The following is taken from “A Walking Tour and Brief History of Early Ipswich, Massachusetts” produced by the Ipswich Visitors Center, Marjorie Robie and William Varrell:
” produced by the Ipswich Visitors Center, Marjorie Robie and William Varrell:John Harris sold this property, which he had inherited from his father Job Harris, to the town in 1795 to use as a Poor House. The town eventually acquired a larger site for use as a Poor Farm and sold the property to Jacob Manning in 1818. In that year, he built this house in a small space between the Poor House and the Lord House next door. The former Poor House was taken down, but the frame is on display at the Massachusetts Museum of Fine Arts.
Historic Ipswich 