Brick Federal

Maxwell-Barton House // 1803

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Built in 1803 for Captain Level Maxwell (1754-1828), this five-bay, Federal style house built of brick, is located on Main Street in Warren, Rhode Island, and has ties to the community’s maritime past. The original owner, Level Maxwell, was a member of the wealthy Maxwell Family who built their wealth in shipbuilding and the triangle trade. Level Maxwell was a captain and invested in ships, including the schooner Abigail, which would become Warren’s first slave ship in 1789, two years after slave trading had been declared illegal for Rhode Island residents. The Abigail was designed with a middle deck less than five feet high, where the kidnapped Africans would be imprisoned, with sources stating that 64 African men, women and children were forced onto the ship and then imprisoned for two months on the journey across the Atlantic. Eleven enslaved people died on the journey and were likely thrown overboard into the open sea, with the surviving 53 people sold into slavery in the Caribbean, with the Abigail returning home with the profits. It is unclear if Level Maxwell lived in this house or built it for sale, but the property was owned in the mid-19th century by George A. Barton, a merchant. The property was owned in the late 20th century by Mary King, who restored the old house and operated her antique store from the residence. Architecturally, the home exhibits many features of the Hazard-Gempp House nearby on Liberty Street, and was likely constructed by the same builder.

Hazard-Gempp House // c.1800

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This elegant brick Federal style residence in Warren, Rhode Island, was built around the turn of the 19th century, sometime after Liberty Street was laid out in the mid-1790s. An excellent example of the Federal style finished in brick, the three-bay residence features a projecting belt course between the first and second stories, corbels and flared lintels at the windows, a hipped roof surmounted by a small, centered platform, and an elaborate entry with pediment and elliptical fanlight transom. The builder is not known at this time, but the house was owned by George C. Hazard and later inherited by his son, George G. Hazard and later by Mary Jane Hazard, who remarried to Lucius Warner. In the early 20th century, the property was purchased by Gottlieb and Louise Gempp, proprietors of the local American-German Club. Despite having its brick painted, the Hazard-Gempp House remains as one of the town’s great and well-preserved Federal period homes built of brick.

Gleason-Patterson House // 1803

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Another stately old home on Glezen Lane in Wayland is this brick, Federal style country mansion located across from the town Training Field. This residence is said to have been built by a Nathaniel Gleason (Glezen) and later inherited by a family member, Abel Glezen (1803-1890) who farmed the 55 acres of land and was a local politician. In 1900, as Wayland shifted from rural community to a desirable Boston suburb for summer residences, the Gleason House was purchased by Henry W. Patterson, who was in his late 20s when he bought this country house. Henry inherited his father’s estate and married Jane Harrington Adams from Massachusetts. The couple spent only a couple years here until Henry died in 1907 at just 35 years old. Jane, his widow, remained here until her death in 1950. The estate was subsequently subdivided and remains one of the finest homes in the community.

Abraham Wilder House // 1827

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This exceptional vernacular example of a brick, Federal period house in Bolton, Massachusetts, sits on the town’s Main Street in the East Bolton village. Built in 1827, this house with attached wooden ell was the home to Abraham Wilder, a local blacksmith who followed his father’s footsteps in his professional pursuits. The house is two-stories with historic six-over-nine sash windows. The main center entry, rather than displaying a common elliptical fanlight for the period, is surrounded by trim boards, four-pane sidelights and a vertical-board door. Abraham’s blacksmith shop was once located next-door but was moved and reassembled in Old Sturbridge Village in 1957.

First Church of Lancaster // 1816

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Built in 1816, the First Church of Lancaster is one of just two extant church buildings designed by famed American architect, Charles Bulfinch, and is said to be one of the finest churches in the Federal style in the United States. The fifth meetinghouse of the Unitarian First Church of Christ in Lancaster, this building was constructed of local brick, slate, and lumber from master-builder, Thomas Hearsey. Hearsey is said to have modified Bulfinch’s design, which had proposed one tall center arch flanked by two lower arches to reflect the unequal heights of the three vestibule doors behind them; instead going with three, identical arches. Other than this change, the church remains substantially as originally built, even without artificial lighting or central heat inside. Besides the iconic arched portico, the two- stage brick tower topped by a beautifully proportioned wood cupola surrounded by Roman Ionic columns, and fronted by a giant arcuated portico, is especially noteworthy. The congregation, which dates back to 1653 as a Puritan congregation was the first parish established in Central Massachusetts and remains active to this day.

Amos Heald House // 1803

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This large brick Federal period house in Chester, Vermont, was built in 1803 and is said to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. The large residence was built for Amos Heald (1767-1849), who was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and when just a boy of nine years, Amos witnessed the Battle of Concord kicking off the American Revolution. In about 1777, his father, Daniel Heald, moved the family to Chester, Vermont, which was then named New Flemstead, to escape the conflict. Daniel Heald acquired land near the Williams River and built a large Federal style home. He later deeded his son, Amos, land on which he too would build a residence. Amos Heald lived in this brick home and served in many positions in town until his death. The estate was bequeathed to his son, Amos Heald Jr. (1804-1873), who also served in the town offices. Locals state that Amos would shelter escaped enslaved people from the south on their way north to Canada. After his death, his son Prescott took over the property and built a wood-frame addition off the rear stables and barns, which became the town clerk’s office during his tenure, as well as the office for his insurance business. Sometime in the 19th century, the house was renovated with the addition of porches, and later, the building became the Weathervane Inn.

Jaquith Homestead // c.1820

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Erected in the 1820s by Joshua Jaquith, a prosperous mill owner who operated a sawmill and grist mill on the river directly behind his house, this residence in Andover, Vermont, exemplifies vernacular Federal period residential architecture in rural New England. The residence is said to have been carved up inside into apartments in the mid-1800s but was restored by Alden Jaquith, the third generation of the family later in the 19th century back into a single-family residence. The handsome brick home is symmetrical with a five-bay facade, 12-over-12 sash windows, and large end chimneys. Of particular note are the relief arches above first floor windows and above the door and the attached sidelight windows.

John Larchar House // c.1820

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The John Larchar House at 282 Benefit Street in Providence is one of the many stately Federal period homes in the city designed by great architect, John Holden Greene. John Larchar (also spelled Larcher), was born in Providence in 1787 and worked in local businesses, eventually becoming a bank director that was involved in many mercantile pursuits. The residence remained in John’s family long after his death in 1863, and has been maintained so well by subsequent owners. The 2½-story, brick Federal house features stone trim, four chimneys, a central elliptical fanlight doorway, modillion cornice and amazing 12-over-12 windows. The cupola at the roof appears to be a is a mid-19th-century addition, possibly after John’s death. The garage and two-story side addition dates to the 1960s but does not detract from the architectural integrity of the home. 

Tillinghast House // c.1800

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The Tillinghast House at 10 James Street in Providence, Rhode Island, was built around 1800 by Captain Joseph Tillinghast (1734-1816), and it was occupied by a number of his children in the early 19th century. By 1818, with Joseph already deceased, the Federal style home was owned by two of his daughters, Mary, and Amey Tillinghast, who operated a small store from the basement. The two-and-a-half-story, brick Federal house is set on a high basement all with brownstone trim at the stringcourse (between first and second stories) and at the entrance. The house was restored in the late 1970s, along with a new clapboard addition by designers, Luigi Bianco and Georgia Patterson Boomer, of Bianco/Boomer. Without nearly as much ornate detail as many other Federal style homes in the East Side area of Providence, this residence proves that high-quality materials and strong proportions can make a home truly stand out!

William Smith House // c.1826

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The William Smith House at 18 James Street in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence’s East Side, is similar to its neighbor, the William Woodward House in style and design details. Smith, a carpenter by trade, possibly built this house himself, with inspiration or plans by local architect, John Holden Greene, who designed many similar homes in the city around this time. The residence was built around 1826 and it was built into the steeply sloping hill on its raised granite foundation. Besides its elegant proportions, the house features a shallow hipped roof with monitor, fanlight over the door, and brownstone sills and lintels.