230 Beacon Street

228-230 Beacon Street

230 Beacon Street was built ca. 1863 for William Tucker.

By 1870, it was the home of John Murray Glidden and his wife, Anna Maria (Warren) Glidden.  They had been married in October of 1869 and 230 Beacon probably was their first home as a married couple.  Prior to their marriage, he had lived with his father at 1 Marlborough Street.

John Glidden was a partner in his father's shipping firm of Glidden & Williams, a major owner of clipper ships operating between Boston and San Francisco.  After the firm was dissolved in 1877, he became a commission merchant and also was president of the Pacific Guano Company.

The Gliddens continued to live at 230 Beacon until about 1872, when they moved to 107 Marlborough Street (they are listed at both addresses in the 1872 City Directory).

By 1873, 230  Beacon was the home of Charles Albert Whittier and his wife, Elizabeth Jones (Chadwick) Whittier.  In 1872, they had lived at 5 West Cedar.

Charles Whittier was an investment banker and broker with the firm of Lee, Higginson & Co.  He had served in the US Army during the Civil War, rising to the rank of brevet Brigadier General.  In 1898, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, he offered his services again, and was appointed Inspector General, accompanying General Merritt to the Philippines.  He subsequently served as Collector of Customs in Manila for several months, and then returned to Boston.

The Whittiers may have leased 230 Beacon, inasmuch as Charles H. Joy is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map.  This is probably dry goods commission merchant Charles Henry Joy, who lived at 86 Marlborough Street.

The Whittiers continued to live at 230 Beacon until about 1882, when they moved to a new home they had built at 270 Beacon.

No owner of 230 Beacon is shown on the 1883 Bromley map.

By 1884, 230 Beacon was the home of attorney Francis Peabody and his wife Rosamond (Lawrence) Peabody.  They previously had lived at 251 Beacon.  Rosamond L. Peabody is shown as the owner of 230 Beacon on the 1888 Bromley map.  Francis Peabody is called "Francis Peabody, Jr." in the 1884-1885 and 1889 Blue Books, but was the son of Samuel Endicott Peabody and the grandson of Francis Peabody.

By 1890, 230 Beacon was the home of Charles Henry Taylor and his wife, Georgianna Olivia (Davis) Taylor.  In 1888, they had lived at 108 Charles Street.

Charles Taylor was publisher of the Boston Globe.  Between 1891 and 1893, he also served on the staff of Governor William E. Russell, with the rank of Brigadier General.

The Taylors continued to live at 230 Beacon in 1904, but had moved to 332 Beacon by 1905.

By 1905, 230 Beacon was the home of Dr. James Marsh Jackson and his wife, Eleonora (Lewis) Jackson.  They had lived in an apartment at The Grosvenor, 259 Beacon, in 1904.  Eleonora Jackson is shown as the owner of 230 Beacon on the 1908 and 1917 Bromley maps.

James Jackson was a physician and also maintained his medical offices at 230 Beacon.

He died in December of 1918.  Eleonora Jackson continued to live at 230 Beacon until about 1923.

In January of 1923, Eleanora Jackson applied for (and subsequently received) permission to make repairs to the floor timbers on the first, second, third, and fourth floors.  The repairs appear to be as a result of fire damage, but the permit application does not specifically so indicate.

The house was not listed in the 1924 Blue Book.

By 1924, it was the home of Dr. Luther D. Shepard, Jr., and his wife, Frances (Conway) Shepard.  They also maintained a summer home at Ogonquit, Maine.  He is shown as the owner of 230 Beacon on the 1928 and 1938 Bromley maps.

Dr. Shepard was a dentist and maintained his offices at 230 Beacon.  Several other dentists also had offices there with him.

By 1957, 230 Beacon was owned by 230 Beacon Street Inc., probably owned by Dr. Shepard.  In August of 1957, it applied for (and subsequently received) permission to remodel the property and change the occupancy from a single-family dwelling and dental office to a two-family dwelling and dental office.

The Shepards continued to live at 230 Beacon in 1962.  He had retired from practice, but continued to lease offices to several other dentists.

By 1964, 230 Beacon was owned by Edward L. Britt, who also owned 228 Beacon.  In April of 1964, he filed for (and subsequently received) permission to combine the two properties, cutting through openings in the party wall on the ground level and fourth floors.  He also increased the number of units at 228 Beacon from six to seven, and increased the occupancy of 230 Beacon from two units and a dental office to eight units and a dental office.

On November of 1969, the Beacon Street Improvement Company filed for permission to tear down 222-224-226-228-230-232-234 Beacon and replace it with a 32-story, steel framed and brick clad tower at the northeast corner of Beacon and Dartmouth.  The building would have had 96 units and a 100 car garage.  The project was not pursued.