Life at HomeIn One April in Boston, we meet 10-year-old Ben Edwards and his family, and visit their home on Back Street. The Edwards home was located near Beer Lane, which connected Back and Middle streets. It was two blocks from the home of Robert Newman and three blocks from Christ Church (Old North). Looking directly down Beer Lane, the family could see the New Brick Church, where the Edwards and Revere families worshipped. Recent research has helped identify the exact location of the Edwards property. Ben's grandfather, Captain Benjamin Edwards (1685-1751), purchased property from Abigail Blaque in 1719. It bounded southeasterly on Back Street (95 1/2 ft.) and on the northwest by the Mill Pond. The property included houses, outhouses, buildings, barns, stables and gardens. A passageway on the property connected Back Street to the Mill Pond. Captain Edwards lived here in a brick home that stood on the right side of the passageway. His seven children, including Ben's Uncle Alex, and his father Dolling, were born here. In 1738, Captain Edwards purchased a second piece of property on Back Street, next to his home, from blacksmith Solomon Townsend. The property measured 31 1/2 ft. at the front and 200 ft. from front to rear. It contained land and buildings. After Captain Edwards' death in 1751, this property was passed on to his son Benjamin. During this time, an inventory of the Captain's "sundry goods" was taken at his Back Street home. Many of his items were sold at Public Auction. Click here for a fascinating look at an inventory of the Captain's personal property. Captain Edwards' remaining real estate was divided among his five other living children. His sons John and Robert received the front part of his home, while his daughter Bathsheba was given the back part. His son Alexander (young Ben's Uncle Alex) was given a brick home, buildings and land next to his siblings. His property had 50 ft. of frontage on Back Street and was to the left of the passageway that led to the Mill Pond. The brick home on this property is where the Edwards family lives in One April in Boston. It may have looked similar to the illustration shown above. Today, you can eat dinner there! For more information, click here. The Captain also owned two small dwellings: one on Ship Street and one in White Bread Alley. These were given to his youngest son, Dolling. Here are photos of the former Edwards property as it looks today:
This is the site of the home of Alexander and Sarah Edwards on Back Street (now Salem Street). Their land, at the front, extended across what is now Salem Shop, a convenience store, and Terramia Restaurant, and bordered on a passageway now called Bartlett Place. Uncle Alex's cabinetmaking shop was at the rear of this property.
This view shows the location of Captain Edwards' brick home. It was to the right of a passageway (now Bartlett Place) that led to the Mill Pond. Today, the property is the site of M&M Cleaners.
Here we stand on Salem Street (formerly Back Street) in front of the Bartlett Place passageway, looking down Parmenter Street (formerly Beer Lane). The New Brick Church stood just ahead, at the intersection of Hanover Street (formerly Middle Street).
This is the piece of property that Captain Benjamin Edwards purchased from Solomon Townsend in 1738. It was given to his son Benjamin (Uncle Ben in the story). He eventually moved to Woburn and then Framingham. Today, the property is the site of L'Osteria, an Italian Restaurant that stands at the intersection of Salem and Cooper streets. |
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