The lots at 24 and 26 Turkey Shore were once a single lot, There is an unconfirmed tradition that the house at #24 was moved from “the other side of the River.”
The first recorded owner of this lot was either Benjamin Grant in 1734 or his neighbor to the south, Isaac Knowlton. (View map). In April 1774, Grant sold the lot with a dwelling house and barn with about 20 rods of land to Samuel Gibson. (Salem Deeds 89:237). Isaac Knowlton received his lot from other members of the Knowlton family in 1735 (Salem Deeds 69: 100).
No houses are shown at this location in the 1832, 1856, or 1872 maps of Ipswich. The two houses at 24 and 26 Turkey Shore are shown in the 1884 map with the owner listed as “F. Dawsons.” They are visible in the 1893 Birdseye map of Ipswich, and are owned by Walter Gould in the 1910 map.
Frederick (or Frederic) Dawson died in 1887 at age 73 and is buried at the Old North Burying Ground. His wife was Martha Enice Wallace (Ips. Vital Records).
The 1856 Ipswich map shows the Howard House on Turkey shore owned by Benjamin Dawson, Frederick Dawson’s father. The 1873 Ipswich map shows Benjamin’s widow Mrs. M. Dawson as the owner, and in 1884 the owner is Frederick Dawson. The Ipswich Vital Records have an entry for William Dawson, born in Ipswich in 1849 who was the son of Frederick Dawson, a farmer born in England, and Martha E., born in Montreal. The Findagrave site has an entry for Benjamin Dawson, who died by drowning in 1853 at the age of 14, and was the son of Frederick and Martha Dawson.
In 1888, Walter F. Gould purchased one of the lots on Turkey shore from the heirs of Frederick Dawson, again for $550 “with the buildings thereon.” (Salem Deeds 1442: 263). This appears to be the house at 26 Turkey Shore. Gould purchased the adjoining lot on Turkey Shore (Prospect St.) from the estate of the late Frederick Dawson in 1891 for $550 “with the buildings thereon (Salem Deeds 1315: 173). The deed mentions other Dawson land being east. Gould obtained a mortgage on this house on Dec. 3, 1910, from the Ipswich Savings Bank. (Salem deeds 2055: 561). The 1888 Agawam Manual and Ipswich Directory lists Walter F. Gould as a officer of the House of Corrections (the Ipswich Jail), directly across the river on Green St.
Historic Ipswich 