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FORM B BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD
BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Photograph
Locus Map
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Recorded by: Eric Dray, Preservation Consultant, for
Organization: Brewster Historical Commission
Date (month / year): June 2017
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
49-159-0 Dennis C,G BRE.216
Town/City: BREWSTER
Place:(neighborhood or village):
Address: 593 Lower Road
Historic Name: Higgins, Jacob and Mercy House
Uses:Present: Residential
Original: Residential
Date of Construction: ca. 1780
Source:Vital records, house form
Style/Form: /Full Cape
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Exterior Material:
Foundation: Fieldstone
Wall/Trim: Wood shingles/ Wood
Roof: Asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Three-bay garage (1970s)
Barn burned in 1970s
Major Alterations (with dates):
Chimney was removed and replaced (19th c.)
Living room extension was added (late-20th c.)
Original windows replaced with 6/6 (date unknown)
Condition: Good
Moved: no yes Date:
Acreage: 2.19 acres
Setting: This property is located on the north side of
Lower Road and bordered by Robbins Hill Road to the west.
This stretch of Lower Road is sparsely developed, with
large tracts on both sides of the street held in a
conservation trust. This house is set relatively close to
street on a slight rise. The property is largely open with a
broad lawn and a few deciduous trees. An asphalt driveway
leads past the east side of the house to a large 3-bay
garage.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 593 LOWER ROAD
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
C,G BRE.216
Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
If checked, you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form.
Use as much space as necessary to complete the following entries, allowing text to flow onto additional continuation sheets.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:
Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community.
This is an intact example of a late-18th century, Full Cape that has received a series of additions, including a small east side ell
and rear ells/additions. This a transitional example of a Cape between the Colonial era and the Federal period – the house has a
broad, low footprint and the windows on the front elevation are set into the roof entablature – characteristics of 18th century
Capes.
The house rests on a fieldstone foundation. The walls are clad in painted wood shingles with plain cornerboards. The roof is clad
in asphalt shingles and has a projecting box cornice on the front elevation and narrower two-part trim boards on the side
elevations. A narrow corbelled brick chimney is off-centered on the roof ridge of the main block, and a narrow exterior brick
chimney rises from the side on east addition. The front elevation of the main block is characteristic of the Full Cape form, with a
centered entrance flanked by two evenly and broadly spaced windows on each side. A hipped roof entrance porch supported by
turned posts was added in the 20th century. The front entrance may have been altered and now consists of a six-panel wood
door set in a simple flat surround. Fenestration consists primarily of a mix of wood and replacement 6/6 windows set in flat
surrounds with projecting sills. The 6/6 muntin pattern would be consistent with the pattern found on Federal-style Capes. Small,
square 2/2 windows are located close to the roof eaves on the side elevations and, unusually, another 2/2 window is set high in
the gable peaks (this detail is also found on the Colonial-era Full Cape at 2851 Main Street (BRE.165).
The property includes a three-car garage that was built in the 1970s after a barn burned.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
Discuss the history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the
owners/occupants played within the community.
Lower Road was the site of residential development starting in the 18th century. Interestingly, through the 19th century, residential
development occurred exclusively on the north side of the road. Many of the original parcels were quite large, some extending to
the bay, and both sides of the road were used for agriculture and cranberry bogs. It was not until the early-20th century that infill
residential development began, including both small and large subdivisions, but the road retains its rural character.
A marker on this house gives a date of ca. 1780 and the form of the Cape, as noted above, does suggest a late-18th century
construction. This would mean that the house was built by Capt. Jacob Higgins (b. 1747). It is unknown when he married, but he
and his wife Mercy had four sons: Ezekiel (b. 1776), Jacob (b. 1785), Samuel (b. 1786) and Ebens (b. 1789). If this house was
built for their growing family, then a date range of ca. 1780 would be accurate. It should be noted, however, that the current
owner believes that Capt. Higgins was born here, meaning that the house is older than ca. 1780.
A house is shown in this location on the 1858 Map of Cape Cod with the name E. Higgins. Research of vital records confirms
that this E. Higgins was Ebens Higgins. Ebens (1789-1875) married Sukey Sears (1790-1874) in Brewster in 1815. They had
three children, Susan S. (b. 1816), Eben (b. 1818), and Willard S. (1827-1866). Ebens is listed as a farmer in the 1865 State
Census. Living with them in 1865 were their daughter and son-in-law, Asaph and Abigail F. Crosby. Asaph Crosby (1819-1896)
married Abigail F. Higgins in 1844. Asaph was listed as a mariner in the 1865 State Census. They had three children, Jacob
(1845-1864), Mary (b. 1847) and Alice (1853-1885). Alice was living with them according to the 1880 US Census and Asaph was
listed as a fisherman.
The 1980 version of this Form B notes that Capt. Willard Higgins, son of Ebens and Sukey, lived here. However, he only lived
here until his marriage to Olive C. Freeman in Brewster in 1854. The following year, he and Olive were living in Bridgewater, and
it was not until the 1865 State Census that he was listed as a master mariner, still living in Bridgewater. He died the following
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 593 LOWER ROAD
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 2
C,G BRE.216
year. Interestingly, during this time they were living in the home of Olive’s sister and brother-in-law, Samuel and Cordelia
(Freeman) Keith.
This house is shown on the 1880 and 1910 County Atlas with the name A. Crosby. This would suggest that the house passed
from Ebens and Sukey Higgins to their daughter and son-in-law, Asaph and Abigail Crosby. Asaph died in 1896 but Abigail did
not die until 1911.
In 1890, Augustus L. Thorndike of Brookline, purchased the large property to the east at 667 Lower Road (BRE.336), and he
purchased another large property west of this house that stretched to Cape Cod Bay. A house that had been shown on that
parcel on the 1880 Atlas map was no longer present on the 1910 map, but a house is shown close to the bay. The 1980 version
of this Form B states that the top half of that house was moved to the beach and the lower half converted to a cranberry
screening house. Thorndike purchased this property and combined the two parcels. He also owned extensive tracts of farm land
and cranberry bogs south of Lower Road. Augustus Thorndike (1861-1922) married Cora Nickerson in Brookline in 1885. Cora
was the daughter of Captain Fredrick Nickerson who lived in the summer at 1861 Main Street (BRE.19), at the corner of Main
Street and Lower Road. Augustus was listed as a real estate agent in the 1900 US Census. By 1910, they had moved to the
Back Bay in Boston and he was listed as a lawyer.
The property passed to Augustus and Cora’s grand-daughters, Ruth N. and Mary-Louis Eddy. The property was subdivided into
three lots, giving this parcel its current size, in 1996 (Cert. Plan #37912-B). In 2006, the estate of Ruth Eddy sold this parcel to
Linda and Kevin Moran of Southboro (Cert. #181690).
This property is located within the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District (adopted 1973) and the house is a contributing
resource in the Old King’s Highway National Register District (listed 1996).
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
1858 Map, Map of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, & Nantucket, Walling, Henry.
1880 Map, Atlas of Barnstable County, Boston, MA: George H. Walker & Co., 1880.
1910 Map, Atlas of Barnstable County, Boston, MA: Walker Litho. & Publishing Co., 1910.
Barnstable County Registry of Deeds
May, Samuel P., The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass. 1638-1888, Joel Munsell’s Sons: Albany, NY,
1890.
www.ancestry.com - Vital records, US Census (1900), State Census (1855, 1865)
Brewster Assessor sketch.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 593 LOWER ROAD
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 3
C,G BRE.216
Photo 2. View looking northeast.