The Preston-Foster house, Ipswich MA

6 Water Street, the Reginald Foster House (1690/1745)

Listen to Historic Ipswich audio tour.

Reginald Foster (1594-1681) arrived in Ipswich from Exeter, Devonshire, England in 1638 with his wife Judith Wignol, five sons, and two daughters:

Ipswich deeds list the transfer of a house at this location from Roger Preston to Reginald Foster in 1657/8, but the date of construction of the east side of this house is circa 1690, assuming the timbers are original. The house was once attributed to Preston, but the oldest part was more likely constructed by Reginald Foster’s son Jacob around the time he inherited the property from his father, who lived “to a ripe old age.” Two nearby houses on Lower Summer Street are also attributed to this family. This house has a preservation agreement with the Ipswich Historical Commission.

The house at 6 Water Street is described in “Something to Preserve,” published by the Ipswich Historical Commission in 1975, as having a typical original first-period floor plan in the original front structure. In the right half are two massive quarter-round chamfered summer beams typical of the late seventeenth century. The very sharp-pitched roof and purlins add additional evidence of the early date. The left side of the house was constructed in the mid-18th Century. The first-floor right-side room has fine, rich-hued and unpainted horizontal feather-edged paneling, whereas later Federal-style features are seen in the central hall and upstairs fireplace walls.

When Roger Preston arrived in Ipswich, he first purchased a lot along the river near what is now the intersection of Turkey Shore and Labor in Vain Road. Thomas Franklin Waters wrote, “Evidently the neighborhood did not prove popular,” and by 1644, every lot had been transferred. He then purchased this lot from Roger Wallis and built a house, but in 1655, Roger Preston sold the lot with a house to Reginald Foster, and by 1658, Preston had divested all his properties in Ipswich.

Reginald Foster was from a respected family in western England. He came to Ipswich in 1638 on a vessel that had been embargoed from sailing by King Charles. He first purchased a house lot from John Tuttle, “near the great Cove of the Town River“ beneath the falls with the river to the southeast. Old town records show a “town way” continuing from Water Street along the river to where the County Street bridge is now. The location of Falls Island probably made the construction of small footbridges possible at that location. This old town way is now the Sidney N. Shurcliff River Walk.

Reginald Foster worked as a surveyor of highways, was very involved in town matters, and owned shares in Plum Island. In his will dated April 30, 1680, he bequeathed to his second wife, Sarah, what she brought to the marriage and other property. His son Jacob inherited the house.

The Foster family acquired property around the corner on Annable’s Way (Summer Street), and built three of the still-standing First-Period and early Second-Period homes in Ipswich. The Reginald Foster House is believed to have been built about 1690. The James Foster House was built in 1717 at 46 Summer Street, and the Foster-Grant house at 39 Summer Street, built in 1720, was constructed by a grandson of Reginald Foster.

Deed of Roger Preston to Reginald Foster

The transfer of a house from Roger Preston to Reginald Foster in 1657/58 is described in town records as follows:

“Be it known to all men whom it may concern that I Roger Preston of Ipswich in New England in the county of Essex, planter, and Martha my wife, for divers considerations me thereunto moving, but especially in consideration of the full and just sum of one and fifty pounds of current country pay to be paid to me or my assigns at two several payments, viz: thirty pounds at Christide next following the date of these presents and the remainder by that time twelve months in current English corn sweet dry and merchantable by Reginald Foster of Ipswich aforesaid husbandman all that my dwelling house and house lot with the barns, cow-houses and other buildings thereunto belonging and also my other house lot, both which house lots contain two acres, more or less with the gardens orchards and fences and other privileges thereunto belonging which I purchased of Robert Wallis of Ipswich aforesaid as they be situated and inclosed on the north side of the river of Ipswich, having the highway next the river toward the South, and Thomas Knowlton’s land and Robert Pierce’s toward the North.

The lane next Thomas Clark’s East and another lane West and also one other planting lot of three acres be it more or less on the North side of the town hill abutting on ye land of Rose Whipple, widow, toward the West, Andrew Hodges land East, upon ye marsh of John Morse toward the North, and land of Thomas Treadwell toward the South and in the town of Ipswich aforesaid, to have and to hold and to quietly possess and enjoy the aforesaid with the commonage and all other privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, unto the said Reginald Foster his heirs and assigns forever and the said Roger and Martha his wife do covenant and promise to warrant this sale of the premises and every part thereof to be free from time to time and at all times henceforth use, occupy possess and enjoy the same and every part thereof to the proper use and behoof of the said Reginald Foster his heirs and assigns forever from all molestation or interruption of the said Roger and Martha, my wife, our heirs executors and assigns or any other person having any just claim thereto in by from or under us or any or either of us our heirs executors or assigns in witness whereof I the said Roger and Martha my wife have hereunto set our hand and seal dated the 11 day of March A.D. 1657/8. Subscribed, sealed, etc.”

The Last Will and Estate of Renold Foster of Ipswich

In his will, dated 1680-81, Reginald Foster wrote, “to my beloved wife Sarah, I give the use of the house I now dwell in and the orchards, and gardens, and five pounds yearly during her natural life.” To his son, Abraham, “my now dwelling house and orchard and ground about it three acres more or less.” To his son Jacob, he gave, “the house he lives in & ground about it…further my will is that my son Jacob have my land at home and barn during my wife’s natural life.”

Abraham and Jacob were appointed as the executors of the will. Thomas Franklin Waters wrote that Jacob Foster inherited the house, but the book, Descendants of Reginald Foster, also stated that Jacob inherited Reginald Foster’s original house by the river. Abraham married Lydia, daughter of Caleb and Martha Burbank, of Rowley. Jacob was a deacon of the First Church. He married first, 12 Jan. 1658-9, Martha Kinsman, who died six years later. He married secondly, Abigail, daughter of Robert and Mary (Wait) Lord, 26 Feb. 1666-7. She survived him, dying on 4 June 1729.

The grave of Deacon Foster is marked by a stone

Living room in the Reginald Foster House, 6 Water St., Ipswich MA
Fireplace, summer beam, and paneling downstairs at 6 Water St.
The summer beam in the downstairs right side of the Reginald Foster House is similar to the beams in the 1677-90 Whipple House.
Downstairs right fireplace in the Reginald Foster House
The front entry of the Reginald Foster House
Cased corner posts, girt, and plate in the upstairs left side of the Reginald Foster House
Reginald Foster house
Attic framing in the Reginald Foster House
Exposed bricks and clay-sand mortar in the Reginald Foster House chimney

Historic Ownership of the Reginald Foster House

by Ed Emberly

The Reginald Foster House is protected by a preservation agreement between the owners and the Ipswich Historical Commission. Protected elements include:

  • Front and side facades of the original 1690 building
  • Central frame including primary and secondary members
  • Feather-edged paneling in the front right first-floor room
  • Wooden architectural elements, including molding, paneling, and doors on the inner walls of the two second-floor bedrooms of the original building
  • View the preservation agreement for this house

Sources and further reading:

Homes of the Fosters

61 Turnpike Road, the John Foster House (1780) - The sign that hung at Foster's Tavern has been stored in a barn at the Ipswich Museum for a century.and reads, "I shoe the horse, I shoe the ox I carry the nails in my box I make the nail, I set the shoe, And entertain some strangers too."… Continue reading 61 Turnpike Road, the John Foster House (1780)
The Preston-Foster house, Ipswich MA 6 Water Street, the Reginald Foster House (1690/1745) - Ipswich deeds list the transfer of a house at this location from Roger Preston to Reginald Foster in 1657, but construction of this house dates to about 1690. Massive chamfered summer beams in the right section, the sharp-pitched roof and purlins provide evidence of an early date.… Continue reading 6 Water Street, the Reginald Foster House (1690/1745)
39 Summer Street Ipswich MA, the Foster Grant house 39 Summer Street, the Foster-Grant House (1717) - In 1717 Nathaniel Knowlton sold a small lot to James Foster who is believed to have built the house. In 1826, the family sold to Ephriam Grant, and the house was long known as the "Grant house." Early Colonial features are preserved throughout the house.… Continue reading 39 Summer Street, the Foster-Grant House (1717)
375 Linebrook Rd., Ipswich MA 375 Linebrook Road, the Thomas Foster House (1800) - This area was settled by Fosters in the mid 17th century and remained in the family until the late 19th century, when it became part of the adjoining David Tullar Perley property. This is one of three traditional five-bay, two-floor Federal houses in Linebrook.… Continue reading 375 Linebrook Road, the Thomas Foster House (1800)
3 Liberty St., Ipswich MA 3 Liberty St., the Foster House (c. 1880) - This house is shown in the 1872 and 1884 Ipswich maps owned by "S. Foster."… Continue reading 3 Liberty St., the Foster House (c. 1880)

4 thoughts on “6 Water Street, the Reginald Foster House (1690/1745)”

  1. I am the 12th or 13th generation grandson of Reginald Foster. He arrived in 1638. I am guessing that it was his first son that purchased the house and dwellings from Preston. If not, I am curious to find where they lived for almost 20 years?

  2. I am the 12th generation grandson of Roger Preston; He came from England on the Elizabeth in 1635. It is documented that Roger was in Ipswich from 1639 although he was probably there from when he first arrived in New England. In 1657 he sold land, dwelling house, buildings to Reginald Foster. Roger Preston was married about 1643, so it seems probable that he built the original portion of the Preston-Foster house around that time.

  3. Reginald Foster died in 1686. So the date of the house must be earlier than 1690. I was told by the current owner that the section to the left of the doorway was a later addition.

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *