The land on which this house sits was originally granted to Nathaniel Rogers and Thomas Low. George W. Heard sold an acre and a half to Levi Brown, who had bought a half acre from his father on March 21, 1832. He built a dwelling and other buildings. He quitclaimed to his brother, Francis, who sold to Henry S. Holmes, 2 acres and buildings on March 9, 1842 (330: 18), Holmes to Willard B. Kinsman, April 1, 1851 (456: 112), who enlarged the house on the front. That section was moved around 1950 to 74 Essex Rd.
When John Updike and his wife, Mary moved to Ipswich in 1957, they rented this house for 10 months before purchasing the so-called Polly Dole House on East Street (Salem Deeds 4442:64). Updike sold the house on East St. in 1970 (5686:151) when he moved from Ipswich.
Sources:
- Candlewood, by Thomas Franklin Waters
- The 1832 Ipswich map shows the owner as Levi Brown.
- The 1856 map shows the owner as W. B. Kinsman.
Historic Ipswich 