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Home My WebLink About87 River St MACRIS 2016Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System Scanned Record Cover Page Inventory No: YAR.334 Historic Name: Matthews, Capt. Howes H. House Common Name: Address: 87 River St City/Town: Yarmouth Village/Neighborhood: South Yarmouth Village; Bass River Local No: 350 Year Constructed: c 1790 Architect(s): Architectural Style(s): Colonial; No style Use(s): Secondary Dwelling House; Single Family Dwelling House Significance: Architecture Area(s): YAR.H: South Yarmouth - Bass River Historic District Designation(s): Nat'l Register District (512911990) Building Materials(s): Wall: Wood Clapboard; Wood Shingle; Wood Foundation: Brick The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has converted this paper record to digital format as part of ongoing projects to scan records of the Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth and National Register of Historic Places nominations for Massachusetts. 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This file was accessed on: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Commission 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc Monday, January 11, 2016 at 1212 PM FORINI B - BUILDING In Area no. Form no. N �`h MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston 3 3 Yarmouth ' wn Bass:iver dress 87 River Street Ime f , esent use Private residence Aesent owner Robert Philla r , E scription: • ■ to c. 1790 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. 11 . a o r o t�-�- ary ! Seven Chimneys R i V e r I� S Private drive t j, r e LJ e t Willow Street q7M-7-77 % (over) Source Owner and Rod Crowell le Federal and Greek Rev, Architect Clapboards belot Exterior wall fabric dec. shingle abs Original shed Outbuildings (describe) and barn Large two story struc• Other features ture with Mortise—tens construction an a arge wo s ori back extension with chimney. Also a large more modern si a addition- and i ionand a closed in porch. See Altered descrintion Date Early Moved Date 1800's 5. Lot size: One acre or less X Over one acre Approximate frontage 45 Approximate distance of building from stree 451 6. Recorded by D Elrick Yarmouth Historical Organization Surve�;, Date j anuary 1950 7. Original owner (if known) Cantain Tlowes H. '4atthews Original use Home Subsequent uses (if any) and dates Summer residence, 1902 - 1919 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Conservation Recreation Agricultural Education Religion Architectural ,; Exploration/ Science/ The Arts settlement invention Commerce Industry Social/ Communication Military humanitarian Community development T_ Political Transportation .z 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) ) Like many of the houses that made un the Lower Village during the early} 19th century, this structure was moved from elsewhere and lovingly placed upon its present site. According to oral tradition, (and in this case it is likely and believable) this house came from Nantucket. Present as early as 1858 it was probably moved by Howes Hallett Matthews (1809-1873) who wit's his wife and growing family took up residence 'sere which lasted through all of the rest of the century. Howes was :parried to Sasha Lewis, the daughter of Roland, (see form 4 351 in 1836 and it is upon that date that the time of the moving of the house also falls, for a man needs a house to bring a bride to and feu existed at the Lower village during this time. Howes, one of eleven, towards the end, was born to Ezekiel and Lydia Matthews who lived nearby with so manly of the like name.... The Lower Village later came to be known as Matthews Village.... Although at present the site of the parents homestead is not known, many of the children's homes are. including Freeman, Enoch, David and Henry Hatthews along with _loges and their sisters, the siblings prospered as ship master! storekeepers and housewives to the betterment of the entire town. Upon his death in 1873, Howes, who had been an anchor dragger captain, left a sizable estate. Although it did not match that of his father- in-law Roland Lewis's, it came close. Howes had most of his money Lied up in stocks: 18 shares of the Cape Cod Dank of Harwich worth $2124.00 and 12 shares of the First National Bank of Yarmouth worth $1560.00. He also owned 1/45 of the schooner "S.'.. Laui" anDraised a:: 572.92, 1/3 of 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) A. 1858 Tri -County `lap, Walling, Boston B. 1880 and 1907 Atlases of Barnstahle County, walker, Boston C. Probate of Howes Matthews 4 629.1 Darnstable County Probate records D. "Yesterday's Tide", Florence Baker, 1941 R. Robert Philla of 87 River Street F. "Yarmouth Vital Records", Society of Mayflower Descendants, Warwick, Rhode Tsland, 1975 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUxiION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL CCWSSION Office of the Secretary, I :on Community: Forn No: Yarmouth '33-0 ,Property Name: Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. the sloop "Thorn" worth $10.00. Added to this his real estate and other personal property made his total, estate $571!'_-.92t a very good fortune indeed for any roan of the period. Since the passing of that branch of the Matthews family, the house has been owned by a handful of people who have done extensive work on the structure so that today it is totally different from what it had been durina Howes=s era. Sometime after the turn of the 20th century the original house was jacked up and a whole additional floor was put in on the ground level. Whether it was under the ownership of Nelson Eldridge, (see form # 341), William Henry Brown, (see form-# 352), or the Doctor Wittaker family, is not known, but it is thought that each successive owner added something - a touch of style or an extra room - and in so doing, put a piece of himsel into the very material of the house. Presently Bob Phill.a, a local teacher owns the propertlr and he is busy at every free moment with improving his home. Perhaps with owners such as he the house will continue along. Staple to�Inventory form at bottom