Featured image: Thomas Lull’s gravestone at the Old North Burying Ground from the FindaGrave site
Lydia Lull, the youngest daughter of Thomas Lull, Sr., and his wife Elizabeth, married William Caldwell in 1714. He was the third son of John Caldwell II (Son of John and Sarah Dillingham Caldwell) and Sarah Foster to marry into the Lull Family. The wives of his brothers, John and Jacob, were her nieces, being the daughters of Thomas Lull Jr. The homes of the two families sat almost across from each other on High Street. William Caldwell and Elizabeth raised their family in the old Lull house at the current location of 36 High Street, taken down in about 1879, and the Caldwell family grew, with many of the family homes, including the historic Caldwell House at 33 High Street, still standing. The Lull family name disappeared from Ipswich.
Richard Wattles was the earliest owner of the lot. The estate of Thomas Bishop was sold to Thomas Lull, March 14, 1678 (Ips. Deeds 4: 140), and William Caldwell married a daughter of Thomas Lull. The estate was inherited by Benjamin, the son of William. The house on the right in the photo above, at 38 High Street, was constructed c. 1875 by an heir, J. W. Caldwell, and was still owned by his widow in 1910.
Thomas Lull came to America from Dedham, Essex County, England, sometime after the birth of their son Thomas in 1661. The first record of Thomas Lull Senior in Ipswich is on October 8, 1672, when he was made a freeman. The following year, he and his wife, Elizabeth, came into full communion in the church. In 1678, he was a selectman and the following year a tithing man. In 1678. Thomas Lull is listed as a weaver. In 1699, he was listed on the subscription for a new bell for the meeting-house and gave 6s.
Thomas Lull was assigned a seat in the meeting house “on ye second short seat.” At the Ipswich Town Meeting. On Feb 1680-81, Dr. Dane, Nath Treadwell, William Hodgkins, Senior, Andrew Dymond, Thomas Lull, Thomas Dennis, Thomas Hart, and Samuel Hunt united in a petition for liberty to “raise the hindmost seat in the northwest side of the Meeting House two foot higher than it now is,” for their wives to sit in, and it was granted.
On the 25th of December, 1717, Thomas Lull Senior made his Will, in which he gave “to my Loving & well-beloved wife Elizabeth Lull the sole use & Improvement of my mansion house and barn and homestead in lands, and all things in any manner.” Lydia and her husband, William Caldwell, moved in with her mother.
Thomas Lull II, son of Thomas I and Elizabeth Lull, was born December 8, 1661, in Dedham, Essex County, England. He married Rebecca Kimball, daughter of John Kimball and Mary Bradstreet, on January 21, 1689. He died Feb. 1713/4 in Ipswich. The John Kimball house still stands at 77 High Street. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth Lull included:
- Elizabeth, August 28, 1692, married John Caldwell, born August 19, 1663, (son of John Caldwell 2 and Sarah Foster). John and Elizabeth married on Nov. 5, 1715. He was slain by the Indians on the shore of Maine. July 10, 1724, aged thirty-two years.
- Rebekah, born November 26, 1694, married Deacon Jacob Caldwell (son of John Caldwell 2 and Sarah Foster, who was born February 26, 1694-5). Jacob and Rebekah were married on Oct. 18, 1718 Hannah, November 26, 1696
The will of Thomas Lull Senior gave “to my Daughters Elisabeth and Liddia Lull, my Mansion house & barn.” The house was built about 1670. William Caldwell and Lydia Lull lived their married life in the home of her father, Thomas Lull I, with her widowed mother.
The mother, Elizabeth Lull, at her death, wrote in her will that “My Son-in-Law, William Caldwell, or his wife Lydia, should, after my Decease, buy for my Grandchildren Caldwell, a bible for each of them.” And also “unto my Daughter Lydia Caldwell, all my household Goods & Wearing apparel that I should leave.”
Sources
- John Caldwell and Sarah Dillingham, his wife
- WikiTree
- Thomas Franklin Waters, Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Caldwell Houses of Ipswich
8 Linebrook Rd., the C. Chester Caldwell House - In September 1867, Joseph and Joanna Ross sold Daniel R. Caldwell this lot. … Continue reading 8 Linebrook Rd., the C. Chester Caldwell House 
48 East St., the Tyler Caldwell house (1860) - Tyler Caldwell was "a man of thrift and industry, and amassed a comfortable property; respected in the town and well-beloved in the neighborhood where he lived."… Continue reading 48 East St., the Tyler Caldwell house (1860) 
40 High Street, the William and Lydia Lull Caldwell House (after 1733) - William Caldwell built this house after purchasing the lot in 1733, The house remained in the Caldwell family into the 20th Century. Key features of the house include a large kitchen fireplace and exceptional period trim. … Continue reading 40 High Street, the William and Lydia Lull Caldwell House (after 1733) 
38 High Street, the Joseph N. Caldwell House (c. 1875) - Nathaniel Caldwell purchased by public auction the property of the late John Lord on December 20, 1861, and transferred to Joseph N. Caldwell half an acre with buildings on it on December 17, 1861.… Continue reading 38 High Street, the Joseph N. Caldwell House (c. 1875) 
35 Central St., the Caldwell-Copp House (1880) - The Oak Hill apartments building at 35 Central Street was constructed in 1880 by Joel Caldwell. In 1891, Margaret and Lydia Caldwell sold the property to Carlton and Harriett Copp.… Continue reading 35 Central St., the Caldwell-Copp House (1880) 
33 High Street, the John and Sarah Dillingham Caldwell House (1660/1709) - In 1654, Cornelius Waldo sold to John Caldwell for £26 the house and land he bought of Richard Betts. Caldwell removed the old house and built a very substantial house of the 1660s.… Continue reading 33 High Street, the John and Sarah Dillingham Caldwell House (1660/1709) 
27 East Street, the Widow Elizabeth Caldwell House (1740-1755) - Joseph Wait sold this lot to Elizabeth Caldwell, widow of Thomas, in 1829.who moved and joined two houses built c. 1740 to 1775 location. … Continue reading 27 East Street, the Widow Elizabeth Caldwell House (1740-1755) 
25 County Street, the J. Caldwell House (c. 1860) - The house at 25 County Street in Ipswich was built in approximately 1860 on a corner of the former Ipswich Jail grounds. The 1872 Ipswich map shows the owner as J. Caldwell. In 1910 the owner is N. S. Kimball. … Continue reading 25 County Street, the J. Caldwell House (c. 1860) 
18 Green Street, the Isaac Stanwood Jr. House (1812) - Captain Isaac Stanwood was born in Ipswich, May 2, 1755. On January 24, 1775, he was enrolled among the Ipswich minute-men, and marched as a private in Captain Nathaniel Wade's company, in the alarm of April 19, 1775.… Continue reading 18 Green Street, the Isaac Stanwood Jr. House (1812) 
15 South Main Street, the Caldwell Block (1870) - The Caldwell Block stands on the site of the former Massachusetts Woolen Manufactory, constructed by Dr. John Manning in 1794. The property was sold to Stephen Coburn in 1847 and housed the post office and other shops. The building was destroyed by fire, and in 1870 Col. Luther Caldwell erected the present building.… Continue reading 15 South Main Street, the Caldwell Block (1870) 
11 County Street, the Bennett-Caldwell House (1725) - Joseph Bennett built this early Second Period house in 1725. In 1818 the house was sold to Capt. Sylvanus Caldwell, who engaged in maritime trade along the coast from Massachusetts to Maine for a half century.… Continue reading 11 County Street, the Bennett-Caldwell House (1725) 
Historic Ipswich 