14 Fruit Street

History

This house is one of two on Fruit Street that date to the latter half of the 19th century (the other being 5 Fruit Street). Despite its later date of construction, the house blends well with the earlier Federal-style dwellings that dominate the street.

The three-story dwelling is set on a brick foundation and oriented with its narrow, two-bay-wide end to the street. The double-hung 6/6 windows on the first and second stories feature molded surrounds and are capped by a peaked lintel with a dentil course running below. (Curiously, a photograph in the Newburyport Archival Center labeled 14 Fruit Street shows a detail of a straight lintel). The 6/6 windows were probably originally 2/2. The smaller third-floor windows contain 6/6 sash and have molded surrounds without lintels. The tops of the windows extend to the plain frieze which encircles the building under slightly projecting eaves. There are two entrances on the south elevation. Both are capped by peaked lintels with dentils and display whole side and transom lights. The window openings on this elevation are without shutters.

It is interesting to note that the window lintels on the north side of the adjacent property at 16–18 Fruit Street were altered to match those on the newer structure at 14 Fruit Street.

This house appears to have been built by Daniel Silloway, who was a carpenter. Silloway lived in the house next door (16–18 Fruit Street) in 1872. In 1876 and 1877, Silloway’s wife, Isabel, purchased the land on which the house now stands from Thomas Bradley and George Thurlow (Book 988, Page 4 & 195). The home at 14 Fruit Street was probably built soon thereafter, and the alterations to the lintels on 16 Fruit Street were no doubt completed at the same time. In 1880, census records indicate that Daniel Silloway, then 66 years old, was living at 14 Fruit Street, along with his wife, Isabel, and four other family members. Daniel Silloway died on January 14, 1896. Soon thereafter, the house was sold, and Isabel Silloway relocated.

By 1900, the house was occupied by John Bayley, a 49-year-old attorney, and his family. Sarah Bayley, her daughters, and several boarders were living here in 1910 and 1920.

Later owners include Frank and Maud Rollins (1925–1947), who rented out the property to various tenants. Ralph and Victoria Staples owned and occupied the house from 1950 to 1954. Roy and Carol Cobb owned the property from 1954 to 1962. The Kenmodau Trust controlled the property from 1963 to 1988.