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The Fairbanks House is an historic home in Dedham, Massachusetts. Built by Jonathan Fairebanke for his wife Grace (Lee Smith) and their family in about 1641, it is the oldest surviving timber-frame house in North America. The house was occupied and then passed down through eight generations of the family until the early twentieth century. Over the years the original portion was expanded with additions as the needs of the family grew and as fashions of the times dictated. Image File history File links Dedham_flag. ...
The History of Dedham, Massachusetts could mean History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635 - 1792 History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1793 - 1999 History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 2000 - Present History of Dedham, Massachusetts in television and film Category: ...
The History of Dedham, Massachusetts began with the first settlers arrival in 1635. ...
The History of Dedham, Massachusetts from 1793 to 1999 begins with the naming of Dedham as the shiretown of the newly formed Norfolk County. ...
The 1919 film Anne of Green Gables was filmed in Dedham. ...
Fisher Ames Fisher Ames (9 April 1758 - 4 July 1808) was a Representative of the United States Congress from Massachusetts. ...
Louis D. Brandeis Louis Dembitz Brandeis (November 13, 1856 - October 3, 1941) was an important American litigator, Justice, advocate of privacy, and developer of the Brandeis Brief. ...
Samuel Dexter (May 14, 1761–May 4, 1816) was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet. ...
Jonathan Fairbanks was born in 1595 in Heptonstall, Halifax, Yorkshire, England. ...
Jason Fairbanks (September 25, 1780 - September 10, 1801) was an early American murderer. ...
Horace Mann (May 4, 1796 – August 2, 1859) was an American education reformer and abolitionist. ...
Mother Brook is the modern name for a stream that flows from the Charles River in Dedham, MA, to the Neponset River in the Hyde Park section of Boston, MA. Mother Brook was also known variously as East Brook and Mill Brook in Colonial times. ...
The Old Avery Oak Tree stood in Dedham, Massachusetts until it was knocked down in the New England Hurricane of 1938. ...
Nicola Sacco (right) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti in handcuffs Nicola Sacco (April 22, 1891 – August 23, 1927) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (June 11, 1888 – August 23, 1927) were two Italian-born American anarchists, who were arrested, tried, and executed via electrocution in Massachusetts. ...
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Nickname: Contentment Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Norfolk County Settled 1635 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Representative town meeting - Town Administrator Bill Keegan - Board of Selectmen Marie-Loise Kehoe Mike Butler James MacDonald Carmen DelloIocono Dennis Teehan Area - Town 10. ...
Jonathan Fairbanks was born in 1595 in Heptonstall, Halifax, Yorkshire, England. ...
Events The Long Parliament passes a series of legislation designed to contain Charles Is absolutist tendencies. ...
- "It may be said quite simply that no other house of the mid-17th century in New England has survived in such unbelievably unspoiled condition. It is also extraordinary that so early a structure should preserve such a high percentage of original features. It is a variable storehouse of information concerning the small handful of houses which survive from this early period."'
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- ~Abbot Lowell Cummings Professor Emeritus, American Art, Yale University
Today the Fairbanks house is owned and operated by the Fairbanks Family in America, a member-based non-profit organization. The Family Association has preserved, studied and interpreted their ancestral home and its collections for over 90 years. A professor is a senior teacher and researcher, usually in a college or university. ...
“Yale†redirects here. ...
Architecture
The house was built in several stages; the center portion of the present house is oldest, with a gable-roofed portion at the center. It was once a lobby-entry, hall-parlor house of two stories with a center chimney bay. The lean-to was added later, contrary to the note on the first floor plan (see image). The oak lintel over its parlor fireplace has been dated by dendrochronology to 1637. Since timber was not seasoned before use in the 17th century, this provides a plausible date for the house's initial construction. Other houses claiming to be older have yet to be scientifically dated. Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic - President George Walker Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from...
USS Constitution A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, site, structure, or object, almost always within the United States, officially recognized for its historical significance. ...
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x732, 140 KB) 9. ...
Nickname: Contentment Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Norfolk County Settled 1635 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Representative town meeting - Town Administrator Bill Keegan - Board of Selectmen Marie-Loise Kehoe Mike Butler James MacDonald Carmen DelloIocono Dennis Teehan Area - Town 10. ...
This article is about the U.S. State. ...
Events The Long Parliament passes a series of legislation designed to contain Charles Is absolutist tendencies. ...
A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ...
October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ...
1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...
The House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts, showing four gables in this view. ...
The growth rings of an unknown tree species, at Bristol Zoo, England Pinus taeda Cross section showing annual rings, Cheraw, South Carolina Pine stump showing growth rings Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the method of scientific dating based on the analysis of tree-ring growth patterns. ...
Exterior walls were covered with wide oak clapboards at the front, narrower oak on the west gable end, and narrow cedar on the rear. Its front door was originally located to the west side of the chimney-bay, while the rear door is still located at the west end of the north wall. Original front windows included wide banks on each floor and small windows lighting the chimney bay. A well-preserved four-light window survives in the east gable end, but the north and east ends of the house apparently had no windows.
A lean-to was later added at the back of the house and, perhaps in 1641, a wing on the east side. The west wing was added around 1654. The east wing was probably added circa late 1700s, assembled from two earlier buildings elsewhere. A chimney was then built for it; later its roof rafters were raised and reused in a new gambrel roof. The next major change was the expansion of the parlor to the east, under a hip roof, and the addition of the small entry to this expanded space, probably around 1800. A new wing was added to the west side of the house, including two rooms. The last addition to the house, completed by 1881, was a privy added behind the west wing. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1154x473, 50 KB) Fairbanks House, Dedham, Massachusetts - Floor plan of the first floor, from American Architect and Building News, 1881. ...
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1154x473, 50 KB) Fairbanks House, Dedham, Massachusetts - Floor plan of the first floor, from American Architect and Building News, 1881. ...
History of the family
 The kitchen of the Fairbanks House . Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Jonathan Fairebanke (Fairbank, Fairbanks) came from Sowerby in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to Boston, Mass., in the year 1633, and in 1636 settled in Dedham, Mass., where he built the noted "Old Fairbanks House" which is still standing as an ancient landmark, the oldest dwelling house in New England that, for the same period of time, has been continuously owned and occupied by the builder and his lineal descendants. Only a few houses, or parts of houses of the same age remain, and most of these are in ruins. It is, moreover, a remarkable fact, perhaps unparalleled in this country, that during all this time, two and a half centuries, the estate has never had a mortgage incumbrance upon it. This house is now historically famous, and is an object of great interest to many visitors to the old town of Dedham.
On the 20th of June 1895, a new Court House was dedicated in that town and Hon. Frederick D. Ely delivered an historical address on the occasion. Speaking of old landmarks he referred to the old house in the following words: "In a neighboring street stands a dwelling house, erected early in the last half of the seventeenth century. It is warped and worn by the sunshine and the storms of its nearly 250 years. Winter and summer, frost and heat have done much to undermine its symmetry, and its leaning walls and sloping floors are only held in place by its frame of massive oak. Yet hundreds, I may safely say thousands, of men and women come from far and near to view and examine the old Fairbanks house in every minutest particular, while they scarcely accord a passing glance to the magnificent and costly modern mansion on the opposite side of the street."
It has been claimed that this house was built in 1636. This claim has been the subject of considerable discussion among historians, and is disputed on historical grounds. One, at least, expresses the belief that it was not built till about the year 1640. The chief reason assigned for his belief is that the old house is a framed building of massive oak timber, and that there is no historical evidence that any framed dwelling houses were erected in the town as early as 1636. Against this alleged fact is the tradition that the frame of the main part of the house, together with the bricks and tiles and windows, was imported from England, and remained in Boston for several months before it was carried to Dedham.
The truth is that the house was not built as it stands at one time, or in one year; and it is certain that Jonathan owned a house situated probably on the same lot in 1648. In the valuation of houses, made in that year for the purpose of assessing the "country rate," there were enumerated eighty-one houses, ranging in value from £45, the highest, to £2, the lowest, omitting fractions. The valuation of Jonathan Fairbanke's house was £28, and only eight houses were estimated higher. The highest valuation, £45, was placed upon the house of Rev. John Allin, pastor of the church.
Subsequently, perhaps as late as 1654, a large addition was made to the original building, which was called the new house, which is said to have been built for the occupation of his son John after his marriage. In the Inventory of Jonathan's personal estate taken after his death in 1668, some things are mentioned as contained in certain "rooms in the new house." From these facts and circumstances, particularly the fact that he owned a lot of land prior to May 1637, it is not unreasonable to conclude that he built a house in 1636, or soon after, which is a part of the present building, or in a short time was replaced by a framed structure to which the addition was made some years later.
He had a family consisting of his wife and six children, four sons and two daughters, namely, John, George, Mary, Susan, Jonas and Jonathan, who were all born in England. Of the ages of his children when he arrived here we can judge only by circumstances. The dates of their births, except one, have not been ascertained. Mary was born, according to a descendant of the Metcalf family, Apr. 18, 1622. If she was the third child, we may judge approximately of the ages of the rest; but the places of the daughters, as given in the table, may not be correct.
In 1638 John was appointed, with John Rogers, to survey the Charles River, and he was married in 1641. George was married in 1646; Jonas in 1658; and Jonathan, the youngest son, about 1653. The town of Dedham was established and named by the General Court the "10th of ye 7 Moneth, 1636," upon a petition signed by twenty-two persons, in connection with a grant of land in addition to a "grante formerly made of a Plantacion above the Falls," with "Immunitie from publike Charges" for three years. Thereupon the "Dedham Covenant" was drawn up and signed by the petitioners and others.
The covenant was in the nature of a mutual compact concerning the future management of the affairs of the town. It was signed by one hundred and twenty-five persons, and among them were Jonathan Fayerbanke, John Fayerbanke, George Fayerbanke and Jonathan Fayerbank, Jun. Not all of this number, however, subscribed in 1636, but some of them from time to time as they were admitted townsmen.
The following record is found in the "Towne Booke":,, Dedham. The 23th of ye first Month called March 1687. The First Assembly in Dedham, by whose names are underwritten, vizt, Edward Alleyn, Abraham Shawe, Samuel Morse, Philemon Dalton, Joseph Shawe, Ezechiell Holliman, Lambert Genere, Nicholas Phillips, Raffe Shepheard, John Gay, Francis Austin, Willm Berstowe, John Rogers, Danfell Morse, John Huggens. Jonathan Fearbanke being p'sented by John Dwite was accepted and subscribed." John was admitted townsman and signed the covenant as early as 1642; George about 1651, and Jonathan in 1654. It would appear that the lands were originally granted to individuals in twelve and eight-acre lots, for among the earliest town proceedings it was "Ordered that euery Twelve Acre Lott shall haue route acres of swampe granted in the first grante there vnto besids what may be granted in any deuident of swampe that may afterward be laid out. And that also; in like manner euery Eight Acre Lott shall haue the like grante of three acres of swampe laid out as due there vnto."
It was also "Ordered that euery man that hath an whole Lott shall haue so many Acres of Meadowe as he hath vpland in his first grante for an house Lott. where of part of such pcells of Meadowe as lyeth adioyneing to his said Lott shall be granted to him in pt and the remainder shall be made vp else where." Before 1687, Jonathan Fairbanke had been granted at least a twelve-acre lot with four acres of swamp land, for in that year he received as his proportion of a further allotment four acres of "Swampe" land. The additional grant was made because "vpon a good viewe taken of ye Swampes next ye Towne they are fownd to be soe gteate yt ye formr pportion allotted to men will not be neere sufficient to cleere them." But it was provided that a fourth part of such extra land, if accepted, should be cleared every year, and "whosoever shallbe found defective shall for eury defaulte" forfeit and pay for the benefit of the town the price "of an Ewe kid of Eight weeks old." In 1688, the 30thof the 3a month, he was appointed, with several others, "to measure out those pclls of Medowe wch adioyne to mens Lotts. And to measure out soe much medowe in seurall pcells as is allotted vnto eury man according to their graunts made vnto them." The c28th of ye 5th month, 1688, it was "ordered yt those wch Inhabit on ye East side of the litle River shall haue for yr Medowe next beneth ye greate pond," each a certain number of acres. Under this order Jonathan Farebancke received six acres, five rods. "But by Reason of some Interruption arising by challenge made of the same medowe to belonge vnto some of the Farmes &c.," there was given to him in 1642, in place thereof, "Sixe acres in ye medowe neere vnto the South side of Ballpate hill."
Assembly, Sept. 15, 1641. Granted vnto John Dwight Francis Chickeringe Eliazer Lusher Jonathan Fairbanke Michael Powell Peter Woodward Michaell Metcalfe & John Frary that percell of the Low playne (nere Mr. Stoughtons farme) that belongs to this Towne to be deuided amongst themselves as they or a major part of them shall agree to be layd out by themselves or by whome soeuer they shall apoynt or imploy therein; The 15th of ye ~/th month 1641 DEDHAM GRANTITH to Jonathan Fairbanke and to his heyres or assignes for euer; One acre more or lesse as it lyeth on ye Low playne; abutting vpon Michael Powell toward the North east & vpon John firamy toward the South west; & vpon the waest towards the Norwest and vpon ye highway from Dedham to Dorchester mill the South east. MICHAEL POWELL, clrt;
In 1649., there was granted to him "2 acres 2 roodes of vpland ground fit for improuement with the plough." The 17th Of the 3a month, 1644, a grant was made to him of two acres of land "upon the North end of the wigwam playne." "The 4 of ye 19 month 1644," he received a grant of two and onehalf acres of woodlands. In 1656, he was alloted his proportion of "Comon town rights," six and three-fourths acres. The following unique record appears on the books of the First Church: "Jonathan Fairebanke notwthstanding he had long stood off fro' ye church upon some scruples about publike p'fession of faith & ye covenant yet after divers loving conferences wth him; he made such a declaration of his faith & conv'sion to god & p'fession of subjection to ye ordinances of Xt in this X yt he was readily & gladly received by ye whole church: 14d 6m 1646." By his will, executed June 4, 1668, the year of his death, he bequeathed his "whole mouable Estate whatsouer, as well within dores as without," to his wife, Grace. Small bequests were then made to bis "second sonne," George, to his "daughter Mary, wife of Christopher Smith," to Jonas, to Jonathan, to Sarah, eldest daughter of his "sonne John," and to Ralph Daye, his "sonne in lawe," (hus- band of Susan), and to "each of the foure Children of the said Ralph." Finally he bequeathed to John, his eldest son, all his "houses & lands whatsoeur, not being foremerly aboue (mentioned ? ) together with all my common Rightes & towne pmiliges whatsouer, to haue posses & injoy the same (.... ) & his heyers (.... ) to enter vpon all my lands forthwith after my decease; and all my houses and yardes at the end of foure mo'nthes next following the same." And he made him sole Executor of the will. The father, it would seem, had a good opinion of the English law of primogeniture, and so John, his eldest son, came into possession of the homestead. From that time down to July, 1892, the old house was continuously occupied by him and his descendants, Joseph, Joseph 2d, Ebenezer, Ebenezer 2d, Prudence, Sarah (Sally), Nancy, and Rebecca, the last of the family tenants. In July, 1892, the house was struck by lightning and considerably damaged. Miss Rebecca's pet dog, lying under the bed where she was sleeping, was killed, but she escaped with a severe shock. Shortly after this event, deeming the house no longer a desirable place of abode, she abandoned it, leaving a strange family in charge, and removed to Boston. Thus for the first time in over two hundred and fifty years the old house was occupied by persons not "to the manor born." But after spending several months in Boston she returned to dwell in the time-honored mansion, of which she was then the sole owner, and is still living there (Fall of 1896).
Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory Dendrochronology Report on the Fairbanks House MASSACHUSETTS
DEDHAM, Fairbanks House, 511 East Street
(a) Primary phase
Felling dates: Winter 1637/8 and Winter 1640/41
(a) Summer beam 1637(13C); Joist 1640(15C); Wall boarding on stairs 1638(9), 1640(11) ; Sill beam 1618(H/S); Mantle beam (0/1); Chimney girt (0/1); Post (0/1); Studs (0/2); stave (0/1); Clap boards (0/2); Ex situ board (0/1). Site Master 1487-1640 FHD-1 (t = 6.6 ALC4; 5.79 BOSTON01; 5.61 ALC3)
(b) Roof boards
Felling dates: Winter 1652/3 and Winter 1654/5
(b) Boards (4/5) 1652(C), 1654(21C, 28C2). Site Master 1546-1654 FHD-2 (t = 4.28 DWH; 4.23 ALC10; 3.55 ALC4)
Architectural description Jonathan Fairbanks was granted twelve acres of land in Dedham on March 23, 1637, on the same date that he was accepted as a townsman. By 1641, he had built a two-and-one-half story, central chimney plan house with hall on the west side of the chimney, parlour on the east, and two chambers above, of which only the parlour chamber was heated. The main roof is of five bays with principal rafters, butt purlins, common rafters, and thin plank windbraces which unusually rise up to the principals. The wall framing is interesting in that it is unjettied and utilises trenched bracing and full height studs through two storeys.
The Fairbanks House, long recognised for its early construction date, archaic features, and unrestored condition, retains cedar clapboards on the upper portion of the north wall preserved by the addition of a rear lean-to at an early date. Whether the clapboards date from the completion of the house is uncertain, but it is interesting to note that in 1640, the selectmen provided that Jonathan Fairbanks "may have one cedar tree set out unto him to dispose of where he will: In consideration of some special service he hath done for the towne."
Thin oak boards, six to eight inches in width and nailed to the rafters several inches apart, are unlike the typical roof sheathing boards found in most seventeenth century houses. The fact that they are fourteen years later in date than the timbers in the main body of the house suggests that they may represent an early alteration to the roofing of the house. Cummings speculates that they could have been intended to receive thatch or shingles (Cummings 1979, 141).
Early on, the parlour and parlour chamber were extended by one bay to the east. Before 1764 an ell with gambrel roof was built on the west side. A few years later, according to tradition, a separate building was attached to the east side of the house, which had or was given a gambrel roof.
Assessment The building was assessed on the 26th of November with Anne Grady. The primary phase of the house appeared to have good ring counts in a number of elements, including the front right corner post, the tiebeams and transverse beams below either side of the chimney, the hall mantle beam (accessible from under the staircase), and axial beam, and some of the parlour chamber ceiling joists on the south side, all with complete sapwood. In addition to these, a number of weatherboards (clapboards) were either loose or detached from the west gable end and were of riven slow-grown oak, making excellent material for dating. Although none of these would have any sapwood, it would be a very interesting and valuable study to relate the last measured ring dates of these boards in relation to the felling date of the timber frame with which they are presumed to be coeval. Further useful samples were found at the bottom of the main staircase in the form of a series of wide riven oak panels, again with ring counts of approximately 100 years.
It was recommended to take samples from eight to ten structural timbers from the primary phase of the house, and a further eight to ten samples from the weatherboards and internal staircase boarding.
The rear lean-to was also assessed, but little if any potential was found here. Only two timbers of what might be primary in situ timbers were the rear left corner post and a jowled post two-thirds of the way to the east. Although both of these timbers had marginal ring counts, access is difficult to the first timber, and the second post has been recently consolidated with some sort of epoxy-resin, which will probably make sampling difficult if not impossible at the jowled end with the most rings. All the rest of the lean-to is constructed of later softwood or the odd re-used oak timber with insufficient rings for dating.
The east wing is entirely constructed of softwood, and therefore unsuitable for dating with the oak chronologies, although the sill beams are of oak, the western one possibly having some potential with bark edge, although the sapwood is likely to be too soft to withstand coring.
The west wing is much later and entirely constructed of softwood, again making it entirely unsuitable for dating at this time.
The only other element of the building which would lend itself to study are the cedar clapboards at the rear of the house, where protected by the lean-to roof. These are slow-grown and would well benefit from having a dozen of these sampled and studied together with cedar from the Robert Pierce House in Dorchester. This would allow a determination to be made as to whether or not there is any cross-matching between swamp-cedars and whether they might be cross-matched with other species. If this was proven successful, then other cedar elements might be matched such as internal boarding and shingles.
Results and conclusions A total of nineteen samples were taken from the house. Of the timbers sampled from the primary frame, eight were from the principal framing timbers including a sill beam, summer beam, mantel beam, ceiling joist, corner post, chimney girt, and studs. Only three of these timbers dated, which included the sill beam, a ceiling joist, and the summer beam into which it was jointed. Two samples retained complete sapwood, with the summer beam dating to the winter of 1637/8, and the joist dating three years later to the winter of 1640/41. The sill beam produced a heartwood/sapwood boundary date of 1618 which is consistent with these felling dates. This would suggest that the house was under construction as early as 1641.
Two white oak lining boards from the bottom of the stairs were sampled by Michael Burrey, the restoration carpenter employed by the Fairbanks Association. These were sampled by making small V-shaped cuts in the back of the panels, thus preserving the integrity of the boards but still allowing a physical sample to be obtained across the width of the board. Both of these boards dated, both having in excess of 150 rings. They matched together with a t-value of 16.74 and clearly originated from the same tree. Indeed, whilst neither retained complete sapwood, both had an identical heartwood/sapwood date of 1629, and the closeness of last measured ring dates of 1638 and 1640 strongly suggests that the minimum of sapwood rings were removed. Thus, this boarding is likely to be part of the original decorative finish applied on completion of the frame shortly after 1641. The tree from these two boards originated matched with exceptional clarity with other chronologies, and would suggest that a large, consistently-grown tree was selected for such important items as internal panelling.
The three dated structural timbers, together with the mean of the two oak lining panels from the staircase were combined to form the site master FHD-1 of 154 rings and spanning the years 1487 - 1640. The intra-site matching of these samples is not outstanding, suggesting that the trees originated from diverse sources which had been affected by some sort of interference by the native Americans.
Five of the roof sarking boards were also sampled by Michael Burrey through the careful removal of V-cut sections, and all retained complete sapwood. Four of these timbers dated, one to the winter of 1652/3, and the remaining three to the winter of 1654/5. All of the samples dating to 1654/5 were of white oak, whilst the other two boards were of red oak. These four samples were combined to form the site master FHD-2 of 109 rings and dated, spanning the years 1546-1654.
References - Abbott Lowell Cummings, The Framed Houses of Massachusetts Bay, 1625-1725, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Harvard University Press, 1979
- Abbott Lowell Cummings, The Fairbanks House, Boston, Massachusetts; New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002.
- Miles, D H, Worthington, M J, and Grady, A A, 2002 "Development of Standard Tree-Ring Chronologies for Dating Historic Structures in Eastern Massachusetts Phase II", Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory unpublished report 2002/6
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