When Jeremiah Kinsman died in 1818, his will bequeathed the “Walker’s Island farm” to his sons Jeremiah and William in equal parts. Either Jeremiah or William or his son William Jr. built this house next door, which was referred to as the “Cottage.” It came to be occupied by Rhoda Kinsman, daughter of William Jr.
The frequency of the names Jeremiah and William Kinsman by successive generations of the family lends some confusion to the date of construction, which would be before 1776, or after 1818. A study of the construction methods used would probably settle the question. The original Gambrel roof cottage is likely from the Georgian era, supporting the earlier date. The Town of Ipswich property site gives a date of 1756.
Thomas Franklin Waters wrote about the Rhoda Kinsman “Cottage” in the book, “Candlewood, an Ancient Neighborhood in Ipswich, Massachusetts.”
“Jeremiah Kinsman was living in the house built by his father on Walker’s Island in 1756. A family tradition affirms that it was erected in 1752. He died there in 1818 and bequeathed the Walker’s Island farm to his sons, Jeremiah and William, in equal parts, but William was to have all the farming tools and stock (proved June 2, 1818. Pro. Rec. 393: 139). The “cottage,” as the lower house is called, was probably built by Jeremiah Kinsman or his son, William.”
“William Kinsman was born in the ‘cottage’ so called, now the residence of Miss Rhoda F. Kinsman, Sept. 4, 1776. He married Sarah, daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth Brown of Hamilton, Nov. 4, 1802, and died in his life-long home, Nov. 12, 1866. His wife had died on March 11, 1860.”
“William Kinsman bequeathed all his real estate to his son, William Jr. (proved Nov. 7, 1843. Pro. Rec. 412: 227). He had a large family, all of whom disposed of their interests to William H. Kinsman…”(whose daughter, Rhoda F. Kinsman lived in the house in 1900).”
Historic Ipswich 