The Ipswich Historical Society was founded in 1896 by the Reverend Thomas Franklin Waters, the author of Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Volume I was published in 1905 and volume II in 1917. These two volumes are an encyclopedia of the history of the town. In 2010, the Ipswich Historical Society was renamed the Ipswich Museum, featuring two significant properties, the Heard House built in 1800, and the Whipple House, dating to 1677. The Ipswich Historical Commission is a separate Town board.
The following books and documents were created for the Ipswich Historical Society in the late 19th and early 20th Century
Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony by Thomas Franklin Waters
Publications:
- The, oration by Rev. Washington Choate and the Poem by Rev. Edgar F. Davis, on the 200th Anniversary of the Resistance to the Andros Tax, 1887, and, order of Exercises at the Ipswich Town Hall, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- II The President’s Address and Other Proceedings at the Dedication of their Room, Friday Feb. 3, 1896, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- III Exercises at the Unveiling of the Memorial Tablets at the South Common, Ipswich, July 29, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- IV The Early Homes of the Puritans, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- V Some Old Ipswich Houses, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- VI Dedication of the Ancient House, or read at Google Books, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.1-6 1894-1899
- VII A Sketch of the Life of John Winthrop the Younger
- VIII The Development of Our Town Government, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- IX The Old Argilla Road, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- X The History of the (Whipple) House, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- X The John Whipple House and the People Who Have Owned It, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XI The Meeting House Green, and a Study of the Houses and Lands in that Vicinity, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XII Thomas Dudley, and Simon and Ann Bradstreet,, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XII A Study of the, original House Lots on High Street, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XIII Fine Thread, Lace and Hosiery by Jessie Fewkes, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XIII Ipswich Mills and Factories, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XIV The Simple Cobbler of Agawam, (by Rev. Nathaniel Ward), or Read at JSTOR, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XV A Genealogy of the Ipswich Descendants of Samuel Appleton, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XV The Old Bay Road from Saltonstall’s Brook and Samuel Appleton’s Farm, or at Hathi Trust Full view v. 8-15
- XVI Candlewood, an Ancient Neighborhood in Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20(1909-1915)
- XVI Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Robert Kinsman, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20(1909-1915)
- XVI Genealogical Record of the Descendants of William Fellows of Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20 (1909-1915)
- XVI A Genealogy of the Descendants of John Brown of Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20 (1909-1915)
- XVII Fine Thread, Lace and Hosiery by Jessie Fewkes, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20 (1909-1915)
- XVIII Jeffreys Neck, and the Way Leading Thereto, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20(1909-1915)
- XIX Ipswich Village and the Old Rowley Road, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20(1909-1915)
- XX The John Whipple House, or Read at Google Books, or at Hathi Trust Full view no.16-20(1909-1915)
- XXI Augustine Heard and His Friends, or Read at Google Books, or at Hathis Trust Full view v.21-24 1916-1923
- XXII Plum Island, or Read at Google Books, or at Hathis Trust Full view v.21-24 1916-1923
- XXIII The Chronicles of Ipswich during the War, 1917-1918, or Read at Google Books, or at Hathis Trust Full view v.21-24 1916-1923
- XXIV The Ipswich River, its Bridges, Wharves and Industries, or Read at Google Books, or at Hathis Trust Full view v.21-24 1916-1923
- XXV Glimpses of Everyday Life in Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.25-29 1925-1935
- XXV Governor Thomas Dudley in Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.25-29 1925-1935
- XXVI John Wise of Chebacco, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.25-29 1925-1935
- XXVI Michael Farley, First, Second, and Third of Ipswich, or at Hathi Trust Full view v.25-29 1925-1935
- XXIX Memento Mori, the Old North
Historic Ipswich 
My 8x great grandfather was born 1691 in Salem, Nehemiah Porter. I’ve discovered he worked as a weaver, as did his son Ebenezer Porter prior to being wounded in his hand at the battle of Ticonderoga in the french and indian war. E Porter is the twin of my 7x g grandfather.
I am myself a weaver and working towards my Master weaver certification. I’m delighted to have found not one, but 2 weavers in my genealogy.
I am wondering if there is any research on the early textile production in the area, any info on where Nehemiah may have apprenticed or held his shop. Extant textiles would be amazing to see too!
Any help is appreciated.
Rachel
Brigadoon fiber farm, new brunswick canada
Ipswich is well known for pillow lace: https://historicipswich.net/?s=pillow+lace
Here’s a 9 page article written for the Historical Society about 100 years ago. https://historicipswich.net/fine-thread-lace-and-hosiery/
In the James How of Ipswich section of the Daniel Wait Howe genealogy is referenced a number of weavers. They would of necessity be farmers but also weavers. I recall reading somewhere that Abraham, and his brother James and James father in law John Dane were part of a weaver colony to America financed by a group of businessmen in England. Unfortunately I cannot find that reference.
Hi Ipswich Historical Society! I am looking for court records for all of the times Robert Cross Sr. sued people. He seemed to sue people a lot. Including: John Fuller in 1642; Joseph Fowler in 1649; Cornelius Waldo in 1651; William Durkee (sometimes spelled Durkey) in 1664; Thomas Wells in 1668; and in 1670 two problems when Nicholar Vauden and Lawrence Clinton, his servants, ran away. Any information regarding any of these legal disputes in the historical record would be amazing.
In my Ancestry work I have found a 9th great-grandfather named Thomas Scott and his wife Elizabeth who settled in Ipswich early in it’s history. I find mention of him in Town Records regarding “right to Comonage” on December 31, 1641. He apparently died on the 17th of March, 1654, and was buried in Ipswich. While there appears no record of a gravestone, I have seen a photograph of a monument to the early settlers of Ipswich which bears reference to Scott, and his wife. I would appreciate it if anyone could describe the location of that monument. I was unable to locate it after a Saturday afternoon drive through Highland Cemetery, and a half hour trudging through the snow-covered Old Burying Ground.
He’s still about:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81533956/thomas-scott
And I *think* the monument you seek is:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81533956/thomas-scott#view-photo=133625312
To my knowledge, we don’t have a grave or monument mentioningThomas Scott. None of our gravestones in Ipswich date quite that far back. The photo in the FindaGrave site is actually a monument to the early settlers of Hartford CT. http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2011/06/founders-of-hartford-connecticut.html
I am descended from Edward Lumas who came to Ipswitch in 1635. My wife is descended from the Whipple family. Somehow our families got to Georgia and we met at the University of Georgia in the mid 1950’s and married in 1960. I have a copy of the Essex Institute books bring my family up to my great-great grandfather, Franklin Hadley Lummus. My wife’s cousin did a book on her family and we were surprised to find the Whipple connection way back in the early 1600’s. Thought you might be interested in the old Ipswitch families marrying after all those years.
Edward Lummus, Atlanta, Ga
In 1956, the “Great Jack Gillespie” led his Ipswich High School Football team to many victories. What team defeated Ipswich that year and what was the score?
http://secure.ipsk12.net:737/oldwebsite/High%20School/extra/halloffame/hall-of-famers/john-gillespie.html