Samuel Curtis House, 429 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, Mass. - 07a7210aaaf011bb5af4499cdcbea2fc

Date supplied by cataloger based on corresponding negative.; Title supplied by cataloger from similar item in collection.; Abdalian identifier no. 1174; 1; Corresponding negative number: 08_01_000200; Leon H. Abdalian, Photographer; Old Curtis House 1722, 429 Centre St. cor. Barbara St., Jamaica Plain, Mass. The early history of the Jamaica Fund of Roxbury is closely associated with the name Curtis. It will be remembered that William Curtis came over in the "Lyon" together with John Eliot and Curtis' wife who was a sister to Eliot. s early as 1639, William Curtis received permission from the governor to build a house near Stoney Brook. Timber of unseasoned white oak were used, put together with hand-wrought nails. The original glass for the windows were diamond-shaped. There is no doubt that Dudley Eliot, the Apostle, and Governor Winthrop were frequent visitors here. Its location was on the corner of Lamartine St. and Paul Gore St., near the Boylston Station. There is nothing to mark the site of this house that stood for over 250 years, but in the Roxbury Burial Ground, where John Eliot was buried, there is this inscription on a small stone: "Willeem Curtis Aged 80 year. Dyed 8: D.O.Fn. 1672." During the Revolution, in 1775, Rhode Island Troops were quartered at this house. These soldiers, under the command of General Greene, were also quartered at another Curtis house on Centre Street. This house was built by Samuel Curtis, youngest son of Isaac Curtis. Samuel was born in 1688 and married Hannah Gore of Roxbury. In 1712 he purchased 20 acres of land in Jamaica Plain bordering on Jamaica Pond and in 1722 he built the house now standing on the premises. Seven generations have lived in this house, the present one being Phillip G. Curtis.