value as 1895)
11
shoemaker
Thomas J.
Timothy J. Maroney teamster
On Feb. 1, 1901 Patrick J., John J., William, Edward and Thomas Lehan
sold to Hannah M. Lehan, "all our right as heirs of our mother
Honora Lehan." For title see book 1203 pages 123-125.
(book 1633 page
238)
1905 tax
Edward J. Lehan
electrician
William J. "
laborer
Thomas J.
"
electrician
Joseph F. Langlois teamster
owner H.M.Lehan
house $800
land
400
On Dec. 14, 1909 Hannah M. Lehan mortgaged the property to Thomas
O'Shea, of Peabody, for the sum of $:J_,200 (book 1998 page 96).
Mr.
O'Shea assigned the mortgage to the Naumkeag Trust Co., who foreclosed
on the mortgage on Jan. 9, 1935 (book 3026 page 53).
On March 16, 1935 the Naumkeag Trust Co. sold the premises to Leger
and Eva Lavoie, husband and wife (book 3028 page 458).
Jan. 24, 1946 Leger F. and Eva Lavoie sold the premises to Frank A.
and Francis M. Fabello,, (book 3437 page 560).
Frank A. and Francis M. Fabello sold, the same property sold to them
by Leger F. Lavoie et ux, to Christos and Mary Tillas on July 24, 1963
(book 5085 page 94).
�In 1967 the Peabody Co-op Bank holder of a mortgage from Christo
and Lary Tillas foreclosed for default (book 5Li.25 page
Sept. 28, 1967 the Peabody Co-op Bank sold to Clart
(book 5479 page 799).
L~93).
F~eal ty
On
Corp.
The title of this property, along with 18
other parcels were transferred to Nicholas J. Decoulos and then to
Nicholas J. Decoulos as trustee of Garland Healty Trust on Dec. 20,
1978 (book 6552
pag~
402).
On August 14, 1970 Nicholas J. Decoulas, as trustee of Garland
Realty Trust sold to Edward ? • Preble, of
L1-l
English St., tvTO
parcels:
I
I..; ..
(/)
(book 6621 page 352)
�IV
Note: Tax records seldom list widows, therefore the exact date of
construction can not be determined. The earliest documented date
of 1806 (Elizabeth Gray's probate) must be taken. The time span
of 1802-1806 is a certainty.·
Reference to book and page are deed books at the Registry of Deeds.
Probate numbers are cases at Probate Court, both offices are located
in the same building on Federal St. All maps in this report are
not meant to be exact, just for illustration.
�,
\ f I '1
~
,_ w
.5
~
O::a..._/zO~
c(O
-"- 81
~
~
~
~
is-~
1,
-0
!>.
'
Q..
~o~
\0
~
(/)
0
-
,~~
..
!:
~
~
,/'
,/'
..
~
• tit
,.::
a c:
.::
.......
.
.~
:;::
~6
~
'e
$
{$
"'$
~
~..,,·
""
~·~---. - ·.....
L
~
~
'1\.
.. a..
~
-...__ __
.......... ~.-.....
Estate f1]-:Alary-E'flglislz Houu (Bl11e
Anclzor Taz•ern). This house and lot
were the estate of William Hollingworth
before 1661. He mortgaged the estate
to :Mr. Philip Cromwell of Salem, for two
hundred and fifty pounds, June 1, 1672 ;§
Mr. Hollingworth was•lost at sea in 1677;
and Mr. Cromwell, who was then a slaughterer, for the amount of the mortgage,
conveyed the house and lot to l\Ir.Hollingworth's widow, Elinor Hollingworth, of
Salem, it then being in her possession,
March 4, x68 t-1. I! l\Irs. Hollingworth is
said to have established the business of
an innkeeper in this house, which became
known as The Blue Anchor TaYern. She
conveyed the house and land with the
wharf and landing place, to her daughter
*E5sex Registry
tEssex ltc:...-.istry
book 2, leaf 64.
tEssex Registry
§Essex Registry
i!Essex Registry
of Dce<I:;. bonk ;, leaf 5_:;.
of Deed>, bot'k 1, !.::al 6. and
of Deeds, 1,ook 2, leai 104 •
of Deeds, book 3, leaf 16o.
of Deeds, hook 6, leaf 42.
Mary English Feb. 17, 1684-5 ;* and
died in 1690.
The tavern was probably conducted by
her grandson Philip English as soon as
he became of age (in 1705). Upon the
death of his mother, in 169.J, the estate
descended to him. He lived in and conducted the tavern when he conveyed t~e
land, house, warehouse and wharf for six
hundred pounds, to Richard Derby of
Salem, mariner, Feb. 24, 1748.t Mr.
Derby took the house down about 1759.
Dr. 'Villiam Bentley wrote, in 1791 .• of
this house as follows: "At the eastward
of English's lane near the water is a store
enlarged, but originally built above one
hundred years. A few yards above is the
large cellar, the stones of which were sold
six years since, but the steps remain, over
which stood a very large house with peaks
as English's below, and which was employed as a tavern by the name of the
BLliE ANCHOR. Tt has been down
above forty years and there was a store
put over the cellar, which within a few
years has been remo,·ed into North Fields.
Beyond on the shore is to be seen the
cellar of a house possessed by Mary Brown,
the land being since sold to Capt. Richard Derby. On the west side of English's
lane, opposite to the tavern, is a cellar
upon which stood a house within the
memory of the present generation. Beyond Brown's house and Whitford's, which
is a house since built, about twenty years,
and now standing, is to be seen the cellar of Webb's house, the land being yet
in the family. There were three other
houses before we came to the group upon
the Point of Rocks, and one cellar is now
to be seen upon the plain between the
Block house ruins and the present enclosure upon the Point. The Bl11<" .Anthcir was celebrated for Marblehead Campains.'' t
Doctor Bentley continued, in 'i93 :·
".r.Iary English w:is the only child of
William Hollirgworth, who married Eleanor Stoty, from England. The family
livt·d at 111e Point of Rocks: and Mary.
the accused was born at the Bl/(.e Anchor,
at the head of English's wharf eastward.
The house afterwards a public house, and
has been taken down about thirty-three
yea~s·'.'.~
~
�.
l
i
,
I
I
���•
ate.tlil'JW.
xaw,.;a
•• !WU
'(E)
Ii
-~~...--·
•
---·-,.
.
--~-
-··-····
~
-.
:t
;t
•
:1--··--·-------··-··- ..
;;
;~
w
fj
~.....
-·---·-,--..-- ..·~- --- _,.,._...
.
"
,_
%
~·
~
l
~
~~-
9'•
~
~-------,,--'"""'.""'-·· ·- --·""·-~·---'
r
.,..c.,
l
~
-.
Ii
~---·-"-···
\1
31.
:1
f-·-···· -· ····· -- ··- ··--- ..
?...
~
~
~ .. ---- . -~--·-
...
"
~
. ffi
w..,.___. ____.. _ _ _ _ _ _
~-
-·--~
~
'~----~ ...--... -...-.. --- ----··~···-'
~
j
~-·
,
"
tt
______ __ ---·-·
..;_
~.
.
t
~
-
.•
~
ft:
-. ...
---~~F
.,.. -
00
:;
!;<;
._.,..,-...J
~
~
*
[:
... ..
,.... t.) "" (,>
:.9 .f--·· .;..-;
~
~
l7nl::,B
-~ -.:> .... - .
~
~
.,,
n.
.
'
!-
I -
.\
0-..
~
a·-l'-.....
~-·-··-·
~
r
: 'i::S-
.) -
.
:i
.•
;~
. J_c
,J:-
= ..i:6'
..... --~~--·--~--
'.L... _...- --·-·'--
: f'
··--·--·~. ---
- '-& 0"'
r ....
·~>'~t ~ 'Vlf~''l()'i:;G
I
.. ·-
�~;'2~,:;
-:,.,,. ..
';j •1/1:/i m
.. . Schedule. .of Real Estate in Detail.
·-~-~--
-- ... !i
··"'
t"'~
-- - -- - -·
·- __ .....__._ __
~--·-
---~
i
-·- ----·
·-
--··------·-~---
'
--::..._ __ -··· -
�--- ----
---
It
fl
-~
-.
r 1·
.
�\.
(
v
·'
J
�..
\ '..:;.
.<I! •
\
-~~~-·~
\
:·.·~:?-·:.·"'
.
~
~
'
.
"·,
;......
\\
,'
">.
·~·· l.--.-.:
.
'.
;;
-'7\,\
~.
\~~
\.,JI s~,
-
\_...-
----- I
\
I
..-:-::.:
v::::~~
_.
~
'
r-13·
L-1i
i
j
-,
9 \
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
English Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
41 English Street, Salem, MA 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
Built for Elizabeth Gray, widow of John Gray, before her death in 1806. Elizabeth Gray may have earned a living as a dressmaker or shopkeeper after her husband died of a fever at Batavia in 1802. Her son William bought the house from his brother John in 1843. After his death in 1887 it was sold to Honora Lehan.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc.; Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Built by 1806; researched 1981.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Researched by Joyce King.
Language
A language of the resource
English
1806
41 English Street
Elizabeth Gray
Honora Lehan
John Gray
William Gray