In 1856, Mary Lord Baker, widow of Stephen W. Baker transferred “1 1/2 acres including this lot to Mary Philbrook. (Salem Deeds book 511; page 187). The Philbrook family constructed a house on the property, probably the house at 19 Mineral Street.
The 1872 and 1884 Ipswich maps show one house at this lot or on the adjoining lot to the east, owned by “J. J. Philbrook.” In 1886, J. J. Philbrook et. ux. sold to Edward H. Baxter, in consideration of $3000, “a certain parcel of land situate on Mineral St. with two houses thereon” bounded by land of Josiah Lord, Frank H. Lord and the Eastern Railroad (Salem Deeds book 1183, p 267). It appears that Philbrook built the house at 17 Mineral Street between 1884 and 1886 and then sold both houses to Baxter.
The 1892 Ipswich annual report values the property as follows:
“Edward H. Baxter, Mineral st., 1 poll, 2 horses $250, 2 carriages, $125, colt $50, house $2000, house $1000, house $350, barn $150, land $400 Total $4325. $52.60”
“Thomas W. Baxter, Mineral st., 1 poll, stock in trade $500. Total $500: $7.85”
The 1910 Ipswich map shows this house and the one to the east owned by “Mrs. Baxter.”
In 1924 Thomas Baxter et. al transferred “a certain piece of property with buildings thereon, being a part of the property transferred by J.J. Philbrook to Edward H. Baxter” on Mineral St. to George H. Hills, bordering on the land of Thomas Baxter (2588, 330). This identifies the house at 19 Mineral Street.
In 1926 Thomas H. Baxter transferred property on Mineral St. to John and Pietrunella Adamowicz a parcel with buildings thereon, bordering the railroad and the property of George H. Hills.(2690,65). This identifies the house at 17 Mineral Street. The house and lot were still in the Adamowicz family until 2019.
Folk And Vernacular Victorian (from Old House Web)
“Folk Victorian refers to a style of American home that is relatively plain in its construction but embellished with decorative trim. Folk Victorians were built from “plan books,” provided by architectural companies and in circulation from the mid 1800s into the early 1900s. The books contained from a half dozen plans up to a hundred or more, with layouts drawn to scale and usually showing front and side elevations, but without the details of modern blueprints.
These home were usually square or L-shaped, and often sported gables and porches. However, they did not have turrets, bay windows, or other complicated construction. What gave these plain homes their Folk Victorian nomenclature was the prefabricated trim, which was machine produced and could (and was) shipped by rail just about anywhere. These machine-made embellishments appeared as brackets under the eves of gabled roofs and as spindle or flat porch railings and trim. As the railroad expanded, it brought Folk Victorian to American small towns.”
Historic Ipswich 