Originally on South Main St, this house was owned by Dr. John Calef, who served as our representative to the General Assembly and was one of only 17 members who voted to retract the Circular Letter opposing the Townsend Acts. He appeared before a mob that assembled in front of his house in 1774 and apologized for his vote, but remained a Loyalist. After the war began, Calef sold the house to John Heard and moved to New Brunswick, where he served as a surgeon for the British forces. Heard moved the house to its present location and built the mansion, which is now the Ipswich Museum. Elements from the First Period of English colonial construction are found within the house.
The original section of the house at 5-7 Poplar Street is an example of a First Period house with Georgian modifications, originally located on South Main Street, constructed between 1671 and 1688 for Deacon Thomas Knowlton. In 1777, John Heard moved the house to its present location to build his elaborate Federalist home, which now houses the Ipswich Museum. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
In Vol. 1 of Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Thomas Franklin Waters wrote, “A lot measuring three-quarters of an acre was sold by old Goodman Younglove to Deacon Thomas Knowlton Sr., Dec. 26, 1671 (Ips. Deeds 3: 200). He built a house, and by deed of gift, 3 Dec. 1688, transferred it to Thomas Knowlton cordwainer and now Senior, “ye now dwelling house of said Thomas Senior.” The Knowltons, Senior and Junior, deeded to Joseph Califf, clothier, a house, two barns, a shop, and an acre of land, Feb. 8, 1697-8 (13:8). John Calef Esq. sold to John Heard, Gent, “the house where I now dwell…” (135: 264). The old residence was removed to the corner of the Heard land on Poplar St., and the present Heard mansion was built.”
“Heard sold (the Calef house) with a quarter acre of land, to Ebenezer Caldwell, on April 16, 1803 (179: 280). Samuel Caldwell conveyed this to his mother, Abigail, on April 24, 1826 (242: 69). One-half of it is still the home of the Caldwell heirs. Mrs. Clarissa Caldwell sold a building lot out of the “Close” to Mr. William Seward, Oct. 15, 1873 (895: 191), on which he erected a residence, next to the Caldwell house above mentioned, and on another lot, sold from the ancient Hubbard Close, Mr. George H. Green built the residence next in line.” (A “close” was a small privately enclosed field in town).
In the 1700s, the house was owned by Loyalist John Calef. From 1754 to 1760, Dr. John Calef was a surgeon in the “Old French War” in ’56. From 1755 on, he was frequently a Representative from Ipswich to the General Court and was in opposition to the growing differences between the colonies and the British Government.
In 1774, after one of his votes was called into question, he signed a statement that “Inasmuch as a great Number of Persons are about the House of the Subscriber, who say that they have heard I am an Enemy to my Country, etc. and have sent a large Committee to me to examine me respecting my principles, in compliance with their request I declare, First I hope and believe I fear God, honor the King and love my Country. Secondly, I believe the Constitution of civil Government held forth in the Charter of Massachusetts Bay Province to be the best in the whole world, and that the Rights and Privileges thereof ought to be highly esteemed, greatly valued, and seriously contended for, and that the late Acts of Parliament made against this province are unconstitutional and unjust and that I will use all lawful means to get the same recovered; and that I never have and never will act by an omission under the new Constitution of Government, and if I have ever said or done anything to enforce said Act I am heartily sorry for it; and as I gave my vote in the General Assembly on the 30th of June 1768, contrary to the minds of the people, I beg their forgiveness and that the good people of the Province would restore me to their esteem and friendship again.”
The people of Ipswich never forgave John Calef. A cartoon by Paul Revere pictured the seven who had voted retraction of a petition to the King. Calef is drawn with a calf’s head. On April 3, 1778, John Calef sold the property to John Heard (135: 264) and joined the British troops at Fort George as a surgeon. At the close of the war, he settled in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, practicing his profession til his death.
Sources:
- Waters, Thomas: Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony V. 1
- MACRIS
Historic Ipswich 