182 High Street

History

This house retains the form and some details of the Federal period. However, the doorway underwent extensive alterations during the mid-19th century. The house has three stories with a hipped roof, a style characteristic often associated with it.

The delicate cornice, composed of medallions, is typically a Federal style. The small square windows on the third floor and the classically inspired window lintels are also in the Federal style. The robust, two-story, projecting central bay dates from the mid-nineteenth century, as does the cast-iron fence in front of the house.

This house was built in 1792 after Abner Wood purchased the land. Wood had numerous mercantile interests. Three of Wood’s vessels were captured by French pirates during the war between France and Britain. Wood made claims to the government for compensation for the loss of the Brig Sally Ann, the Schooner Speedwell, and the Brig Minerva. Wood was active in Newburyport and served as a selectman in 1803. In 1812, he was one of the directors under the second charter of the Newburyport Bank. In 1819, 1821, and 1822, Wood served as a representative to the Massachusetts legislature.

In 1819, Ebenezer Mosely purchased this house. Moseley was a lawyer. Moseley was born in Connecticut in 1781 and graduated from Yale in 1802. In 1805, he established a practice in Newburyport. In 1813, Moseley was elected colonel of the sixth regiment of the Massachusetts militia. Moseley was an able public speaker, a prominent citizen, and a representative of the General Court from 1813 to 1819 and 1834 to 1835. He was also elected to the state senate in 1821. He made a welcoming address on the occasion of General LaFayette’s visit to Newburyport in August 1824.

Ebenezer Moseley died in 1854, and by 1872, the house had been passed on to his son, Edward S. Moseley, who was the president of the Mechanics’ Bank. Later, the house was owned by another descendant, Mrs. Arthur Nason.