44 High Street, the Francis Goodhue House (c. 1800)

The date of construction for the house at 44 High Street is undetermined. The basement level of the house exhibits early post and beam construction and may be part of the house constructed by Philip Fowler before he sold the property to Francis Goodhue in 1745-46. The first and second floors display refined Federal-era features with high ceilings, wide pine floors, and five fireplaces, suggesting that the house may have been built on top of the earlier structure. The Ipswich assessor’s site estimates a construction date of 1780. Sue Nelson for the Ipswich Historical Commission estimated the date of construction as 1800. A barn in the rear may also date to the 18th Century.

1832 map of the intersection of Mineral and High Streets in Ipswich

44 High Street Ipswich MA — Map showing the location of 44 High St. in Ipswich

Thomas Franklin Waters wrote in “Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony,” “Here, Mr. John Whittingham, one of the most conspicuous of the immigrant settlers, had his home. His estate passed into the hands of Mr. William Norton, who owned the adjoining property, before 1663.”

Philip Fowler sold “four acres with a dwelling house and barn upon it” to Francis Goodhue, February 3, 1745-6, for “100 pounds in lawful money” (Salem Deeds 95: 195).
Francis Goodhue sold “a certain dwelling house and barn” to his sons Joseph and Daniel for 160 pounds lawful money,” bordering on land he had already sold to his son Francis “southeasterly,” August 4, 1758. (Salem Deeds 105: 217). The house stayed in the Goodhue family into the 19th Century.
The next owners of record are Lewis Titcomb (1803 – 1884) and his wife, Sarah Titcomb. He was a “manufacturer of guernsey frocks,” and owned and operated a horse team. She kept the primary schools in the summer with an average of 52 students. The house stayed in the Titcomb family through the 19th Century. The 1888 and 1896 Ipswich Directories show “Mrs. Kate (Catherine) G. Titcomb” at 44 High St.

44 High Street Ipswich MA in the 1894 Birdseye Map — The Ipswich Birdseye Map shows the house at 44 High Street. What appears to be the existing barn is in the circle, attached to a small two-story house.

42 and 46 High St.

Daniel Goodhue sold a small plot, abutting Elisha Newman’s heirs on the Ringe estate, to Abner Harris, on May 1, 1800 (182: 255). He built a house that was purchased after his death by John Hodgkins Jr. on June 5, 1846 (370: 89). The 1856 Ipswich map shows the neighboring house to the east as J. Hodgkins. It was purchased of his heirs by Mr. John H. Baker, the present owner (in 1900.) * The 1910 Ipswich map shows J. H. Baker at 42 High St, and the estate of S. Baker at 46 High St.

Note: Waters wrote that Joseph Goodhue died in a prison ship during the Revolutionary War. A poem was written by Daniel Goodhue in 1780 from prison, captured aboard the “Fancy” in August 1777 off the coast of England. However, there were several Ipswich and Chebacco men by the names of Joseph and Daniel Goodhue at the time of the Revolutionary War. We do not know yet if they were in the family of Joseph and Daniel Goodhue, who owned this property.