260 High Street

History

This house is one of the fine Federal mansions built on High Street during the early years of the nineteenth century when Newburyport’s mercantile interests prospered. The house has the typical Federal form of three stories with hipped roof and small square windows in the third story.

Most of the house’s architectural details are simple. These include the classically inspired cornice, window lintels and cornerboards. The door itself is flanked by sidelights and surmounted by an elegant semi-elliptical fanlight containing delicate tracery. The entrance portico has a flat roof with classical entablature supported by pillars of the Doric order.

This parcel of land at the corner of High and Broad Streets was purchased in two lots by Stephen Toppan in 1797 and 1799. Toppan was a housewright and he was involved in the building of several of Newburyport’s most important buildings. These included the Town Hall at the corner of State and Essex Streets and the original St. Paul’s Church built in 1809.

Stephen Toppan built this house prior to 1805 when it was sold to Jacob Greenleaf, a mariner. In 1807 John Pettingell purchased the house although Greenleaf, married to Pettingell’s daughter continued in residence. Pettingell was a prominent citizen who also had mercantile interests. He was the owner of the Brig Hazard, fitted out during the Revolutionary War. He was also one of the original incorporators of the Newburyport Turnpike Corporation organized in 1803 to build a toll road from Newburyport to Boston.

In 1827 Pettingell’s will left the house to the Greenleaf’s during their lifetimes after which it was to pass onto Pettingell’s grandchildren. In 1854 the house was sold to Capt. John H. Spring, a merchant. In 1876 the house was sold to Joseph Cartland. Cartland was a member of the Society of Friends and his wife, Gertrude, was a relative and dear friend of John Greenleaf Whittier.