Built between 1872 and 1884, the earliest owner of the house at 56 Washington Street in Ipswich was Ephraim Goodhue, who was listed in town directories as a blacksmith and grocer with a shop on Pleasant Street. The early maps show a second building on this lot that was probably his shop.
By 1902, the house had been converted to two-family use. In 1916, it was occupied by Mrs. Mary King and Leo & Margaret Meunier. Leo Meunier is listed in town directories as a mason. In 1924, the house was occupied by Lawrence & Georgina Gallant and Joseph & Veronique Peter.
From JP LaVallee: “My Mom and her family grew up on 56 Washington Street. Her parents, Arthur Raymond Martel (born on Labor in Vain Road) and Stella (Trudel) Martel, raised their nine children in that house in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. In the 60s, the house was given to her eldest sibling, Mary Anne (Martel) Hall, and she then raised her five children there until the house was sold circa 2000.
Historic Ipswich 
Some clarification..my mother was Marie Anne Martel/Hall who was the eldest daughter, not sibling of Raymond and Stella Martel. She and her husband purchased the home from her parents and raised six children there. House was sold in the mid 2000’s.