1 Scotton’s Lane, the Choate-Scotton house (c 1863)

The large house at 1 Scotton’s Lane near Water Street first appears on the 1872 Ipswich map with the name “L. (Lewis) Choate.” In the 1910 map, the owner is A.E. L. (Amos) Scotton, who also owned the house opposite at the corner of Scotton’s Lane and Water Street. Until the early 20th Century, this street near the River was known as “Choate’s Lane,” but is now known as Scotton’s Lane.

Choate

In the year 1834, Charles Choate moved to Ipswich from Essex with his family and began building vessels at Baker’s Wharf. His sons Lewis and Edward took up the trade and continued the business in the same yard. In 1851, they removed their business to the bank of the river at the location where the Green Street bridge now crosses the River. Edward Choate built ships at his yard at “Roger’s Point.” These boats were primarily fishing vessels.

In 1863, Lewis Choate transferred property with buildings on it to Edward Choate, but two years later, Edward and Martha Choate sold to Lewis Choate, property with buildings, (847,31). In 1872, Lewis B. Choate granted to Jonathan L. Choate a piece of property with buildings “On and near the way to Jeffreys Neck and the Wharf (847, 31)” In 1879, Jonathan Choate transferred to Lewis Choate, two parcels with buildings, “On and near the way to Jeffreys Neck and the Wharf (1029,132). In 1897, Lewis Choate transfered the parcel to Charles A. Sayward, Ipswich Savings Bank (1520, 216).

Scotton

Born in Leicestershire, England in 1844 to John Scotton and Mary Tipple, Amos Scotton immigrated to Boston and settled in Ipswich. He married Eliza Brown and had 8 children. He passed away on 1905 in Ipswich. His son Amos Scotton, an Ipswich jeweler and knit goods, purchased this property before 1910. The deed of Amos E. L. Scotton was foreclosed in 1938, but was soon transferred to his widow Henrietta. (3148,547).