The land on which this house sits was part of a large grant to John Proctor and was divided into lots after Proctor moved to Chebacco. In 1735, Joseph Burnham sold an empty corner of his homestead to Benjamin Grant, and Grant soon constructed the first section of the house. The front façade is asymmetrical, with a noticeable change in the roofline, suggesting that the south half of the house is the oldest.
Benjamin Grant was born in 1701 to Robert and Mary Grant, who had settled in Ipswich from England. His twin brother, Joseph Grant, moved to New Hampshire. Benjamin married Anne Perkins in 1722 and was killed in the French and Indian War in 1756. His widow died in 1801 in Rowley, at 104 years of age. In 1785, the house was purchased by Daniel Ross, a former Revolutionary soldier. Ross’ daughter married Ephraim Parsons, and the house stayed in the Parsons family through the 19th century.
In 1981, the Benjamin Grant House was purchased by Stephen and Catherine Green, who restored the home to its original character. Much of the early interior finish survives. This private residence has a preservation agreement with the Ipswich Historical Commission and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Read more about the Benjamin Grant House
Historic Ipswich 